Beaten, bruised and burnt

Despite repeated tragedies, ugly initiation rituals continue to haunt freshmen's lives.

Last week, a first-year student at Rajamangala Tawan-ok University of Technology's Uthen Thawai Campus revealed that she was forced to eat ink-stained paper and handfuls of chillies by older students.

After she lodged a complaint with the Pavena Hongsakul Foundation, Uthen Thawai launched a probe yesterday.

Uthen Thawai's acting rector Suebpong Muangchu admitted that despite serious efforts, it remained difficult to eradicate violent initiations. Sompong Sheethaisong, dean of the faculty of engineering, said he had done everything he could to stop the rituals.

"But deep down, I really have no idea how to end this problem," he said.

Last year, Uthen Thawai hit the headlines after first-year student Krissana Chatsuwan sustained fatal head injuries during an initiation in Prachuap Khiri Khan.

"I can't come to terms with what happened. He was my only son," said Krissana's father Prachern. He made a plea that his son be the last to die in an initiation ritual.

However, that wasn't the case.

Just months later, 16-year-old Nirojsak Intachote sustained similar fatal brain injuries during an initiation ritual at another vocational school.

Many other victims have been left with serious wounds and painful memories.

Cruel rituals

Last year, Suradej Suwanrat -- a first-year student at Rajamangala University of Technology Bangkok - was badly burned along with two others at an initiation rite.

Questioned by police, the senior students involved said the rite was something they had been through in their first year.

Back in 2005, a first-year at Rajamangala University of Technology Isaan described being forced through 10 days of rituals with other juniors that included tugs of war with their sexual organs, setting their pubic hair on fire and crawling on cement floors with hands tied.

 He refused to return to the college.

A year later, more than 20 first-year students at Thanyaburi Technical College were herded into a derelict house in Nakhon Nayok by seniors who forced them to strip naked.

"They lit candles and dripped hot wax onto our skin," a victim said. "Those who resisted were punched and kicked. Some of us were beaten unconscious".

A passing police patrol eventually scared the seniors off.