CityNews – Around 50 parents of children enrolled at Ban Rim Tai School in Mae Rim flocked to the school yesterday, May 27, to demand answers from the school’s director, Sayan Kanthiya, as to why they were forced to pay over 3,000 baht in undisclosed fees.
At the beginning of the last semester the school demanded a 3,100 baht ‘education management’ fee per student.
However many parents were unhappy and confused as to what the fees were for, as the school is a government school not a private school.
Parents arrived at 2.30pm armed with receipts and angry sentiments.
After one hour of waiting, the school’s director Sayan Kanthiya refused to meet with the parents.
At 4pm the Chief of Muang Chiang Mai District Office, Prajuab Kanthiya arrived and tried to consolidate the parents.
He arranged a meeting with the school director, executives and representatives of the parents to take place.
However, when the meeting was over, Sayan still refused to meet the parents.
Representatives of the unhappy parents claimed that Sayan asked for 3,100 baht per student for unclear purposes, only citing ‘educational management’. Parents were also offered an option to pay the fee in installments.
Parents claimed that private schools in the area had charged no more than 1,700 baht in similar ‘educational costs’, which were already part of the school fee contract signed before the semester began. However, Ban Rim Tai School is a government school and only certain activities or events should require additional costs to parents.
After waiting for some time, representatives of the unhappy parents called for Sayan to be removed from his position, and have planned to collect parent’s signatures demanding his resignation.
Parents left the school at 6pm with no sign of Sayan making any effort to talk with them in person.
Director Sayan was unable to comment on the matter.