The Ministry of Education has delivered a rare and welcome policy change for students. A laudable new regulation that was delivered out of the blue addresses the problem of teenage pregnancies in a positive manner. This commendable decision comes in the wake of a serious black eye to the system.
The head and staff at a rural Phayao school tried to gloss over egregious and embarrassing misconduct by some Grade 8 students when they had an outstanding opportunity for discipline and, more importantly, to embrace what could have been a real "teaching moment".
First, the good news. Effective from the next school year, all schools in the kingdom, from elementary through university, will be forbidden by law from expelling pregnant students.
While this discriminatory, hurtful and harmful practice has decreased, it is still far too common. It is a positive development for the ministry, so often and correctly criticised as outmoded in many ways.
It is difficult to think of an attitude more out of touch than automatically kicking a young woman out of school because she has become pregnant. If anything, such girls need the support and understanding of classmates and school staff even more than others do.
Tossing students aside has been wrongly justified on moral grounds. It must be considered a positive step that teachers, administrators and students will all be required to correct such unreasonable judgement, in case they are still so inclined.
The new ministry regulation on this matter printed last weekend in the Royal Gazette outlined an entirely new system.
Every school now is required to have a programme suitable to the locale "to ensure students will be able to continue studies".
This includes a possible break after the birth, during which schools are required to arrange classes to keep the new, young mother up to speed with other students.
Schools must also have contact with pregnant girls' families to provide counselling as needed. And school heads now must ensure that all students receive sex and life-skill instructions appropriate for their ages.
The intent of this progressive, new regulation contrasts sharply with a recent appalling incident at a Phayao school. As revealed by a "viral video" captured and released by a student, a group of 8th-graders at Ban Dong School badly beat a female classmate -- because she is autistic.
The rather nauseating video, taken Oct 5, lasts two minutes, shows part of the attack. The victim was kicked in the face, punched and stomped.
No teachers seemed present and no student tried actively to intervene to halt the violent bullying.
The story of this almost incredible gang attack by the teenagers then got worse. The school head, Nanthapol Fusrikul, realised the attack was indefensible. But instead of properly disciplining the bullies, and instead of using the shameful violence as a teaching moment, Mr Nanthapol went straight into cover-up mode.
He contacted eight of the bullies' families and convinced them each to kick in 500 baht -- to try to bribe the victim's family to forget the incident.
As Mr Nanthapol put it when his move was uncovered by Phayao provincial authorities, he wanted "to put the matter to bed". He warned the students that if they attacked the girl again, he would lower their grades.
One can only try to imagine the confusion and hurt of the completely innocent victim of this uncivilised attack. Her parents, incensed at the attempted hush-money pay-off, made certain authorities were told of the story. The locals in Dok Tham Thai district have become aware of the attack, and public discussions have now been held.
Mr Nanthapol and his staff failed both the autistic student-victim and the classmates who attacked her.
This lamentable violence, in addition to exposing a disciplinary problem, presented an opportunity to discuss autism, and to bring the offending students closer to the autistic girl.