Army cannot be in charge of southern education

[webfact]

Army cannot be in charge of southern education

By The Nation

 

 

The sooner Thai authorities accept the malay south’s differences, the sooner we’ll all be united 

 

A proposal to allow a task force of soldiers to oversee education development in the southern border provinces is disturbing, as well as a misuse of military personnel.

 

Recent history has established that Thai soldiers lack vision in all of their undertakings and are certainly not up to the task of tending to education at any broad level. Yet here they are preparing to oversee the education system in the conflict-afflicted South, where the vast majority of residents consider themselves Malays, not Thais. Their mother tongue is not Thai and neither is their historical and cultural background. 

 

Instead of coming to terms with these facts, our educators – civilian and military – want to promulgate the same system found across the country, which boils down to using schools as a platform for instilling in children a sense of Thainess in a bid to foster nationhood. The Malays of Patani have a wholly separate view. Their language, history and culture are very different from those of the majorityThai populace. But they are again to be subjected to a virtually foreign concept and told to embrace it as their own. 

 

Thais tend to disdain the southerners’ Muslim piety as an obstacle to their ability to speak the Thai language properly. The head of the military-led education task force, Maj General Chatuporn Klumpasut, had the audacity to go on record saying Malay students cannot read Thai because they spend too much time in religious studies. And he said the problem is compounded by the misuse of state subsidies.

 

Reporters relayed these pronouncements unquestioningly, but if they bothered to ask teachers in the South, they would learn how difficult it is for them to deal with the military. Army officials, the teachers would explain, are more interested in the size of a project and its budget allocations than the quality of the education.

 

Chatuporn complained about southern students performing far below par compared to their peers elsewhere in the country, but failed to mention that they’re being taught lessons in a language not their own. Other nations with large segments of the population speaking different languages make sure their education systems are bilingual. If students are taught in the language they’ve spoken since infancy, they’re bound to make better progress.

 

But “Thainess” is the national policy, unity of thought the goal, and centuries of diverse practices are overridden. Afraid of being left behind, communities of non-Thai speakers in all four regions decided it was best to go along with the state policy, put their past behind them and assimilate fully.

 

The strategy worked to some extent in strengthening nationhood, but it has never worked properly in the Malay-speaking far South, where Muslims still see the Thai state and its security apparatus as invaders. The inevitable wave of insurgency that began 14 years ago has so far claimed nearly 7,000 lives. 

 

Meanwhile, as the state points to student test scores, no one ever talks about the quality and capabilities of the teachers. Do they know how to teach? Sadly, Thailand doesn’t send its best and brightest to the South. For decades, the region was a dumping ground for bumbling and corrupt civil servants being punished.

 

If a recent incident at Anuban Pattani School was any indication, there is little hope for the region’s education system. Twenty teachers protested when a handful of students wore Islamic headscarves – a practice permitted by the Education Ministry. Clearly the children’s education was not these teachers’ chief priority. The priority instead was given to “defending Thailand’s honour” by trying to bar the headscarves.

 

Clearly there are a lot of Thais who do not have their priorities straight.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/opinion/30348706

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-06-27

[tracker1]

I vaigly remember a general after the overthrow of the government saying he would bring peace to the south thats equivilant to an election date in todays terms

[graemeaylward]

Well said! About time that regional differences and diversities are recognised and celebrated rather than seen as a threat. The country would be a much better place if the Government was not obsessed by "one size fits all" mentality!

Sent from my Lenovo A3000-H using Thailand Forum - Thaivisa mobile app

[z42]

Nor should they be. In the years i've been here all I have seen from the men in green is graft, repression, and outright incompetence in everything they've been involved with.

Thailand will undoubtedly have some excellent soldiers, and some of the brass somewhere will embody decency. But at the top, especially the public faces linked to the army, it looks a truly ghastly outfit that is fit for disbandment only. Dreadful

[Darcula]

48 minutes ago, webfact said:

But “Thainess” is the national policy

 

That's settled then. This problem will never be solved.

