Border schools reopen after truce with Cambodia

Thai schools in northeastern provinces bordering Cambodia reopened on Monday after being closed for about a month by the recent border clashes.

Primary and secondary schools and kindergartens reopened and parents quickly sent their youngsters back to classes on Monday morning. The reopening followed the return home of evacuees who had been staying in temporary government shelters on Dec 28.

Among them were schools in Ban Kruat district of Buri Ram.

Prapassorn Sangkomol, a teacher at Anuban Ban Kruat School, said about 80% of students returned to classes on Monday and they looked excited to be back at school.

Sasima Khumsuwan, 52, said her niece was very happy to see her friends and teachers again. She did not want the fighting to resume, she was more worried about the children’s education. She was especially worried about the interruption of her niece’s studies. She was only in grade one and nowhere near literate yet.

In Lahan Sai district of Buri Ram, Pusita Naradee, director of Ban Kok Fuang School, said that 95% of students enrolled in kindergarten and primary levels showed up. She suspected some parents were still waiting to see how the situation developed before sending their children back to school.

She said teachers had helped students practice taking safe shelter at school.

“If there is an emergency they will not panic, they can follow the safety training,” Ms Pusita said.

In Si Sa Ket province, food vendors welcomed the return of students, parents and government officials to Kantharalak district. Local schools and government offices, their major customers, had been closed since Dec 7 due to the border conflict.

Dough-stick vendor Kachornsak Leeratanacharoen said he had been at a shelter in the centre of Si Sa Ket since Dec 7. The atmosphere in Kantharalak was much better on Monday, he said. However, he was not worry-free about the border situation with Cambodia.

School van driver Supansa Promlok, 43, shared his concern, saying her shuttlebus service was operating again, but she was still not fully convinced the fighting with Cambodia had concluded for good. 

Tosaporn Khamplew, director of Phum Saron School in tambon Sao Thong Chai of Kantharalak district, said about 90% of his students returned. The school was focused on boosting the morale and safety of students and teachers.

The school had been hit several times by Cambodian shelling since February 2011 and staff and students were always prepared for evacuation, Mr Tosaporn said.

At Ban Dan School in Kap Choeng district of Surin, students cleaned up the grounds and gathered for morning assembly. Teachers had them observe a period of silence in mourning for the soldiers who lost their lives protecting them, their houses and school.

School director Dechopol Chonlathee said all teachers and about 80% of his students had returned after taking shelter elsewhere during the border battles with Cambodia.

Teachers and students resume classes at Ban Kok Fuang School in Lahan Sai district, Buri Ram, on Monday. (Photo: Surachai Piragsa)

Source – Bangkok News