Netiwit being interviewed on TV show The Daily Dose
The 11th grade student at Nawaminthrachinuthit School, Netiwit ‘Frank’ Chotipattanapaisan, recently won a school election that would make him Student President of the school’s Student Council. His campaign emphasized the abolishment of tedious school rules, such as the hairstyles students are required to have. Netiwit said such regulations have nothing to do with academics and would suppress students’ creativity and sense of individuality. He said he would use his job as Student President to push for new rules.
Netiwit said he was absent from school on the day of the election because he was attending an event in Bangkok’s Royal Plaza which commemorated the 81st anniversary of the 1932 Revolution, when constitutional democracy replaced the absolute monarchy in Siam. He was aware that he would risk being disqualified by attending the event, but decided that it was more important than the election.
He added that he would not challenge the school’s decision. “I was a fool to have run in the election in the first place, and I have hesitated many times about the burdens that will be placed on me as Student President anyway,” Netiwit said in the interview.
The school has not only disqualified Netiwit as Student President, but they have also gotten rid of the entire 25-member Student Council, leaving the school without a governing student body for the next year.
“It’s totally unnecessary. I already quit. They should have been content about that and kept the Student Council,” Netiwit said. He suggested that the school management might be afraid of remaining members in the Student Council continuing his fight on his behalf.
For now, Netiwit said he will organise volunteer and charity work that his fellow students can participate in. His group will also work toward building a network with other like-minded students at other schools.