"Bad Students" Move a Nation

Photo Credit and Caption: Supitcha Chailom addresses her school while raising the iconic salute from The Hunger Games (Facebook)

Brave students in Thailand are leading a historic movement, questioning government policies and societal norms. Their symbol of resistance comes from The Hunger Games. They call themselves “Bad Students” because they will not adhere to what they consider to be authoritarian teachers and administrators or discriminatory school policies. They view their rigid, hierarchical school structure as one part of a larger political and societal problem.

Reading about their fiery speeches and demands for change reminded me of another young activist who got into Good and Necessary Trouble: John Lewis. Supitcha “Maynu” Chailom, the student pictured above, talked to ThisRupt about why young people should be involved in politics. "There has been an increasing awareness of rights and freedom these days, making people realize that politics is for everybody." And, here's what she said about being center stage: "In my opinion, speaking up should be the norm, not something controversial."
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Some parents are scared for their children and do not want them participating in public protests about the government and monarchy. Their concerns stem from Thailand's strict lèse majesté law. The law forbids anyone from insulting the monarchy and it comes with a jail sentence. Though, as time passes, more adults are joining the movement. Sunai Phasuk (of Human Rights Watch) wrote in the Washington Post, "I have seen more and more adults — activists, parents and relatives, and even older people — placing themselves in a protective fashion between the children and police lines."
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Students are also addressing inequality and injustice. In ThisRupt, Akkarasorn Opilan (co-founder of Choose Change) wrote that her friends supported Black Lives Matter on social media, but didn't focus on human rights and inequality in their country. She wrote, in part, "we know that the deaths of activists, the censorship of free speech or the increased wealth gap do not affect our lavish lifestyles."

If you look at photos from these protests, you’ll notice young women taking the lead. As this is a developing story, we’ll continue to follow it here and on social media, with a focus on how young women are leading and engaging.