A school in Bangkok is facing backlash after a teacher allegedly demanded 10,000 baht (around RM1,300) from a student’s family in exchange for returning a confiscated mobile phone.
The controversy surfaced on May 14 after details of the incident were shared by the Facebook page เจ๊ม้อย v+, sparking widespread criticism online. The identities of the school, teacher and student involved have not been publicly revealed.
According to reports, the incident began on April 20 when the student, who had moved from Narathiwat to Bangkok for his studies, brought a mobile phone to school despite knowing that such devices were prohibited during lessons.
The student allegedly used the phone during class, prompting the teacher to confiscate it.
The phone reportedly remained with the teacher until April 27, when the student asked for it back and explained that he intended to send the device home to his family in Narathiwat. However, the teacher allegedly refused and instructed the student to have his mother contact him personally.
As the boy’s mother lived far away, the student later sought help from his uncle, who resides in the Ramkhamhaeng area and went to meet the teacher on the family’s behalf.
According to the uncle, the teacher allegedly asked how much he was willing to pay to retrieve the phone. An offer of 1,500 baht was reportedly made but rejected.
The student’s mother later decided to withdraw her son from the school and requested that the phone be mailed back home. However, the teacher’s wife allegedly informed the family that parents were required to pay in order to reclaim confiscated devices because bringing phones to school violated school regulations.
The situation escalated further when the family claimed the teacher later demanded 10,000 baht before returning the phone.
Believing the demand to be unreasonable and potentially amounting to theft, the family filed a police report after multiple failed attempts to recover the device. Reports stated that despite at least eight separate discussions, the phone had still not been returned.
The case quickly drew public outrage online, with many social media users questioning whether the confiscation was genuinely intended as disciplinary action or motivated by financial gain.
Following mounting criticism, the school director reportedly contacted the family and assured them the phone would eventually be returned. However, the family later told local media they remained concerned because no clear timeline had been provided.
Thailand’s Ministry of Education has since acknowledged the case and said it would ensure fairness for both the student and his family amid the ongoing investigation.
