Thai parents outraged after teacher hits boy with wooden stick

The parents of an 11 year old Thai schoolboy have filed a complaint against a teacher who allegedly struck their son with a wooden stick, causing injuries.

The mother, 27 year old Raksuda, reported the incident to Police Lieutenant Sura Lertthaisong at Khu Khot Police Station at 10.30pm yesterday, August 29. She stated that her son, a sixth-grade student, was playing with five friends during a break when the teacher hit him on the back with a wooden stick, which broke upon impact.

The boy’s 34 year old father, Phinyo, shared that his son came home from school complaining about the incident, but he initially dismissed it as a typical reprimand due to his busy work schedule. It wasn’t until later that he noticed the severity of his son’s injuries.

Phinyo recounted how his son described being singled out and struck by the teacher, leaving him with a painful and bruised back. The bruises, initially visible, had faded by the time they complained, but the pain persisted.

Phinyo expressed his frustration, questioning the appropriateness of the teacher’s actions.

“Even if my son is mischievous, hitting him with a stick until it breaks is too much. He’s a student, not a criminal.”

Phinyo also mentioned that according to the law, teachers are prohibited from hitting students.

The incident occurred during a scout activity when the teacher encountered a group of children playing. The teacher used a thick wooden stick to hit the boy, which broke upon impact. The father noted that his son was the only one punished, while the other children were not hit. After the incident, the boy’s classmates observed red marks on his back, indicating the severity of the blow.

Previous hitting

Phinyo also mentioned that the teacher responsible for the incident was a male teacher, but the homeroom teacher was unaware of the situation. Only the nurse who applied ointment to the boy’s back was informed. The boy’s father emphasised that while his son has been disciplined before, it has never been to this extent.

“Using a thick stick and breaking it on a small child is excessive.”

The nurse’s comment, “Again?” when applying the ointment suggested that this was not the first time such an incident had occurred, implying that other students might have been subjected to similar treatment. However, Phinyo stressed that he would not tolerate such behaviour towards his son.

“I discipline my child, but I never use such a thick stick.”

The complaint was officially recorded to document the physical harm caused to the boy by the teacher. The parents are seeking legal action against the teacher for the excessive and inappropriate punishment, reported KhaoSod.