OPINION

Bonds, not bullies

Re: "Hazing ritual leaves teen pupil in coma", (BP, July 9).

Incoming students at Thai learning institutions often must submit to deliberate physical and mental harm at the hands -- and (literally) feet -- of their seniors, all in the name of seniority, order, tradition, unity and spirit (aka Sotus).

For example, a Mathayom 6 (grade 12) student in Nakhon Chaisi allegedly kicked a Mathayom 3 student three times to test his tolerance, rupturing his lung and ultimately putting him on life support. However, his school, the Phra Pathom Wittayalai School has denied responsibility for the attack because the hazing took place off-campus.

I suggest that schools embrace activities that encourage bonding between freshmen and existing students, not teach them to be bullies, and teach existing students to welcome those new students. Thus, the initiation rites would be more creative and constructive for all students, their education institutions as well as the society at large.

For example, to build trust, schools could have mixed groups of freshmen and seniors fall backwards from the edge of a table and into the receiving arms of their fellow students.

Or, to test endurance and build spirit, mixed teams of new and old students might carry a log through a field, sharing the load and competing against other teams.

Deliberate cruelty has no place in a learning institution. We should build bonds, not bullies.

Re: "Make zebra crossings safe", (Editorial, July 11).

Until a family member of a big shot in the government is run over and mangled on a zebra crossing, the issue of pedestrian safety will never be taken seriously.

It's tough being a pedestrian in Thailand -- or being Thai for that matter.

But no matter how hard it is, I'm still proud of my country.

We have the best street food, the best tourist destinations, the best constitution, and we have also been voted the least miserable nation in the world for the second year in a row. (It's no fluke that it happened during the junta reign).

Keep chanting, "nation, religion, monarchy" and hopefully, you'll be alright.

Re: "Australian couple say pad Thai in Phuket made them 'zombies'", (Online, July 10).

There is every reason to be sceptical about the claims made by these people, especially because even Australian doctors seem to be unconvinced of any connection between what the couple ate and the symptoms they say they experienced.

In any case, the couple made the comment that they "won't be going back to Asian countries" -- as if the whole continent is responsible for one meal that didn't suit their delicate constitutions.

If they really do have that sort of mindset, then the entire continent is better off without them.