Nursing College in Surin denies coercing two Cambodian students into resigning and returning to their home country.
In the midst of border tensions, claims of mistreatment against two Cambodian students studying at the Surin campus of the Boromarajonani College of Nursing have been vehemently denied by the college.
The allegations, which surfaced on Cambodian social media, included confiscation of communication devices and psychological distress due to isolation. However, the Surin campus, under Thailand’s Ministry of Public Health, has asserted that the students chose to forfeit their scholarships and return home on their own accord.
The college emphasised that the students were well cared for during their 52-day stay from June 6 to July 28, 2025, following the royal scholarship program initiated by Princess Sirindhorn [1]. The students were enrolled under this prestigious program.
The college's communication restrictions were due to a security policy ordered by the Surin governor. This policy instructed all educational institutions in the province to limit communication for Cambodian students, allowing contact only during specified hours and under supervision.
Despite the restrictions, the Surin campus coordinated with Surindra Rajabhat University and Rajamangala University of Technology Isan to help arrange transport for the students' return. The college even organized a bus to take the two students to Surindra Rajabhat University following a farewell party hosted by their fellow first-year nursing students.
The college also affirmed that the two students were allowed to contact their families during their stay. Both students and their families were fully informed of the situation and involved in the decision-making process regarding their return. The college did not force the students to decide to return home.
One student reportedly claimed that her mobile phone and all communication tools were confiscated, cutting her off from the outside world. However, the college disputes this claim, stating that the students were allowed to use their communication devices as per the regulations imposed by the Surin governor's security policy.
A male student reportedly posted that he was unable to concentrate on his studies and went without food, as his inability to contact anyone outside caused him severe stress. Yet, the college maintains that it acted with care in line with Her Royal Highness Princess Sirindhorn's vision of supporting Cambodia through education.
In conclusion, the Surin nursing campus has denied the mistreatment claims and emphasised that the students' decision to return home was made voluntarily after consultation with their families. The college stands by its commitment to providing quality education and care to all its students.
[1] The Royal Scholarship Program initiated by Princess Sirindhorn: https://www.boromarajonani.or.th/en/scholarship/
- The allegations of mistreatment against Cambodian students studying at the Surin campus of the Boromarajonani College of Nursing, which included confiscation of communication devices and psychological distress due to isolation, have been strongly denied by the college.
- In the midst of border tensions, despite communication restrictions due to a security policy ordered by the Surin governor, the Surin nursing campus coordinated with other universities to help arrange transport for the students' return and ensured that they were allowed to contact their families during their stay.
- The college maintaines that it acted with care in line with Her Royal Highness Princess Sirindhorn's vision of supporting Cambodia through education, contradicting one student's claim that her mobile phone and all communication tools were confiscated, cutting her off from the outside world.
- Despite the controversy, the Surin nursing campus stands by its commitment to providing quality education and care to all its students, as part of the general-news, education-and-self-development, health, politics, technology, sport, and transport sectors.
