THAILAND - A school director yesterday blamed a confusing university-admission result for his 18-year-old son's suicide.

"When you announce the list of successful applicants, there should never be a mistake," said the grieving father, Ban Kok Kong Kok Soong Nongtae School's director Wachira Lertkul-ouipaisan.

His son, Jirawat, shot himself in the head on Tuesday night reportedly over fear that he might not be allowed for an interview at the Kasetsart University the next day. The teenager died later in hospital.

Wachira said his son's scores were high enough to secure a place at KU but his son feared the worse when he could not find his name on the Office of Higher Education Commission's? website, but was told otherwise when Jirawat telephoned the Ohec office.

According to an Ohec official, Jirawat's name did not appear on the website because the teenager was among the last batch of successful applicants, who just had their right to the central university-admission system restored.

The right was restored only after students gave up their place at the varsity of their choice secured through the direct-admission system.