The Effects of the ‘Rub Nong’ Tradition towards Thai University Freshmen

The university initiation for freshmen students has been a highlight activity for a particular academic year in Thailand for many decades. This initiation ritual itself, normally taking place for the entire first month of the study, is based on the so-called SOTUS system—standing for Seniority, Order, Tradition, Unity, and Spirit—which is a kind of hazing based system to help new students adapting to the university’s environment socially and academically as well as binding newcomers together tightly as fast as possible. However, every year there are a number of negative reports from the initiation rituals shown in media coverage and social media—including physical violence, sexual harassment, mental abuse, suicide, fatality, and alcohol—resulting in the raise of concern among ordinary Thais and scholars towards this issue from time to time. Sadly, even until recently there is still a limited number of researches related to Thai university initiation ritual. This research tried to...Show moreThe university initiation for freshmen students has been a highlight activity for a particular academic year in Thailand for many decades. This initiation ritual itself, normally taking place for the entire first month of the study, is based on the so-called SOTUS system—standing for Seniority, Order, Tradition, Unity, and Spirit—which is a kind of hazing based system to help new students adapting to the university’s environment socially and academically as well as binding newcomers together tightly as fast as possible. However, every year there are a number of negative reports from the initiation rituals shown in media coverage and social media—including physical violence, sexual harassment, mental abuse, suicide, fatality, and alcohol—resulting in the raise of concern among ordinary Thais and scholars towards this issue from time to time. Sadly, even until recently there is still a limited number of researches related to Thai university initiation ritual. This research tried to find out: how does the Rub Nong tradition affect freshmen students during and after the Rub Nong period? How is Thai university initiation rite different from or similar to another country in the Southeast Asian region (Indonesia) and some other Thai organizations? This study will employ both qualitative and quantitative methods. The quantitative methods includes: questionnaires for a group of Thai freshman students. The qualitative method includes an interview from a group of Thai freshman students, policeman, office workers, and Indonesian students.Show less

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The Effects of the ‘Rub Nong’ Tradition towards Thai University Freshmen