Student protesters still struggling

Many of the students who protested against Bodindecha School's admissions policy are still having problems, even some those who have been re-admitted.

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The student protest against Bodindecha Bodindecha (Sing Singhaseni) School's admission policy was partially successful, but many of the students involved are having a difficult time. CHANAT KATANYU

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Classmates' taunts drive away pupil

Lamphai Intathep 
Kingoua Laohong
 
One of the students who successfully protested against Bodindecha School's decision to reject their application to continue their studies at the Matthayom 4 (Grade 10) level has quit after less than a week in class.

His mother said her son could not stand the taunts of his classmates and yesterday decided to give up studying at the school.

The student and his mother have requested anonymity.

The student was re-admitted by Bodindecha last Wednesday after some pupils, earlier admitted, vacated their seats to study at other schools.

"Unfortunately, he was ridiculed and laughed at from the first day in school," his mother said in a telephone interview.

"He tried to be patient until eventually yesterday he decided to leave, as he cannot stand the pressure," she said.

Her son has reported to Triamudom Suksa Pattanakarn Ratchada School since leaving Bodindecha and hopes to study there instead.

Her son was one of four Matthayom 3 Bodindecha students who staged a hunger strike after being rejected by the school for a seat in Matthayom 4.

A total of 57 Matthayom 3 students had been rejected by Bodindecha for further studies, but after the strike the school took some of them in.

Bodindecha director Suwat Wiwattananon said he had instructed teachers and students not to allow such behaviour again, as other students who had protested were still at the school.

Another Bodindecha student who went on a hunger strike and was still rejected went to report at Rajavinit Bang Khen School yesterday.

"We are totally discouraged and have no hope [of continuing studies at Bodindecha School]," said the student's father, who asked not to be named. "If my son is asked to study at Bodindecha School, he would suffer the same problem as the student who has left," he added.

Somboon Charoenchantakarn, the father of another rejected Matthayom 3 Bodindecha student, has abandoned his threat to set himself on fire at Government House today if Bodindecha did not accept his daughter.

Chinnapat Bhumirat, secretary-general of the Office of the Basic Education Commission, said he sent officials to discuss a non-violent solution with Mr Somboon last weekend. He then decided to abandon his protest.

The Anti-Money Laundering Office said it has joined forces with the Public Sector Anti-Corruption Commission and the Department of Special Investigation to probe allegations that parents were asked to pay in exchange for seats at secondary schools.

struggle – to try hard to do something that you find very difficult ต่อสู้ พยายาม
protest – to make a strong complaint or disagreement ประท้วง
policy – a set of plans or action agreed on by a government, political party, business, or other group นโยบาย
partially – in part, but not completely บางส่วน
involved – taking part or having a role in something เกี่ยวข้อง
taunt – shouting cruel things at someone in order to make them angry or upset  การพูดส่อเสียดเสียดสี
reject – to not agree with a request, offer or proposal ปฏิเสธ ไม่ยอมรับ
application – a formal request for permission to do or have something การขอ
stand – to be able survive something or tolerate something without being hurt or damaged อดทน
anonymity – when someone's name is not given or known การไม่ระบุชื่อ
admit – to allow somebody to become a member of a school, a club or an organisation ให้สิทธิเข้าได้
vacate – to leave empty ออกจาก, ออกไปจาก
ridicule – to make somebody/something look silly by laughing at them or it in an unkind way เยาะเย้ย, ล้อเลียน
patient – able to wait for a long time without becoming angry or upset  อดทน
eventually – at the end of a period of time or at the end of a process ในที่สุด
pressure – a worried feeling that you get when you have to deal with a difficult or complicated situation ความกดดัน
stage – to organise an event or activity จัด
hunger strike – a refusal to eat by a person or group of people until a demand is met การอดอาหารประท้วง
instruct – to tell somebody to do something, especially in a formal or official way สั่ง
behaviour – the way that someone acts or behaves พฤติกรรม, การกระทำตัว
discouraged – feeling that it is useless to try to do something หมดกำลังใจ, ท้อแท้
suffer – to be badly affected by a very difficult or unpleasant situation ประสบความลำบาก
abandon – to stop doing an activity before you have finished it เลิก
threat – saying that you might do something bad or harmful, especially in order to make someone do something  การขู่เข็ญ การคุกคาม ทำให้กลัว
violent – involving the use of physical force, with the intention of causing damage to property or injury or death to people รุนแรง
solution – a way of solving a problem or dealing with a difficult situation  วิธีแก้ปัญหา
money laundering – hiding the origin of money obtained from illegal activities by putting it into legal businesses การฟอกเงิน
public sector – government sector; part of the economy controlled by the government ภาครัฐบาล
commission – an official group of people who have been given responsibility to control something, or to find out about something, usually for the government  คณะกรรมการ, คณะกรรมาธิการ
(DSI) Department of Special Investigation – a police department investigating serious crimes involving influential people, organised crime, or crimes using highly sophisticated technology กรมสอบสวนคดีพิเศษ
probe – an attempt to find out the truth about an issue, problem or accident, made by an official group (or by the media); an investigation การตรวจสอบ  การสอบสวน
allegation – an accusation; a statement that someone has done something wrong or illegal even though this has not been proved ข้อกล่าวหา
in exchange for – giving something to someone and receiving something else from them of a similar type or value แลกเปลี่ยน
secondary school – a school for young people, usually between the ages of 11 and 16 or 18 ชั้นมัธยมศึกษา