The Basic Education Commission (Obec) board has agreed to revise regulations involving admissions for primary and high school students for the upcoming academic year.
Ekkachai Kisukphan, the board chairman, said the move is in line with the cabinet's resolution to acknowledge the National Anti-Corruption Commission's (NACC) recent recommendation to the Education Ministry to implement bribery prevention measures regarding new student admissions.
According to Mr Ekkachai, the number of conditions under which schools can admit students for special reasons has been reduced from seven to four.
The board also agreed to revise the criteria for the admission of students in the schools' catchment areas.
Those who can be admitted for special reasons must be students under the patronage of donors of school lands, students from poor or underprivileged families, students whose parents made sacrifices for victims of disasters, and students whose parents are teachers or school personnel.
The students who will be enrolled in the catchment areas must have lived in the area for at least two years before May 16, 2019 and those who are found to have lied about this will be dismissed, he said.
For the Mathayom 4 level, schools will be required to accept all Mathayom 3 students who want to continue their studies at the schools as long as there are vacant places available.
The amendments are being made to solve the problem of "Pair Jia", or kickback money parents give to schools for their students' admission.
The changes to the school admission guidelines won't affect the coming admission season during March 23-27. Mr Ekkachai added that those dates exclude March 24, which is the election day.
Education Minister Teerakiat Jareonsettasin earlier said he had urged Obec to urgently adopt the NACC's recommendation and revise its guidelines on student admissions.
The NACC pointed out that it is crucial to ensure that there are amendments made to Obec's school administration regulations to prevent bribery.
On Wednesday, Bunrak Yotphet, secretary-general of Obec, had said the commission's guidelines on school admissions of new students would likely be amended to exclude seven conditions currently allowed by Obec to admit students for special reasons.
The list of reasons referenced students who were qualified for admission under a special agreement reached between the school and families who have "continuously contributed to the school", Mr Bunrak said.
These special agreements can open the door to dishonest school executives demanding bribes during the admissions process.