Punish school gangs harshly

EDITORIAL

Published: 6 Mar 2013 at 00.00
Newspaper section: News

The senseless and destructive gang battles of Bangkok have been one of the city's worst afflictions for many decades. Feuds and rivalries among vocational schools have resulted in many pointless deaths, and needlessly ruined thousands of lives of violent young men, their rivals and families. Far too often, the violence involves innocent bystanders. Far too often, authorities have promised tough action against violent youths, only to back away at the last moment.

As with most crimes, showing compassion to criminals and ignoring the root causes of the student violence have made matters worse. While the government must be pushed to deliver long-term solutions by improving the quality of vocational education and providing the students with job security, the student gangsters also must be punished for their crimes.

Last week, a student gang once again attacked a young man. Once again, the attackers were doubly wrong, assaulting a youth who had no connection to the gangs or the schools involved.

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ATNN
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Discussion 18 : 07 Mar 2013 at 01.2718
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Sure - punish them harshly, but punishment isn't going to solve the problem alone. The root cause is socioeconomic and cultural. Fix that, and you won't have this problem to worry about in the first place.
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johnwalton
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Discussion 17 : 06 Mar 2013 at 21.0417
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When I was a kid in Scotland, we understood that any time we were in uniform, we were representing the school, and our actions reflected on the school, so that when on a bus, we were to give up our seats to ladies and the elderly etc and be respectful at all times when outside the school. Those kind of morals are just not instilled in Thai kids at home or in school, it seems.
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godders
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Discussion 16 : 06 Mar 2013 at 17.3316
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Violence is a growing problem in Thailand, which has one of the worst murder rates in the world. Why?Macho behaviour is not only tolerated but glorified in popular TV soap operas where typical role models are gun-toting psychotics who bully and exploit women. Add the fact that parental and religious influence are waning and it is easy to understand why so many young Thai men grow up selfish, misogynistic and aggressive. Of course embryonic gangsters from vocational schools or elsewhere must be punished. But even more important is to identify and eliminate the endemic cultural influences which create these little monsters.
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barryw
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Discussion 15 : 06 Mar 2013 at 17.0915
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Who are the role models for these thugs? If it is singers or tv soap stars they look up to, then let the government organise and pay for tv and print commercials using these 'idols' to put the message across that harming others isn't cool. Show video and photos of those injured or killed, with the slogan 'Next time this could be you, not them'. Closing the schools does nothing to solve the problem, it just pushes it elsewhere.
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tony_n
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Discussion 14 : 06 Mar 2013 at 16.0214
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People should stop explaining away this kind of behaviour as 'school violence'. That kind of label diminishes the severity of the crime. It's not school violence, it's aggrevated assault. They are not 'kids', they are young adults who know exactly what they are doing. They are in full time education at age 16, which puts them firmly in the middle class in Thai terms, so please no excuses that vocational kids have no future. They are the minority in these schools, not the norm. They should be severely punished to the fullest extent of the law. Preferably as adults. Stop the leniency, and use this opportunity to make an example of these thugs.
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barmine
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Discussion 13 : 06 Mar 2013 at 15.3613
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Why not charge teenage gang members that use guns and knives as adults.
Give them some serious prison time with the big boys.
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lungstib
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Discussion 12 : 06 Mar 2013 at 14.5112
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Raimund is right, I tried hard to discipline my kid and he was great till he was 12 and then he 'joined the gang' and refused to listen to me. I took him to the police and asked them to punish him with community service, they laughed and said he was just a kid. These 'just kids' have maimed a boy for life. Punishment must be handed out.
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raimund
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Discussion 11 : 06 Mar 2013 at 13.2111
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Dis 5 I seems you do not have kids (in Thailand).I teach my kids and try everything to make them good citizens, but the moment they are with friends they change.
We had long discussions and they told me that I do not understand what "friendship" means. They would die for them.Now add some teachers and a school director with the same wavelengths as the students,to protect the name of the school even with death,hooligans are born. When I saw the poor kid with all the injuries on TV, I only hoped that the culprits be charged with the toughest law.
Gang members must pay their whole lifetime to support the victim.
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peterl
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Discussion 10 : 06 Mar 2013 at 12.2910
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I think BIT should be put on notice that if this kind of thing does not stop it will be closed. A tough warning followed by something like "three strikes and you are out".
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jacksprat
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Discussion 9 : 06 Mar 2013 at 11.379
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I actually saw some of the vocational school rivalry, nearly being caught up in a street battle in the 1980s. But the violence today is much worse than it was before. When are the authorities going to stop talking and actually did something about it?
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Punish school gangs harshly | Bangkok Post: opinion