Thailand's ministry of education keeps close watch as schools resume nationwide

August 14, 2020
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Schools across Thailand on Thursday resumed full operation as the COVID-19 pandemic situation improves in the country, with the Ministry of Education keeping a close watch should a second wave of infections flare up.

The ministry also instructed all schools to keep an eye on students and their whereabouts after school.

"The whereabout of schools students after class, is part of the compulsory measure against COVID-19," said Education Minister Nataphol Teepsuwan.

"The ministry and all schools are still learning how to best deal with the pandemic and if a second wave of infections occur, then schools can always return to virtual learning," said the minister.

However, it is important that students learn from social and peer groups, hence the resumption of full schedule classes, said the minister.

"If a second COVID-19 wave struck, classes with infected students would be closed first and the duration of the closures would be determined by local education ministry offices," said Nataphol.

The Ministry of Education has also prepared quarantine facilities at the borders for children from Myanmar and Laos who regularly cross into Thailand to study.

Many of those students live with their relatives in Thailand during the week and cross back over the border to return to their families at the weekend, said Nataphol.