Hazing isn't just an American tradition....

Again, not sure if the link will work without a subscription, so most of the article is included here not only for informational purposes but to give all you hazers out there some new ideas.

Amid Complaints About Hazing Rituals, Thai Government Urges Universities to Crack Down

Following increasingly bizarre reports of hazing rituals on college campuses in Thailand, the government has urged an end to the initiation practices and is asking universities to find out which students are responsible and to punish them.

The request comes two weeks after a freshman at Kasetsart University's Kamphaeng Saen campus shot himself during orientation week. The student's parents say their son committed suicide after being pressured to engage in lewd sex acts. University officials are also investigating a report filed last week that a female student was raped in a separate hazing-related incident.

A telephone hotline set up by the education ministry recorded more than a hundred complaints over several days last week. Many callers reported being tortured and injured during the activities. One student said that he had been forced to engage in humiliating behavior, including disrobing and masturbating in front of other students.

The strangest initiation rites apparently occurred at the Rajamangala University of Technology, Nakhon Ratchasima campus. Patiparn Inyabodhi, a mechanical-engineering student, complained that seniors forced him to engage in what was called a penis tug-of-war contest. The student also said his pubic hair was lit on fire. After giving formal testimony to investigators at the Ministry of Education, Mr. Patiparn permanently left the university.

In response to the public outcry over the incident, Chuchai Siriwattana, head of the university's engineering department, said that four students had been suspended and 90 others were being disciplined. On Friday, Mr. Chuchai made a tearful apology to Mr. Patiparn and to the community for failing to rein in his students. Rajamangala University of Technology has since banned all initiation rites.

Likewise, Thailand's Commission on Higher Education is urging all public and private universities to end hazing. Commission officials, however, say they cannot enforce a ban because even publicly funded universities are autonomous. Pavich Tongroach, the secretary general of the commission, said he was circulating a series of strongly worded letters, requesting that administrators closely supervise freshman initiations on campuses.

"The last one went out this morning asking all university presidents to get tougher," Mr. Pavich said. "They should put a stop immediately" to abusive rites, he said, and should "set up an investigation team of their own people with a representative from my commission."

At least 20 student unions across the country have objected to suggestions that all initiation ceremonies be banned. Many student leaders say a ban would be an overreaction and argue that freshman rituals are beneficial, helping to create a sense of camaraderie among new students.


The Chronicle: Daily news: 06/22/2005 -- 06