 

[YetAnother]

52 minutes ago, webfact said:

Recent history has established that Thai soldiers lack vision in all of their undertakings

well said, thais cannot govern themselves, never mind they be soldiers or not

[Samui Bodoh]

57 minutes ago, webfact said:

A proposal to allow a task force of soldiers to oversee education development in the southern border provinces is disturbing, as well as a misuse of military personnel.

The proposal is beyond disturbing, it is essentially stating that an educated populace as an desired outcome is secondary to the instillation of state propaganda in order to control a large, distinct group of people.

 

The current state of Thailand's Education system is dismal at best and the installation of military personnel to leadership positions in the Ministry of Education in the South will make things worse, not better. How will the Malay's react when their children are being barraged with even more 'Thainess'? Will that endear them to the Thai state or harden their dislike as they see a stated goal of damaging/destroying their own culture and heritage?

 

The state of affairs in the South of Thailand is a complex matter. However, if the stated goal of the army there is to degrade and destroy Malay identity and promote 'Thainess', then it is likely to get worse and not better.

 

Why not try using some respect for the people and their culture? As the old adage goes, "You catch more flies with honey than vinegar". The only tried and true method of defeating an insurgency is to win the proverbial 'hearts and minds' of the local people. Disparaging the Malay culture will not do that, but rather have the effect of making things worse.

 

 

Edited June 26, 2018 by Samui Bodoh
Lack of coffee

[pieeyed]

Show me the papers of one army elected representative that has a iq of more than payme?

 

[Cadbury]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

as well as a misuse of military personnel.

Taking over and Thailand and removing democracy four years was also a pretty serious misuse of military personnel.

But the generals don't see it that way. To them it is just an opportunity to line their pockets. Cretins that they are.

[Lungstib]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

Army cannot be in charge of southern education

Well, there's a relief! Can that now be extended to the whole country, please?

[Emster23]

'... Thai soldiers lack vision in all of their undertakings and are certainly not up to the task of tending to education at any broad level."

May I ask how they might differ from those civilians currently in charge? Rock bottom is rock bottom, unless on journey to the center of the earth

[greenchair]

The schools in the south recieve a large percent of government funds paid for by the Thai people. They are using the funds to teach radical religion and refuse to follow the national curriculum. 

In other words, they want their cake and eat it. The original thought was that if the Muslim community were better educated, then they could attend higher learning ,then get better jobs which would raise the standard of living and hopefully reduce poor muslim children from being indoctrinated into gangs of terrorists. Instead the money is being used to strengthen their ideals and cause  (right or wrong is irrelevant ) .

The money is being misdirected from its intended purpose and therefore the whole thing has gone pear shaped. Essentially the Thai are paying someone to use money to attack them . Thats just silly.The reason civil servants on an inactive post are sent there is because nobody of high qualification wants to go there. That's because in the past thai teachers and children  were bombed, shot, raped and beaten. So currently teachers and thai schools must be assisted by armed guards. There are muslim schools there where all the children can wear scarves and follow their specific way of life. But no, they want to go to the Thai schools that people specifically go to, to get away from the radicalism. (Including Muslims that want to live a less radical life.)

So there are only 2 choices. Remove the funds or have someone else manage it. The only people that have resources to protect the people that manage it is the army. 

[Anak Nakal]

Military not good at education.

Get expert, not Greenie.

Duh!

[KiwiKiwi]

3 hours ago, tracker1 said:

I vaigly remember a general after the overthrow of the government saying he would bring peace to the south thats equivilant to an election date in todays terms

 

Yes, they've repeatedly been on the brink of resolving the crisis. Been on the same brink for years - just more BS.

 

It seems the rebels agree.

[Srikcir]

2 hours ago, greenchair said:

So there are only 2 choices. Remove the funds

I'm sure Muslims can self-fund their own schools as they have been since a sultanate. The southern provinces have rich resources in oil, gas, rubber and fisheries claimed by Thailand. 

2 hours ago, greenchair said:

The only people that have resources to protect the people that manage it is the army. 

As the Malays are being suppressed by the Thai military, why would the Thai military be the only people to protect them? If given the choice of being autonomous, semi-autonomous or part of the Buddhist Kingdom of Thailand, I don't think they would choose Thailand. Then there is the Muslim Federation of Malaysia as another option if Thailand had the will to consider.

