The mother of a first-year student studying fishery technology and aquatic resources at Maejo University has told Workpoint News that her son is about to resign after facing violent hazing for many weeks.
The student was forced to swear not to tell anyone else, even their parents. However, the violent hazing was not over after one week as their seniors had promised. They said it was going to be "7 dangerous days" at the beginning of the semester. The student revealed to his mother a picture of his bruised back on 4 October.
Picture of student beaten in violent hazing.
Source: รับน้องสร้างสรรค์ระดับโคตรมหากาฬ
Shocked, the mother filed a report with the police the next day, but the police said Maejo University had to give permission first before they could begin an investigation. The mother received no answer from the University, so she posted what happened on social media. She said even though the University had banned violent hazing, her son told her it was done in dark corners.
Because there has been no progress, she said she has decided to have the student hand in a resignation letter because the hazing was too harsh and brutal even though it was a tradition passed on from generation to generation. Maejo University is in the process of approving the letter and must give her son one year’s grace so that he can prepare to enter another university.
Pol Col Nathaphon Keawkamnoed, Superintendent of Maejo Police Station, said that the police had not stayed idle on this matter. The investigation team was brought to the scene where the student said the violent hazing had happened. The student cannot identify his seniors. Even though teachers called in the seniors for questioning, they denied the accusation.
Pol Col Nathaphon said the teachers are still not cooperative enough as they claim that they cannot reach the seniors during the vacation. The police estimate there were around 10 perpetrators. Meanwhile, Maejo University posted on Facebook its anti-hazing position and apologies for what happened. It also said it would identify the perpetrators as soon as possible.
There are many explanations about where violent hazing come from. However, it was likely that at Maejo University it started since its establishment in 1934, when Thai teachers who studied agriculture in the United States, especially Cornell University and the University of Oregon, introduced the practice. Today, Maejo University is seen has having one of the most violent hazing cultures in the country according to public opinion.
