The Ministry of Education has come under fire over the past few days after it ordered schools to cancel festive activities for the next 12 months in mourning for the late Queen Sirikit, the Queen Mother. Concerns have been expressed that cancelling activities would affect children’s development and deny students learning opportunities.

On 25 October, the Ministry issued an order for all schools to lower their flags to half-mast for 30 days and for teachers and Ministry officials to observe 1 year of mourning. All Ministry agencies and educational institutions are ordered to suspend festive activities for 1 year. Agencies must publish content about Queen Sirikit’s work on their websites, while schools must organize exhibitions about her.

The Ministry subsequently face criticism for the order, especially for the suspension of festive activities in schools. A post was published on the Facebook page “เลี้ยงลูกนอกบ้าน” (“Take Kids With Us”), run by adolescent medicine specialist Dr Jiraporn Arunakul, saying that while it is tradition, the Ministry should carefully consider the measures it imposes and balance mourning with children’s learning and development opportunities.

Dr Jiraporn wrote that schools need festive events like sports days and music festivals to make them a place of happiness and creativity. Students have also been preparing for these events since the start of the school year. Suspending creative and entertaining activities for a year would deny the students the opportunity to be creative about how they observe the mourning period or show respect when there are many ways of doing so, such as by holding performances in honour of the late Queen Mother, organizing events during traditional festivals like Songkran and Loy Krathong, or events relating to the crafts previously supported by the Queen Mother.

Moreover, suspending festive events might teach children that sadness and respect must come with preventing all happiness, whereas mourning can be observed by remembering the work of the late Queen Mother and learning to continue to live meaningful lives, which can be done at the same time.

Dr Jiraporn wrote that the government should be sensitive, noting that the children have not grown up seeing the Queen Mother’s work. Forcing them into mourning would lead to a lack of understanding instead of love and respect.

Meanwhile, Dr Benjaporn Tuntasood, a child and adolescent psychiatrist, wrote on her Facebook page that while she understands the Ministry’s intention, she would like it to reconsider the order. She wrote that learning doesn’t happen only in classrooms but also during school events such as Children’s Day, art and music shows, or sports days. These events help children socialize and develop their emotional capacity, creativity, and cooperation. Suspending them could affect the learning environment and reduce the chance for children to learn important life skills.

Dr Benjaporn wrote that the mourning period could be observed without refusing to let children be happy. Schools could hold other activities to show respect for the late Queen Mother or teach children about her work so that children can mourn with real understanding and emotions. Respect and festivities can coexist, she wrote, and children should be allowed to learn.

Athapol Anunthavorasakul, lecturer at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Education, published an open letter on his Facebook page asking the Ministry to reconsider its order. He wrote that extracurricular activities are important for developing students’ social and emotional skills. While activities like sports days, New Year’s events, camps, or clubs might seems like they are only for fun, they are important learning tools in terms of emotional development and socialization, as they teach children self-confidence and how to work with others.

Athapol wrote that, if the Ministry is concerned that the festivities would prevent students from observing the mourning period, schools could instead adjust the activities without cancelling them outright.

Meanwhile, Jessada Denduangboripant, lecturer at Chulalongkorn University’s Faculty of Science, proposed that festive activities be suspended for 30 days instead of 1 year.

People’s Party MP Paramee Waichongcharoen posted that schools should be a place for learning and fostering creativity. They should also support students’ development in all aspects, including teaching them skills for living in society. School events can be adjusted to be appropriate for the mourning period. Noting that she believes teachers and students are capable of designing appropriate activities, she asks that the Ministry reconsider its order.

The order has also been criticized for being unclear. Pranot Vilapasuwan, Thairath news director, posted that the Ministry should say exactly which events must be cancelled and which can go ahead. Students should also be allowed to participate in the decision-making process about whether or not to cancel an event or how an event should be organized. He also asked whether the Ministry wants to deny children the chance to be happy for the next year.

Meanwhile, costume shop owners are also reported to have been affected as schools began cancelling events. One comment on the Facebook page of TV presenter Sorayuth Suthassanachinda reported that orders are being cancelled after some schools cancelled upcoming sports days, causing disappointment for the children and loss of income for the stores. The comment asked if businesses will be compensated if events are to be suspended for a year. Other comments in the post agreed. Some said their businesses have been affected by cancellations, while others said that children should be allowed to have fun.

Another social media user asked the government to change the order since students have already bought their costumes for school events, and extracurricular activities help with children’s development. Other parents commented on the post saying that their children are saddened after their schools cancelled the events they have been preparing for.

Some schools have cancelled events scheduled for the next two months, including Loy Krathong and Halloween festivities and student concerts.

According to The Active, the Ministry that schools are being asked to cancel informal celebrations and entertainment, such as alumni reunions, welcoming or send-off parties, or music performances. Activities which are part of the curriculum or extracurricular activities that are necessary for student and staff development can still go ahead, but must be respectful.

Education Minister Dr Naruemon Pinyosinwat said that a meeting of executives from education agencies agreed that they are not asking schools to cancel activities that are part of the curriculum or that are beneficial to students, as well as cultural events. She also said that other events, such as graduation parties, can still be held, but should be modified appropriately.

Dr Prinya Thaewanarumitkul, lecturer at Thammasat University’s Faculty of Law, subsequently wrote in a Facebook post that he disagreed with the Ministry and does not think concerts should be cancelled. Music is part of learning activities, both as part of the curriculum or as an extracurricular activity, he wrote, noting that performances are not always festivities. Music has been used as part of funerals both in Thailand and elsewhere, and Prinya wrote that it is problematic to ask that music performances be cancelled.

Prinya also wrote that the original order was both unclear and overly strict, especially where it says that schools must suspend festive activities for 1 year. He also wrote that it was not right to issue top-down commands when the Ministry is responsible for education nationwide.

Matichon Online reported today (29 October) that the Office of the Private Education Commission of the Ministry of Education has issued an urgent letter informing private schools that the previous Ministry order has been repealed. They are now asked to lower their flag to half-mast for 30 days, while activities in the curriculum, beneficial extracurricular activities and cultural events are allowed to go ahead. Other festive events can also be held, but must be modified appropriately. School staff and administrators are asked to observe a mourning period as they see fit, and schools must organize exhibitions about the Queen Mother.