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Thailand has one of the most unique Scouting programs in the world. It was fiunded as nationlidt orgnizstiomn. Scouting is part of the school curriculum. One day a week Thai students come to school in their Scout uniforms and engage in Scouting instructional and recreational activities.
Scouting was introduced into Thailand by King Rama VI in 1911. He is fondly remembered as the "Father of Thai Scouting".Thailand was the third country in the world to take up Scouting. King Rama VI received his education in England. He was the first Thai monarch to have studied abroad. He graduated at Oxford University and also attended Sandhurst Military academy. He brought back with him many new ideas that he had seen. In Thailand he established the "Wild Tiger Corps" for adults and created a junior branch which continues today as the Boy Scouts. King Rama VI is fondly remembered as the "Father of Thai Scouting" and every year on Scout Day, on July 1st, Scouts pay homage to his image and take part in parades. Thailand is the only country in the world where Scouting was directly founded by a monarch. It is also honoured with being one of the Founder Members of the World Organisation back in 1922.
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Scouting appeals to the people of Thailand and receives strong support from the Royal family and government which has facilitated the steady growth and development of the organisation. The present monarch, King Rama IX, is the Chief Scout and under his patronage,
Scouting has flourished in Thailand, and continues to develop many programmes to fulfill the needs of its young people and of the country. Thai Scouting has received much publicity due to its impressive work during emergencies. Such work includes taking part in ambulance and first aid teams, helping the Fire Brigade and assisting in flood control.
Scouting is part of the school curriculum and the majority of these photographs were taken on the school premises. At our school, Thursday is Scout day and all of the students come dressed in their Scout uniform.
Scouting is part of the normal school curriculum. At Sriwittayapaknam School in Samut Prakarn, Thursday is Scout day and students come to school wearing their Scout uniform. Other schools in Thailand have different days. After morning assembly they have inspection. Then later in the day they meet as a Pack or Troop or as a year group and learn about Scouting from books or through practical activities. They work towards proficiency badges, learn knotting, play games and sing songs. Because Scouting is part of the school curriculum, the students have to sit an exam at the end of each term.
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The chart below shows the official programme and age groups for each section. The students usually progress according to what grade they are in, rather than by ages as shown below. Prathom 1 (2nd term) and Prathom 2 to 4 are all Cub Scouts. Prathom 5 and 6 are Scouts. Matayom 1 to 3 are Senior Scouts.
First Star, Second Star and Third Star advance to a higher rank by school grade and activities. The boys are 8-11 years of age.
Luk Sua Tri (Tenderfoot), Luk Sua Toe (2nd Class), and Luk Sua Ek (1st class), perform character building and skill-development activities in patrols. The boys are 11-16 years of age.
World Membership Badge, Senior Scout Badge, and King Scout Badge progress through project work in smaller interest groups. The boys are 14-18 years. Boys advance to Senior Scouting at different ages depending on thier performance as Scouts.
Personal development through self-training and service. The boys are 16-25 years of age.
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National Scout Day is a major event in Thailand. On Thursday July 1, 1999, students and teachers from schools all around the country took part in celebrations marking the
anniversary of the foundation of Scouting in Thailand. This is an annual event dating back to the start of Scouting on July 1, 1911. One school provided images of the event. The ceremony at our school started with the principal, Mrs. Seesagoon Krishanachinda, paying homage to the image of King Rama VI. She first adorned the small statue with a sweet scented 'puang malai' (a garland of
jasmine buds). Then she lit a candle and one incense stick. Mrs. Chittra Nopparatsomboon, then led the students in the reciting of the Scout Promise:
"On my honour, I promise that I will be loyal to the Nation, the Religion and the King; help other people at all times; and obey the Scout Law." After the ceremony had been completed, the Scouts went out into the local community armed with brooms and
dustpans in order to help clean the road-sides. At the same time, in the parade-ground in the city, about 100 students and teachers from our school took part in a
similar ceremony with other schools from all over our province.
Thai Scouts are one of the World Scout Associations that still give considerable attention to the uniform.
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The Senior Scouts wear the same khaki uniform as the Scouts with a yellow scarf, but they have red shoulder tags and a red beret. On the tags are the initials for Senior Scouts in Thai. On the left shoulder they have their patrol badge and the right shoulder their proficiency badges. On their left shirt pocket they have two red stripes for Patrol Leaders and one stripe for Assistant Patrol Leaders. Also, when they have earned it, they have the Senior Scout Badge, King's Scout Badge and the World Membership Badge. The girls have the same green uniform as the Girl Scouts but with red shoulder tags. On the tags is the logo for Nate Nari. Everything else is the same as for the boys.
The boys wear khaki shorts and shirt and in our area they wear a yellow scarf with the badge of our province on the back. On their left shoulder are pinned coloured ribbons showing which patrol they are in. Below are the 2nd class and 1st class badges. On the right shoulder there is the name tag for the school and below that is the number for their Group and Troop. At the bottom are the proficiency badges. On the left shirt pocket are two white stripes for Patrol Leader and one stripe for Assistant Patrol Leader. This is also where the Tenderfoot badge goes. They wear a traditional B-P style hat. The girls wear a green uniform and a green hat. On their left shirt pocket they wear a bronze Nate Nari pin badge. On their left shoulder they have a badge with a flower on it which represents which patrol they are in. Everything else is the same as the boys.
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Boys wear their normal school uniform, usually khaki or blue shorts and a white shirt, with the addition of a Tiger badge over their left
shirt pocket. In Thai, Scouts are called "Luk Sua" which translates as cub of tiger. On the left shoulder there is a coloured triangle badge
depicting their six. Below this is a yellow stripe for Seconders and two stripes for Sixers.
On the right shoulder there is a name tag for the school and a number tag for their Group
and Pack. Below this are the proficiency badges. The cap is blue with a yellow trimming.
They also have a tiger badge on the cap. Above this are badges for First Star, Second Star
and Third Star, depending on the number of tests successfully completed. The scarf at
Sriwittayapaknam School has blue and white stripes. On the back is the badge for our
province. Other schools choose different colours.
Girls also wear their normal uniform, usually a white shirt and a blue skirt. Over their left shirt pocket they wear a badge with a figure of a dancing angel. In Thai, girl Cub Scouts are called "Nate Nari". "Nate" means eye and "Nari" means woman. The cap is blue with a red trimming. The badge on the cap bears the initials of Nate Nari and Indra's weapon, (Indra is the Hindu God of Thunder). The rest of the uniform is the same as the boys.
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Thailand has an active Sea Scout program. The boys wear all-white uniforms. They have white sailor caps, white shirts, blue kerchiefs, white shorts, and white kneesocks worn with black shoes.
King Rama VI in May 1911,created the Wild Tiger Corps (Sua Pa). It was a nationwide, paramilitary corps. The purpose of the Wild Tigers was four-fold. It was intended to give all Thai exempted from service in the regular armed forces, notably all middle and high level civil servants, an opportunity to receive military training.
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