Phuket charity schools raided amid migrant education crackdown
Raids on charity schools run by the Good Shepherd Foundation continued this week, with officials from the Thalang District Office targeting the BanYa Literacy Centre in Srisoonthorn.
Led by Thalang District Chief Siwat Rawangkun, officials including Deputy District Chief for Security Chaiporn Yangchin, village leaders, and other officials conducted an inspection at the centre in Village 6, Srisoonthorn on Tuesday, March 18.
A brief report from the Thalang District Office stated that the visit was to investigate the centre’s operation as a school for Myanmar migrant children. However, no explanation was provided as to why the centre was raided, nor were any specific irregularities mentioned.
The Good Shepherd Foundation has been a longstanding presence in Phuket, providing education and support to underprivileged children for decades with the tacit approval of local officials.
The raid comes just days after a similar crackdown on the Good Shepherd Phuket Town school, which offers free education and meals to children in Soi Kingkaew, one of Phuket’s poorest communities.
In a pre-emptive move, officials held a press conference on Monday to justify their actions. Phuket Vice Governor Adul Chuthong stated that while the Good Shepherd Phuket Town school had been ordered to halt formal teaching, it was still permitted to provide children’s activities.
So far, no clear reason has been given for the sudden scrutiny of Good Shepherd charity schools. However, the raids coincide with a surge in anti-Myanmar migrant sentiment on Thai social media, where claims that migrant workers are stealing jobs from Thais have been circulating, reported The Phuket News.
Attempting to deflect accusations of racial bias, Vice Governor Adul warned that if the school was found to be operating illegally, it could face a fine of up to 20,000 baht, one year in jail, or both.
In similar news, the director of a Catholic-operated school in Phuket has challenged a foreign YouTuber’s portrayal of a Myanmar community in the province as a “slum.”
A video on the Ride with Gabi YouTube channel has sparked debate by highlighting a large Myanmar migrant community in the area. The footage shows workers living in crowded, impoverished conditions, paying around 3,600 baht per month, including utilities.
The community is home to a school run by a Myanmar national, offering free education, meals, and air-conditioned classrooms for migrant children, providing them with much-needed support and opportunities.
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