Thai protests: Teenage girls lead ‘Bad Student’ movement to demand educational reforms
- High school students are calling for a curriculum overhaul, equality and a relaxation of rigid rules
- Since August, the female-led ‘Bad Student’ movement has campaigned for the resignation of the Education Minister and even staged a mock funeral for him
A mild-mannered teenage girl with owl glasses, a bob haircut and daisies painted on her fingernails is not your typical school troublemaker.
But in the eyes of Thailand’s conservative school system, Benjamaporn “Ploy” Nivas has been cast as a rebel for daring to express herself.
The 15-year-old is at the forefront of Thailand’s “Bad Student” movement which is planning a major rally in Bangkok on Saturday.
“Students should be able to think for themselves and be themselves,” Ploy said during a recent protest at Bangkok’s democracy monument.
Girls and LGBTQ people are suppressed by the patriarchy both at home and at school. This has made me come out to fight for myself and for everyone
Thai schools have very strict dress standards, with ponytails and ribbons mandated for girls and military-style crew cuts for boys.
But after years of having rules drummed into them, Ploy and her fellow high school activists have gone rogue, emboldened by the broader political protest movement currently sweeping Thailand.