Thai minister praises North Korean education system

Thailand's Education Minister Permpoon Chidchob, right, poses with North Korea's ambassador to Thailand Kim Je-bong in Bangkok, Jan. 19. Courtesy of Thailand's Ministry of Education

Thailand's education minister has praised North Korea's school system for its "discipline and patriotism," and asked the international pariah for help in creating a similar environment for the kingdom's students.

The remarks made last month came to light after a statement from a meeting between Education Minister Permpoon Chidchob and the North Korean ambassador was circulated among Thai media.

Permpoon praised North Korea's schooling system, saying Bangkok sought "educational support to discipline children with patriotism and respect for country leaders."

Amnesty International report this year criticized North Korea's schooling, noting it was "superficial and does not provide adequate education for students."

It said children, some still in primary education, were forced into various kinds of manual labour by the state while at school.

Permpoon's comments were not the first time Thailand has praised North Korea's education system.

In 2014 — shortly after the kingdom had its most recent coup — the then-education minister expressed to Pyongyang the similarities between the two nations' schooling and suggested they develop ties through educational exchanges.

Critics in Thailand have voiced concerns over the kingdom's education system, which they regard as a reflection of the deep-seated patriarchal and authoritarian values of society.

A leaked video surfaced on social media last year in which a teacher beat a student in the classroom.

A group calling itself the "Bad Students" marched during 2020 pro-democracy protests to call for an overhaul of the education system. (AFP)