Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha said the education minister would investigate claims that a public school teacher told students that the former Privy Council president and prime minister Prem Tinsulanonda was a dictator.
Gen Prayut on Monday told the press that he had assigned Education Minister Trinuch Thienthong to set up a committee to probe the matter and interview school and district officials.
He insisted the investigation would follow legal procedures.
The prime minister’s response followed a viral video of the teacher during her history class at Rittiyawannalai School in Sai Mai district of Bangkok.
She was identified as Penpad Utachsakul, who teaches Social Studies, Religion and Culture to 10th-grade students.
During the video, she gave examples of authoritarian leaders. On her slides were former Ugandan president Idi Amin, Gen Prayut and Gen Prem.
Writings on the slides said: “Authoritarianism or military dictatorship which limits political freedom to rule.”
Sumana Tigulwong, principal of Rittiyawannalai School, on Monday said Ms Penpad had been suspended and transferred to the Bangkok Secondary Educational Service Area Office 2.
Ms Penpad submitted a letter accounting for the situation on Dec 21.
She said her class materials were based on the core curriculum of the Education Ministry, and she had no intention of encouraging hatred towards political figures.
Meanwhile, the Suankularb Wittayalai School Alumni said Gen Prem, an alumnus of the school, was actually an elected prime minister who had finished his eight-term year and supported the country's democracy.
The school said Gen Prem was a role model who served the country as a prime minister and the Privy Council president until his death.
