Pupils told to sign Thaksin petition

Chaiwuti said teachers threatened students that if they defied the order it would have an adverse effect on their grades.

"It is highly inappropriate that state officials get involved with politics and especially as the ex-premier has been hit with criminal charges."

He said the Office of the Basic Education Commission must investigate the matter and check if teachers in other schools did the same, because there were thousands of schools under its jurisdiction.

Director of the Hor Wang School in Bangkok, Palongyuth Inthaphan, denied teachers gave such orders. He said students were told to analyse news in websites.

Palongyuth said he had already reported the matter to Khunying Kasama Voravan Na Ayudhaya, secretary general to the Office of the Basic Education Commission.

"I have been very frustrated with this problem. I have always told the teachers to be politically neutral because I have been rebuked in websites that I allow the teachers to do so, which is not true," he said.

Education Minister Jurin Laksanawisit said he had instructed the Office of the Basic Education Commission to investigate the allegation that students in the northeast were instructed students to go to the red shirts' website, that has been soliciting signatures to push for a Royal pardon for Thaksin.

"Teachers should know what is right or wrong because privy councilors have made it clear about this,'' Jurin said.

He would decide whether to take action against the teachers after receiving the results of the investigation from the commission.