[greenchair]

23 minutes ago, Srikcir said:

I'm sure Muslims can self-fund their own schools as they have been since a sultanate. The southern provinces have rich resources in oil, gas, rubber and fisheries claimed by Thailand. 

As the Malays are being suppressed by the Thai military, why would the Thai military be the only people to protect them? If given the choice of being autonomous, semi-autonomous or part of the Buddhist Kingdom of Thailand, I don't think they would choose Thailand. Then there is the Muslim Federation of Malaysia as another option if Thailand had the will to consider.

Well it is a complicated situation. Several of the Muslim population want to be integrated and a part of Thailand. Another group want to belong to Malaysia. Still another group want to be an independent sharia state.

 I'm sure each one believes their option is the best for all. This topic is about money destined for the education of children being siphoned off to finance any one or all three of these groups. The children are illiterate because they spend all their time in religious studies. The cycle of poverty keeps going, Which radical Islamic groups take advantage of.

So if you want to make a comment about the essence of the topic. 

That would be great. 

[jaltsc]

"A proposal to allow a task force of soldiers to oversee education development..."

Seriously, do you really want education to be left up to a bunch of people who were too stupid to be able to avoid military duty? 

Edited June 27, 2018 by jaltsc

[rosst]

On 6/27/2018 at 8:35 AM, greenchair said:

The schools in the south recieve a large percent of government funds paid for by the Thai people. They are using the funds to teach radical religion and refuse to follow the national curriculum. 

In other words, they want their cake and eat it. The original thought was that if the Muslim community were better educated, then they could attend higher learning ,then get better jobs which would raise the standard of living and hopefully reduce poor muslim children from being indoctrinated into gangs of terrorists. Instead the money is being used to strengthen their ideals and cause  (right or wrong is irrelevant ) .

The money is being misdirected from its intended purpose and therefore the whole thing has gone pear shaped. Essentially the Thai are paying someone to use money to attack them . Thats just silly.The reason civil servants on an inactive post are sent there is because nobody of high qualification wants to go there. That's because in the past thai teachers and children  were bombed, shot, raped and beaten. So currently teachers and thai schools must be assisted by armed guards. There are muslim schools there where all the children can wear scarves and follow their specific way of life. But no, they want to go to the Thai schools that people specifically go to, to get away from the radicalism. (Including Muslims that want to live a less radical life.)

So there are only 2 choices. Remove the funds or have someone else manage it. The only people that have resources to protect the people that manage it is the army. 

Hmm, an interesting perspective hopefully from an informed source, sounds credible, I think you may be right. 

[greenchair]

15 minutes ago, rosst said:

Hmm, an interesting perspective hopefully from an informed source, sounds credible, I think you may be right. 

I worked in a Muslim school for almost 20 years. They have the when moe comes to visit curriculum. 

And the real curriculum. 

They have the moe auditing accounts. 

And the real accounts. 

The children have to pray almost their entire lunch time. They watch Islamic videos in the class all day long. They then go to the mosc to learn and pray 2 hours everyday after school. All day Saturday and Sunday. Once a year they have the cow beheading ceremony, where a long knife is used to chop off the head of the cow in front of the children. watching a head get chopped off means nothing to them by age 4 or 5. On mothers day the children are shown a graphic video of a doctor with his scalpel cutting into the women's stomach to get the baby. Apparently that's how babies are born. At about grade 5 or 6 the beautiful children change. There are always head children designated by the mosc to keep everyone in check. I saw several times the boys throw a jacket over other boys head and 5 or 6 beat into him. They were well trained. This punishment was dished out to anyone that tried to study or respect a foreign teacher. Many of them would bring the Koran to class and read. At about M1 or 2 they would often walk past the class and practice throwing bombs in the room. They were so fast and so good at it, to me it looked like they were being trained. This happened throughout the years of each class going through the system. Several of the children were sent off to India, where they thought they were going to a camp to learn English. But I have my suspicions. The reason why they want the girls to wear scarves and boys not shave their hair is so that they stand out and can be reported about down at the mosc. There is so much more. But not enough space. The money is not being spent properly.