Chinnaworn denies proposing deep South bootcamp idea
The Cabinet yesterday approved proactive measures aimed at solving the problem of student brawls, while Education Minister Chinnaworn Boonyakiat denied having proposed the sending of errant students to boot camps in the three southernmost provinces.
Chinnaworn said the Education Ministry would spearhead collaboration among agencies to resolve the problem.
He denied the ministry planned to send "atrisk" students to the three southernmost provinces. "It was just an idea that we haven't yet decided to take up," he said.
The measures that were approved include the setting up of a schools, parents and students network as a longterm solution.
The deputy prime minister for national security, Suthep Thaugsuban, declined to comment on the ministry's reported idea to send atrisk students to the deep South, which has been mired in almost daily violence since early 2004.
Meanwhile, as adults were trying to solve the problem of brawling, students continued to fight.
Muang Pathum Thani police yesterday morning arrested 20 students from Pathumthani Technical College and confiscated three knives from them, as they were about to clash with those from a rival college.
Following the report of a student brawl and a pingpong bomb being thrown at a 33 (Pathum ThaniSanam Luang) bus in front of Muang Pracha housing estate, police set up eight checkpoints around the area while another team rushed to the scene.
Finding that the bus had left, police interviewed five students from the technical college at the bus stop and checked out a Toyota Vigo pickup, the back of which was covered by canvas. The truck was driven by Pathumthani Technical College student Chayanon Thongard, 18.
Police found 14 students hidden in the back of the truck, with three knives on them.
The 20 students were taken to Muang police station, before their parents were contacted to pick them up. Those carrying knives were each fined Bt500, while those failing to present ID cards were fined Bt100, police said.
One of the students, Sanglek Kanluang, said they had been waiting for a 33 bus but did not board it when it came along, as they saw Laemthong Technology College students were on board.
However, as the bus left, an explosion was heard, possibly from a pingpong bomb thrown by the rival students, he said. No one was hurt, so he and his friends were ready to chase them, but the police arrived at the scene and arrested them first.
Meanwhile, Samut Prakan's Bang Bo district police yesterday brought 50 atrisk students from Kanchanapisek Samutprakan Technical College to visit Samut Prakan Prison and learn about the consequences of youths taking part in reckless actions.
The students talked with senior students who had been involved in brawls and were serving time in jail, as police hoped this would make them fearful of punishment and more conscious of where their actions could land them.
In related news, Dr Suriyadev Tripati, director of Mahidol University's National Institute for Child and Family Development, called for the making available of space for youths to express themselves creatively and for the training for parents to raise their children properly via 6,000 family development centres nationwide.
He also suggested that the Education Ministry should continuously instill a volunteer spirit into youths, so they could direct their immense energy into doing something useful to society.
During the first year at college, students could be sent to undertake activities for the community or underprivileged persons, so that they acquired the skill of giving. Then they could be taught academically and vocationally, he said.
They would not need to complete study programmes in the usual three years but in four or five years, Suriyadev said, adding that classroom learning should also discuss reallife questions while networks of teachers, parents and community members watched out for and solved problems together.