Thai Ministry Directive on Students' Hairstyles Annulled After 50 Years

The longstanding dream of many secondary school students in Thailand may have come true on March 5 when the Supreme Administrative Court ruled to annul a Ministry of Education directive that banned students from wearing long hair and cosmetics at school.

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BANGKOK –

The court ruled that the ministerial directive, dated Jan 6, 1975, was issued based on Coup Order No. 132, dated April 22, 1927. But it was found to violate Article 26 of the Constitution, leading to its immediate abrogation.

The verdict, however, appears to leave room for school administrations to establish their own regulations regarding students’ hairstyles and dress codes.

The lawsuit was brought by 13 students from a public school under the jurisdiction of the Ministry of Education. The plaintiffs named the school management and the Education Minister as the first and second defendants, respectively.