BANGKOK, THAILAND – A chickenpox outbreak among students at Thammasat University’s Rangsit campus forced the political science faculty to trigger its emergency plan and suspend all in-person lectures.
Virus alert on campus
What began as a routine day of university life ended in a health emergency. Among political science students, the highly contagious disease suddenly appeared, prompting the university leadership to act immediately. Via Facebook, the faculty announced that all classroom teaching would be halted until further notice.
Instead of gathering in packed lecture halls, students were required to follow classes from home from today through Friday.
“The safety of our students and lecturers is our top priority,”
said the official university statement.
How the online emergency operation worked
Teaching was shifted to familiar digital platforms. Lectures were held via MS Teams or Zoom, with instructors and students connecting remotely. Students were instructed to monitor announcements from the Academic Office closely for timetable changes and course links.
The university pledged to track the situation carefully and adjust measures if needed.
“We apologize for any inconvenience,”
said the statement.
Chickenpox – no harmless childhood illness
The university highlighted that many people underestimated the risks of chickenpox. Among adults, the disease could take a severe course with complications. The virus spread through droplet infection, which the institution described as a dangerous combination in crowded lecture halls.
Typical symptoms included high fever and painful skin rash. Particularly worrying for health officials was the fact that infected individuals were contagious one to two days before the rash appeared, so the university stressed that it was acting purely as a precaution.
Hygiene measures tightened
The leadership announced that additional steps would be taken on campus if required. According to the university, the grounds would be cleaned and disinfected more intensively to reduce the risk of further transmission.
So far, only the political science faculty was affected, and it remained unclear whether other faculties would have to follow.
“We will continuously assess the situation,”
promised the university, adding that further measures would be introduced if necessary.
Students split over switch to online classes
Reactions among students were mixed. Some welcomed the precaution, while others complained about yet another disruption to university life following the COVID-19 pandemic.
“First Covid, now chickenpox – I just want to study normally again,”
said one political science student.
Others expressed support for the move.
“Better one week of online classes than lying in bed sick for weeks,”
said another student, as tension on campus remained high and many hoped the outbreak would soon be brought under control.
What students were urged to do
All affected students were asked to keep a close eye on their emails and the faculty’s Facebook page, where new information and instructions would be posted. The university emphasized that timely communication was essential to keep teaching running under the emergency arrangements.
Anyone experiencing early symptoms such as fever, fatigue or itchy rash was urged to see a doctor immediately and avoid contact with others. The university appealed to everyone on campus to take the hygiene rules seriously, stressing that only collective effort could stop the spread of the virus.