Matthayom Wat Thatthong School in Bangkok's Watthana district is letting students express their gender identity through their hair and dress after ending its uniform short-hairstyle policy two years ago.
This move has been welcomed as a step towards inclusivity, with no reported issues during the two-year period.
Wachira Suhatthaporn, a 30-year-old social studies department teacher at Matthayom Wat Thatthong School, said the school's permissive policy on hairstyle was devised around two years ago.
It allows secondary students to wear their hair to their preference and gender identity, and despite mixed reactions from the public at the time. "There has been no backlash to date."
The school recently issued a new policy titled "Student hairstyle discipline: Matthayom Wat Thatthong School, 2023," which lays out a clearer code of conduct governing student hair and dress with an emphasis on student rights and liberty.
According to the policy, students can wear their hair long or short depending on their preference, but those who identify as female must tie their hair back with the school uniform bow "in an appropriate and tidy manner".
Despite the more relaxed rules, hair dyeing and beards or moustaches remain prohibited, he said.
The school policy comes after Education Minister Trinuch Thienthong lifted "unfair" hairstyle rules on Jan 23, following calls going back years for more permissive hair regulations from the public, academics, parents, and students.
The 2023 regulation update is intended to address flaws in the 2020 version, which imposed limits on hair length and colouring, said Ms Trinuch.
According to the activist group "Bad Students," schools still have the autonomy to enforce their own rules under a 2020 Ministry of Education announcement, resulting in some still imposing short haircuts on male students.
Back in 2021, when the policy was being devised, Mr Wachira told the Bangkok Post that the topic of student rights and freedom had been raised in public discussion. "The teachers were happy to abide by that, so there was no backlash from teachers at all."
Few parents were really concerned, although some may be worried about the hygiene issues that could result from long hair, he said.
Teachers were obliged to "advise" students on what style of hair or makeup was suitable for them. "If a student's hair is too long or messy, we may encourage them to cut it or comb it."
Student opinion
The Bangkok Post spoke to several students, who raised no problems with the policy.
"I feel liberated," Supayu Phaomahamad, 15, said. "As a teenager, I want to appear my best, and having the ability to wear my hair however I want lets me do that," he added.
Ekawee Wangchao, another student, says the looser rules have brightened up his school life. "Having longer hair makes me more confident," he said.
Ekawee, 15, said teachers have adopted a sensible hands-off policy rather than fussing over student appearance.
Soraphanaya Siphumueang, 14, said she also feels more confident.
"Wearing make-up and whatever hairstyle I like makes me feel better about my appearance," she said.
"For most students, a short uniform haircut is what concerns them, and this policy erases that concern," she said.
"Makeup or no makeup, short or long hair, none of this is related to academic achievement," she said.