Dear Parents
I am writing to share with you concerns raised across a number of international schools here in Bangkok regarding recent dangerous behavior by international school students. The schools collaborate on issues of student safety and are always keen to send out shared messages on matters that may affect our students.
These concerns are not entirely new to us, but we repeat messages when there is some evidence that these activities may still be happening. I do not have any direct information to suggest that ISB MS students are doing this, however, given the possibility, it is important to share what we know.
The first concern involves students taking pictures of themselves/each other at high floors of buildings in Bangkok. Apparently, groups of students enter the buildings, which may be empty or under construction and then try to find exposed, roof edge areas where they can take pictures. This is clearly extremely dangerous and has already resulted in one student from another school sustaining serious injuries after a six-story fall – the student is lucky to be alive. It has been reported that this behavior may involve students as young as 13 years old.
The second concern relates to the inhalation of chemicals from pain relief sprays or other aerosols, called, ‘huffing’. The sprays are legal and are easily available in pharmacies. This is linked to a previous concern we shared regarding possible student use of nitrous oxide, similar to laughing gas. These seem to be variations of the same basic idea, which is to inhale a substance to obtain a temporary ‘high’. All of these practices are extremely dangerous and potentially fatal with many references to tragic cases in global media.
In both instances some students are using social media to share photos or video and show others what they are doing; this introduces a competitive element that increases risk taking.
Please feel free to contact me directly, or your child’s counselor, with specific questions or concerns. I don’t wish to alarm you unnecessarily regarding these practices, but encourage you to speak with your children and share this concern.