Obstacles to the ban on school corporal punishment : exploring local values and educational practices in Saraburi, Thailand

Abstract

Physical punishment of children in Thailand is perceived as a justified strategy. It is socially accepted and commonly practiced among many Thai families and schools. Conversely, this kind of punishment is considered as an abuse of children's rights in view of the fact that it has negative influence on children physically and mentally. With respect for children's rights, the Thai Government has banned corporal punishment in Thai schools. However, after conducting an interview research with 21 teachers from three schools of different academic levels in Saraburi, Thailand, corporal punishment continues as teachers claim the new regulation lacks adequacy in real classroom practice, which further leads to the need to use physical punishment in order to maintain discipline and a healthy learning environment. On the other hand, results from 273 students who participated in the questionnaire research have shown that students are more likely to be punished for not obeying the rules than for their academic performance or in-class participation. This research aims to examine the collision of ideas and to critically analyze their link to the failure of the present ban on school corporal punishment in Thailand using documentary research, questionnaires, and interviews in order to understand the influence that Thai pedagogical values and practices regarding corporal punishment have on the effectiveness of the ban.;