Press Release
Activities in Educational Institutes Must Respect Human Rights

               As can be seen in the news, on 9th September 2016, a student got seriously illness with the condition of cerebral hypoxia and lung infection and was taken to the I.C.U. for medication due to getting drowned while cleaning the body in the pond after joining the activity.

               Mrs. Chatsuda Chandeeying, NHRCT Commissioner, as the Chairperson of the Sub-Commission on Children’s Rights and Education, revealed that the statistical data collected by the National Human Rights Commission of Thailand (NHRCT) shows that the NHRCT received a complaint on activities taken place in several educational institutes. From the complaint, some activities had physical and mental effects to new students. Though they were not forced to join such activity, the large numbers of new students were afraid that they would not receive recognition. So they did not voluntarily join such activities.   

               The NHRCT has invited the executives of educational institutes where were complained to discuss and find a solution to the problem. However, NHRCT does still have a concern about such activities which are risk to the human rights violation. Thus, the NHRCT would like to recommend educational institutes to emphasize the details of any activities which should aim for creativity and arrange a meeting with students in order to inform good and bad practices during the activity and effects which might occur to the educational institute or students.   
Furthermore, the approval for organizing any activities should be carefully considered about its details and purposes whether they are in line with the actual demand of the educational institutes or not.  There should be an advisor in each activity to give a close attention and be able to cope with an emergency situation. Moreover, the educational institute should inspect and follow up such activity in order to avoid the violation of students’ rights. If it appears that any kind of violation of students’ rights or any unlawful action occurs, the educational institute must take a proper legal action. 
 
Mrs. Chatsuda Chandeeying
NHRCT Commissioner
Chairperson of the Sub-Commission on Children’s Rights and Education
13th September 2016
 

13/09/2016