While women have long been considered “ornamental,” with the media and the public mainly focusing on their looks or how they dress and act, LGBTQ representation is nearly non-existent. They are subject to the same fate and even worse. A watershed moment for the community came in the last election when 3 self-identified LGBTQ people won MP seats.

<p>The student activist group Bad Student, along with other partner organizations, is preparing to propose a students&rsquo; rights bill in a bid to guarantee the rights and protection of students in Thai schools.</p>

<p>Representatives of four high school student activist groups tell stories of the harassment and legal prosecution they now face after speaking out about human rights violations they face in school, reiterating that the right to freedom of expression is a constitutional right, while vowing to keep fighting nonetheless.</p>

<p>Students&nbsp;attending the <a href="https://prachatai.com/english/node/8825">rally on 2 October 2020</a> at the Ministry of Education share experiences of the backlash they receive from their parents for going to protests and their opinions on the current student movement.</p>

<p>Abuse in the Thai education system has resurfaced with the death of a student from hypertrophic cardiomyopathy 2 days after a teacher made him do 100 squats as a punishment for not doing his homework. It amplifies the calls for education reform and tougher enforcement of regulations to stop violence in schools.</p>

<p>As adults are asked to behave according to the &lsquo;10 duties of adults&rsquo;, grandparents, parents and public figures have joined the protest held by the Bad Students to help them pressure the Ministry of Education to do more on education reform.&nbsp;&nbsp;</p>

<p>The Bad Students group gathered in front of the Ministry of Education to challenge Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan in a debate. In a highly organized protest, the students repeated 3 demands and 1 ultimatum as they called for education reform.</p>

<p>On 18 May, the Ministry of Education launched a large-scale online learning experiment to be put into full use in the upcoming semester, but Thais have questioned the quality of an English course and problems of equal access, as 10% of students nationwide still rely on schools.&nbsp;</p>

<div> <div>Citing the need for education reform, the junta has invoked Section 44 to allow outsiders to serve as executives in Thai universities.</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>On 8 August 2017, the Royal Gazette published <a href="https://prachatai.com/journal/2017/08/72715">NCPO Head Order No. 37/2560</a> called “The Solution for Problems in University Administration”.&nbsp;</div> <div>&nbsp;</div> <div>The order claims that problems in the selection process for university executive positions have led to inconsistency, inefficiency and obstruction of national education reform. </div></div>

<p>Following an order from the junta, the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) has prohibited regional education staff from discussing or criticising the junta’s regional education reform plan.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Amid criticisms of proposals to centralise Thai education via the latest draft of the constitution, the junta leader invoked his absolute power to slash local teacher committees and form a regional education reform committee[AB1] .</p> <p dir="ltr">On Monday, 21 March 2016, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) Orders No.10/2016 and 11/2016 were published on the website of the Royal Gazette.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Despite efforts by the military government to improve the appalling state of Thai education, reformers point out that the new draft constitution will plunge Thailand deeper into an education crisis.</p> <p></p>