After they arrive, the students usually go straight up to their classrooms to deposit their bags. Then, if they are good students or if they have a test that day, they will read their school books. Otherwise they might sit around chatting with their friends or go down to the snack shop to buy something to eat. Early in the morning is the best time to play in the playground before the sun becomes too hot.

Before the students can go up to the classroom, they must take off their shoes at the bottom of the steps and then carry them up. Shoes are not allowed to be worn in the classrooms. There are shoe shelves outside each classroom.

From about 7.30 a.m. onwards, the radio is played over the loudspeakers. A few minutes before 8 a.m. a countdown starts for the national anthem. This is the signal for the students to start making their way down to the playground for morning assembly. However, they don't all usually make it and at precisely 8 a.m. they have to stand still wherever they are for the national anthem. If you have ever travelled around Thailand at this time of day then you would have noticed that every train and bus station as well as town halls also play the national anthem at this same precise time. Every radio and t.v. station in the country broadcast the national anthem at 8 a.m. and 6 p.m.