Leading the training session was Dr Monthathip Saiyongka, a Myanmar-born Thai national now serving as Director of the Phuket Provincial Office of Learning Encouragement – a branch of the Ministry of Education that focuses on ensuring children, regardless of background or status, have access to schooling.
Joining her was Wasana Phrombangyuan, Director of the Department of Learning Encouragement in Ranong’s Muang District, where officials have had significant experience integrating Myanmar children into Thai government schools.
“The reason she was there is that in Ranong there are lots of Myanmar children, just like our case, so she came to share how they resolve this in Ranong, and how officials can work to bring Myanmar children into the system,” Dr Monthathip told *The Phuket News*.
She confirmed the training was held in direct response to recent raids on the Good Shepherd school in Ratsada, which highlighted the number of migrant children not formally registered with the Thai education system.
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“Yes, the meeting was held to bring Myanmar children into the system as well, not just Thai kids,” she said. “This includes Thai children who do not have a government ID card and for Myanmar children as well, to bring them into the system legally, give them access to education, and help them receive an ID card if they were born and raised here.”
Dr Monthathip added that schools such as Piboon Sawasdee Municipal School in Phuket already have Myanmar children enrolled, and the Phuket District Non-Formal Education Center also accepts young adult Myanmar students seeking to learn Thai.
However, she clarified that education is not automatically free. “It depends on the school they enroll in. Even Thai children sometimes have to pay fees,” she noted. While the Education Department oversees the schools, the role of the Office of Learning Encouragement is to bring children who have been left out of the system back on track.
The workshop, held at the Phuket Provincial Education Office on Wednesday (May 14), was attended by Phuket Vice Governor Adul Chuthong and representatives from several key agencies, including the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC), the Phuket Provincial Education Office, and the Office of the Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Education.
The session focused on two critical issues: guidelines for admitting children without Thai nationality or civil registration into the education system, and resolving the legal identity issues of students whose identification numbers begin with ‘G’ – indicating they lack full Thai citizenship. The goal is to help eligible children transition to receiving 13-digit national ID numbers, allowing them better access to state services.
Officials also reviewed newly issued infographics by the Ministry of Education to help local agencies follow proper procedures and ensure “no child is left behind”, in line with the ministry’s push for equal and inclusive education nationwide, said an official report of the meeting.
“The aim is to ensure all children have the right to education, regardless of their status,” Dr Monthathip said. “This is about building a more inclusive society where every child can learn and grow.”
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