Financial aid sought for student hazing victim

A group of students took part in the ritual in Phetchaburi province on Tuesday night, despite the commission's ban.

"We are seeking information from police, students' parents and Polytechnic Krungthep Commercial School," the commission's acting secretarygeneral, Kannikar Pinyakong said yesterday.

Nirojsak Inthachote, a freshman at the school, sustained serious head injuries in the hazing ritual.

His parents are now struggling to pay his medical expenses.

According to Kannikar, the school should provide assistance to Nirojsak even though it did not organise the ritual.

"If the student has no accidentinsurance policy, our office will also provide some financial assistance," Kannikar said.

The school's deputy director, Somkiat Kijpanich said all students were told not to take part in initiation rituals - which often involve hazing.

"All students who took part in the ritual live in the Bang Yai area," Somkiat said, "We will launch a probe".

Education Ministry permanent secretary, Dr Chinnapat Bhumirat hoped the school and the student's parents would be able to negotiate.

"And from now on, we will encourage students to participate in positive activities," he added.

Chulalongkorn University lecturer Dr Sompong Jitradub said hazing during initiation rituals had hurt too many students in Thailand.

"About half of such cases took place among vocational students," he said.

Sompong urged the Office of the Private Education Commission to clearly prescribe punishment against wrongdoers in such cases.