Phone-free classroomsThe Bangkok Metropolitan Administration's initiative to limit smartphone use in classrooms is a welcome step in the right direction. Studies by organisations such as Unesco suggest that while digital technology can support learning when used purposefully, unstructured smartphone use often undermines concentration. The issue is not merely the amount of time students spend on screens, but the nature of the digital environment itself. Indeed, classrooms are among the few remaining places where attention can be nurtured and the thinking process guided by educators rather than by opaque algorithms. Bangkok's policy will succeed not simply if students put their phones away, but if it restores the balance between connectivity and concentration.

Source: Bangkok Post March 16, 2026 01:24 UTC