Students now free to choose their hairstyles, Thai court rules

After years of negotiations with relevant departments, Thai students can now finally "let their hair down." Literally understood, they are free to choose their own hairstyles.

Thailand's Supreme Administrative Court announced on Wednesday the abolition of a directive issued by the Ministry of Education that had been in place for 50 years. The directive previously stipulated hairstyle standards for students: boys had to have short hair, while girls had to have bobbed hair.

In reality, many schools have gradually relaxed their hairstyle regulations. However, some schools still used the 1975 directive issued by the military government as a guideline and would cut the hair of students who did not comply. The court stated that the 1975 directive violated the personal freedom protected by the constitution and was out of touch with today's society.

This week's court ruling was a response to a 2020 petition filed by 23 public school students, who argued that the 1975 directive was unconstitutional. Student activists have long called for the relaxation of hairstyle regulations, claiming that they violate their personal dignity and individual freedom over their bodies.

One of them is Panthin Adulthananusak, who recently graduated from university. He told the BBC: "In the eyes of children like us at the time... we wanted to do something even though it seemed impossible. It would be a lifelong shame if no students in Thai history stood up to challenge the power of the adults who oppressed us."

In response to these calls, the Ministry of Education allowed students to have longer hairstyles in 2020, but some restrictions remained. Boys' hair could not cover the back of the neck, and girls with long hair had to tie it up. These regulations were revoked in 2023, when then-Education Minister Trinuch Thienthong announced that students, parents, and school administrators should consult and reach a consensus on acceptable hairstyles for schools.

Nevertheless, some schools still follow the standards stipulated in the original 1975 directive. Schools traditionally associate short hair with discipline and neatness, a view echoed by many social media users this week. But in recent years, reports of schools banning bangs or dyed hair have sparked public outcry in Thailand.

In some areas, teachers would roughly cut students' hair during morning assemblies to punish them for violating hairstyle regulations. This practice continued even after the education department warned teachers not to do so. In January of this year, the Ministry of Education reiterated that it had removed restrictions on the length of all students' hair and stated that it recognized "the importance of promoting diversity and fairness in all aspects of education."

Wednesday's court ruling also stated that school hairstyle regulations should consider students' freedom and dignity, reaffirming the official push to leave hairstyle choices to students themselves. But Panthin said that abolishing the decades-old directive "still leaves a loophole for schools to make their own rules." He believes that restrictions may still exist in schools with more conservative administrations.

Despite this, Panthin said he is "very happy that something I have been seeing and fighting for has been acknowledged and that tangible progress has been made." "I hope the court's ruling will set a new standard for schools' understanding of basic human rights."