PM targets pupil feuds

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PM targets pupil feuds
Orders measures to deal with inter-school brawls
Published: 6/09/2010 at 12:00 AM
Bangkok Post: Newspaper section: News

Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has instructed the Education Ministry to propose further measures to curb inter-school violence.



Mr Abhisit said during his weekly radio and TV broadcast yesterday that he had ordered Education Minister Chinnaworn Boonyakiat to report on the issue of violence among students from rival Bangkok schools during tomorrow's cabinet meeting.

He said he had instructed officials to take serious action against those instigating violence, and the Education Ministry would also discuss the matter with relevant agencies.

Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra yesterday led a group of students from seven vocational institutes to attend the funeral of 9-year-old Jatuporn Pholphaka, who was killed after being hit by stray bullets allegedly fired by a technical student, at Wat Bamphen Nuea in Min Buri district.

Jatuporn, known as Nong Thian, a Prathom 3 student at Wat Bamphen Nuea School, died on Wednesday morning. He was allegedly shot by a student from Bang Kapi Technology School while on a bus. Police said the assailant was aiming at a group from a rival school on the same bus.

MR Sukhumbhand led the students in also making merit by cleaning the compound of Wat Bamphen Nuea where the funeral was held.

He said the boy's death should draw attention to the deadly threat posed by inter-school rivalries.

The governor cautioned students against squandering their educations by getting involved in pointless feuds with groups from other schools.

Three students from Thepsirin High School were injured on Saturday after being attacked by students from rival schools at Mahboonkrong shopping complex in Pathumwan district.

Mr Chinnaworn yesterday visited the three _ Tinnapob Keeratiwarakul, 17, Panapat Teekanantaporn, 17, Nattapon Nantasen, 15 _ at the hospital.

He said the ministry was gravely concerned about the rise in inter-school violence over the past two weeks.

The minister said the executives of 40 high schools in Bangkok where many of the students who engage in inter-school violence are enrolled would attend a meeting at parliament to discuss the problem.

http://bangkokpost.com/news/local/194765/pm-targets-pupil-feuds