Biologically Male Candidate Wearing a Skirt Forced to Leave Teacher Qualification Exam
Controversy Over Discrimination Against Sexual Minorities in Thailand
In Thailand, a transgender person who has not undergone gender reassignment surgery was ordered to leave the teacher qualification exam for wearing a skirt, sparking a growing controversy over discrimination against sexual minorities.
According to local media such as the Bangkok Post and Siam News on June 24 (local time), the person at the center of the incident is Punyapat Dechabamrung, a humanities student. Although biologically male, she has developed a female gender identity and has been living as a woman.
According to the reports, on June 21 (local time), Punyapat took the Thai teacher qualification exam wearing a white blouse, a knee-length black skirt, and women's low heels. However, about 30 minutes after the exam began, she was suddenly instructed by a proctor to leave the room. The reason given was that her attire did not match the "Mr." title listed on her exam admission ticket.
Afterward, Punyapat revealed the situation on her social media, expressing her sense of injustice. She stated, "Before the exam, I inquired about the dress code, but the proctor only told me that the relevant regulations were on the website." She added, "The website only instructed that 'proper attire' or 'university uniform' should be worn; there was no restriction based on gender." She further expressed her anger, saying, "Forcing me to leave after allowing me to take the exam for 30 minutes deprived me of both opportunity and time." The photo Punyapat posted on social media showed her entering the exam hall in neat attire.
The post spread rapidly, fueling the controversy. The majority of netizens supported Punyapat, saying, "Expelling someone from the exam for such a reason is close to a human rights violation," and "Expelling her based on a rule that doesn't exist is clear discrimination." On the other hand, some netizens expressed more conservative views, stating, "Interpretation of the rules is also necessary for fair exam administration."
The political sphere has also begun to respond. Thunyawat Kamolwongwat, a member of parliament from the progressive People's Party, wrote on social media, "The action taken by the exam proctor reveals that gender identity is being violated within the government system." He continued, "Even though the government claims to support non-discriminatory equality, incidents like this infringe upon citizens' rights and hinder national development."
He also stated, "The World Health Organization (WHO) has not classified transgender identity as a disease since 2019. However, the Thai government system still forces people to act based on their gender, which violates international standards." He added, "If the system excludes people with potential, the country loses tax revenue and must spend more taxes to reduce social inequality."
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