New Guidelines Announced for Safer School Trips in Thailand
Following the school bus fire that saw multiple casualties, supervisory bodies of private and public schools in Thailand have announced new guidelines to ensure better safety for school trips. These include vehicle inspection, parents’ presence, and limited trip distance for example.
School trips are a great learning experience, but we also understand parents’ concern for their child’s safety. In this Pacific Prime article, we hope we can bring you what measures have been introduced by the education supervisory bodies and what the Thai government is doing for safer school trips for children.
6 Guidelines for Safer School Trips for Private Schools
Following the school bus fire that killed 20 students and three teachers, the Office of the Private Education Commission (OPEC), the supervisory body of private schools across Thailand, announced 6 guidelines to ensure school trips will be safer going onwards. The measures include:
Vehicle Inspection
Vehicles and other equipment must be in good condition and suitable for safe usage. Drivers must control the vehicle with care. The Department of Land Transport is to be contacted and coordinated for vehicle, tire, and related equipment inspection before each trip to prevent potential accidents.
Parents’ Presence for Young Students
Parents are to accompany their children on school trips for students up to Primary Year 4.
Appropriate Travel Time and Distance
School trips must be within appropriate travel time and distance, with locations close to the school or within the province of the school to be considered first.
Travel Insurance for Students, Teachers, and Relevant Parties
Students, teachers, and any other relevant parties within the trip are to be covered by travel insurance.
Emergency Drill for Teachers and Students
Teachers and students are to undergo emergency drills for possible emergencies and accidents.
Permission from Relevant Authority Prior to the Trip
Schools must seek permission from relevant authorities at least 3 days before the trip. A trip can be postponed or canceled as sees fit if potential risks are present.
As of 2023, there are 11,877 private schools under the supervision of the OPEC in Thailand. This includes international schools as well as schools of alternative education such as vocational schools, religious schools, and schools of arts and sports, for example.
The OPEC has the duty and authority to propose policies, strategies, and development plans for private education in Thailand under the Private School Act of 2007.
The guidelines were announced corresponding to the Ministry of Education’s policy to improve safety for students and teachers during school trips.
Additional Guidelines for Public Schools
Aside from the six guidelines released by the OPEC, the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) also released 16 additional guidelines to ensure better safety for school trips conducted by public schools across Thailand.
The 16 additional guidelines involve similar measures included in the guideline by the OPEC such as vehicle inspection, emergency plan drills for students and teachers, as well as travel insurance for students and teachers on the trip.
However, the additional guidelines also included further elaboration on certain details such as:
- Kindergarten pupils are not to be taken on school trips with students of different years, and parents’ presence is required for the trip.
- Parents’ presence is recommended for students in early primary school years (Primary Year 1-3).
- Transportation providers must have a valid license from the Department of Land Transport
- Vehicles used in the trip must be registered as vehicles for public transportation only.
- Driver’s profile and vehicle’s logbooks must be reviewed prior to the trip to ensure at least 24 hours of rest period for the driver and the vehicle before the trip.
- Two drivers are required for a trip longer than four hours and a rest period of no less than 30 minutes is required after four hours of consecutive driving.
- Two-level buses are prohibited on mountainous routes.
- Night departure is prohibited for school trips.
Ministry of Education Formed Working Group
On top of guidelines by the OPEC and the OBEC; Permpoon Chidchob, the Minister of Education, also announced the creation of a working group to deliberate on a more comprehensive safety measure for future school trips.
The working group will involve experts in a review of safety measures for school trips as well as necessary emergency plans and protocols for the appropriate student age for school trips, the readiness of relevant staff, and the specification of vehicles suitable for school trips.
Conclusion
Following the tragedy in early October, supervisory bodies have shown their attention to the case, with new guidelines being announced, chiefly on the readiness of vehicles and drivers as well as parents’ presence for young students and limited travel time and distance for school trips.
Still, with the tragedy joining Thailand’s long list of troubled road safety records, the Ministry of Education and other supervisory bodies could expect heavy public pressure for more substantive and more comprehensive measures to come.
At Pacific Prime Thailand, we understand how such a tragedy could bring uncertainty and fear to many families across the country. We are reminded once again of the unfathomable ‘worst’ that could come to pass. This is why, for over 20 years, we continuously work with top insurers to bring our clients the peace of mind that, even in the face of uncertainty, they are insured by the right insurance plans that suit their needs.
About Pacific Prime Thailand
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Coming to Pacific Prime, she is ready to utilize her experience for the new pursuit. With a strong passion for storytelling and writing, she hopes her words could help bring people closer to the best international health insurance plan that works for them. After all, as a writer, there is no greater honor than when one’s words can add clarity to the world of the readers.
Apart from writing, she is an avid planespotter. On the weekends, you can expect to find her loitering around the airport, gawking at all the aircrafts taking off and landing. When the weather does not permit planespotting, you can find her huddling on her cozy couch, watching ballet and figure skating as well.
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