Thai universities nix cross-dressing at graduations

Bangkok, Dec 13 : A council of Thai university presidents has turned down a request from a transvestites' advocate group to cross-dress at graduation ceremonies as "inappropriate", media reports said Sunday.

Siroj Pholphanthin, head of the council of Rajabhat Universities' presidents, said it would be inappropriate for male students to dress in female uniforms at graduation ceremonies, because their degrees are handed out by members of the royal family, The Nation newspaper reported.

He added that if male transvestites were allowed to cross-dress it would encourage women with transgender inclinations to seek similar treatment.

Rajabhat Universities have campuses nationwide.

On Thursday, the Transvestite Network of Thailand submitted a request to the education ministry to cancel regulations forcing transgender men to wear male uniforms at classes, exams and graduation ceremonies, arguing that the dress code caused mental stress.

University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce rector Jiradech Usawad noted that the regulation was already widely ignored in classrooms, but said it should still be enforced at graduation ceremonies.