MINISTRY TOLD TO CLEAN UP COLLEGES

A Bangkok MP has urged the Education Ministry to take serious steps in
rooting out drug problems rampant among college students as campus
directors were not willing to face the bitter truth.

Prachakorn Thai MP Lalita Rerksamran arrived at the ministry yesterday
with a list of students of the Rajabhat Institute's Chankasem campus
who are allegedly involved in drug trafficking.

She handed the list to Deputy Education Minister Pairote Lohsuntorn
and asked him to have the Office of the Narcotics Control Board
blacklist the students.

She cited a research by Chankasem students she identified as Parichart
Manotat, Sangrawee Wongprayoon and Thanawadee Kruayim as proof. "The
three have revealed that narcotics trafficking and addiction has
become a very serious problem on the campus.

"I don't mean to tarnish the institute's image but it was mentioned in
a research piece that was published in the newsletter of the institute
in mid-August," Mrs Lalita said.

According to her, the research was based on information reportedly
gathered from 100 Chankasem student addicts from five faculties.

The students took drugs before and after their classes, Mrs Lalita
said. They did that in toilets and deserted corners of the campus and
even in their own classes before the arrival of their teachers.

Mrs Lalita criticised campus executives for ignoring the worsening
problems.

"Some lecturers completely misread their students in class and thought
they were very enthusiastic about the subject. In fact, the students
were high on drugs," she said.

Mrs Lalita was accompanied by a lecturer from a private Bangkok
university.

The lecturer, who asked not to be identified, disclosed that students
were also initiating upcountry trips in the name of rural development
projects to hold drug parties.