Two vocational colleges in central Bangkok have been ordered closed for three months as repeated brawls between their students have affected public safety and the economy, according to the higher education minister.
Yodchanan Wongsawat issued the order on Wednesday after meeting with police and representatives of the two schools: Pathumwan Institute of Technology and Rajamangala University of Technology Tawan-ok, Uthenthawai Campus.
‘This measure is aimed at restoring confidence to the Siam and Pathumwan areas which are vital to the economy, tourism and education,’ Mr Yodchanan said.
The latest brawl happened at the elevated Siam BTS station on Monday morning when two students were stabbed.
It was reported that dozens of students from each school clashed with each other as nervous commuters looked on, while fewer than 10 police officers were on duty.
Uthenthawai had just resumed on-site education on Monday after being online since Aug 29. Students from both institutions also brawled on Aug 28 and 29.
The Siam station stands at the Pathumwan intersection, roughly halfway between the two campuses, which are only about 800 metres apart. The busiest station on the BTS network, it is a major interchange for commuters and tourists in inner Bangkok. (Story continues below)
‘The problem concerns not only two institutions but also national security, image and confidence,’ Mr Yodchanan said. ‘Pathumwan and Siam are economic, tourism and educational zones. Young people share those areas. So, safety is the priority.’
The suspension of on-site learning at both institutions took immediate effect. Mr Yodchanan said school officials concerned would organise alternative teaching programmes, while looking into speeding up the relocation of both institutions to end the feuds for good.
If solutions are not in place within the three-month period, the closure can be extended, the minister said.
Police would continue to stand guard in the vicinity of both institutions and would strictly enforce the law, he added.
Pol Lt Gen Siam Boonsom, commissioner of the Metropolitan Police Bureau, said leaders of both educational institutions agreed with the temporary suspension and would work out a plan to stop the rivalry.
Clashes between rival vocational college students in Thailand are as old as the schools themselves, but the Pathumwan-Uthenthawai rivalry is particularly notorious. Some brawls have led to fatalities and serious injuries, leading to temporary suspension of classes.
Uthenthawai, which began life in 1956 as Uthenthawai Builders School, sits on land leased from Chulalongkorn University, which has been trying to take back the land since 1975.
The Supreme Administrative Court in late 2023 ordered the school to move but protests from students and alumni have prevented the relocation from going ahead.