Naresuan University offers 13 ‘Wild Boars’ full scholarships

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Naresuan University offers 13 ‘Wild Boars’ full scholarships

By THE NATION 
PHITSANULOK, THAILAND

 

 

NARESUAN UNIVERSITY has sent a letter to the governor of Chiang Rai governor, offering full scholarships to all the 13 Wild Boars Academy footballers who were recently rescued from the flooded Tham Luang cave.

 

The letter signed by Naresuan University President, Professor Kanchana Ngourungsi and sent on July 10, after the completion of the rescue mission, said: “Naresuan University is delighted to offer full scholarships to all 13 Wild Boars Academy footballers if they wish to complete their bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees at Naresuan University, Phitsanulok.”

 

“The decision was made by top executives of our university,” Sirimas Senarak, director of General Affairs Division, Naresuan University, confirmed in a phone interview. 

 

The offer to waive all tuition fees for them received a mixed response from the public. Some netizens said the 13 footballers were survivors, not heroes. They believed the reward should go to volunteers who had helped save the 13 lives while some online users urged Naresuan University to instead take care of the poor students in their campus.

 

 

Responding to the criticism, the director said, “Naresuan University has been taking care of our underprivileged students financially. We never abandon them. But the decision to grant full scholarships to the Wild Boar team was already made by our executives."

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30349966

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-07-13

[colinneil]

Good to see the boys getting the offer of scholarships, as they are from poor families.

In my opinion Naresuan university is just jumping on the bandwagon getting media coverage.

[Jeremy50]

Their offer should politely be put on hold. A University place should be earned, and I'm sure the students who studied for years to get there would agree.

[Get Real]

23 minutes ago, Jeremy50 said:

Their offer should politely be put on hold. A University place should be earned, and I'm sure the students who studied for years to get there would agree.

You are right on the spot with this comment. What the university should do is to make the offer, if the boys can show that they are worthy of such a gift regarding education success they will later have the possibility to recieve such a gift. 

[ubonjoe]

A inflammatory post has been removed along with others that it caused have been removed. Further such posts will be removed and warnings issued if needed.

[Artisi]

2 hours ago, colinneil said:

Good to see the boys getting the offer of scholarships, as they are from poor families.

In my opinion Naresuan university is just jumping on the bandwagon getting media coverage.

Driven by the grandstanding ineffective president. 

[Katipo]

People can say what they like, but offering scholarships to 13 kids who might not otherwise have had the opportunity can only be a good thing.

[scorecard]

2 minutes ago, Artisi said:

Driven by the grandstanding ineffective president. 

 

IMHO there re several points:

 

- Yes the navy Seals and many others should be recognized and receive some reward / some ongoing benefit and I hope that soon there will be more on this point.

 

- The 3 boys gaining citizenship - Good luck to them, and I hope this will gain some overall new focus on the plight of all stateless people in Thailand. That also means investigating why it's so slow and then giving this agency the tools and resources to gain a lot of speed in the processing. Perhaps there should be a processing time limit - all cases must be finalized within say 3 months.

 

- On a global scale, the UN started in 1945, now 2018, some 73 years later, and still millions of people, citizens of the world, are still stateless. I see this as a derelict failure of the United Nations.Surely part of the UN remit is to push /ensure a civil world for all people on this planet. They have dismally failed on this count and the media should highlight their failure. 

 

 

[Neeranam]

What exactly did these boys do to deserve this?

 

I used to work for Naresuan University many years ago.

 

An honorary degree would be more appropriate to the rescuers.

Edited July 13, 2018 by Neeranam

[chainarong]

Not sounding ungrateful but the standard of education the Wild Boars get and what is required for entry into Naresuan are entirely different worlds and bearing in mind that not one cap fits all , not everyone on the team has the capability of doing a UNI degree.

[Artisi]

1 hour ago, Katipo said:

People can say what they like, but offering scholarships to 13 kids who might not otherwise have had the opportunity can only be a good thing.

nothing wrong with what you are saying ---  but bear in mind there are thousands of kids in Thailand who don't have this opportunity and also be aware there are many families in extreme debt endeavouring to educate their kids.

This offer from NU is badly thought out and inappropriate, confirmed by many in the Thai social media along with many senior academics at NU. 

 

Have the kids of the diver who gave his life in the rescue attempt been offered the same scholarships?

 

It is simply grandstanding to make a name.

Edited July 13, 2018 by Artisi

[MaxLee]

3 hours ago, colinneil said:

Good to see the boys getting the offer of scholarships, as they are from poor families.

In my opinion Naresuan university is just jumping on the bandwagon getting media coverage.

They're just kids,..... how many years to go until they reach university age 5-7 years or 8 years later?

[greenchair]

People are just jealous. 

Tourism in Thailand will probably go up probably at least 10 percent because of this event. 

Thousands of people are going to flock to tum luang cave. Tourism in that area will explode. Countries that want to make a movie at that cave will contribute millions to the broadcasting industry and tax dollars. Countries from all around the world joined hands together and Brought us all closer. Everyone was cryin. 

Of the 13 offered scholarships, most likely only 3 or 4 will take up the offer. It's a nice gesture from the university. It amazes me how people can be so nasty and jealous over something that was given from innocent motive and kindness.

Not everyone gets a Mercedes benz, be happy for those that do. !!

[edandpranee]

These kids their attitude and how they survived should be a lesson for all of Thailand.  These kids and their coach are the future of Thailand.

 

[greenchair]

1 minute ago, MaxLee said:

They're just kids,..... how many years to go until they reach university age 5-7 years or 8 years later?

The opportunity to offer them scholarships will be gone in 8 years. 

So now is most likely the best time. 

They are fit kids and very involved with community activities, so it's also likely that they are well behaved students. Having kids like that at a university is always a plus. 

[MaxLee]

Just now, greenchair said:

The opportunity to offer them scholarships will be gone in 8 years. 

So now is most likely the best time. 

They are fit kids and very involved with community activities, so it's also likely that they are well behaved students. Having kids like that at a university is always a plus. 

 

Well at least I hope the university keeps its promise.....

[Katipo]

33 minutes ago, Artisi said:

nothing wrong with what you are saying ---  but bear in mind there are thousands of kids in Thailand who don't have this opportunity and also be aware there are many families in extreme debt endeavouring to educate their kids.

This offer from NU is badly thought out and inappropriate, confirmed by many in the Thai social media along with many senior academics at NU. 

 

Have the kids of the diver who gave his life in the rescue attempt been offered the same scholarships?

 

It is simply grandstanding to make a name.

I don't disagree with you. There are much better ways this could have been done. It looks like the family of Sanam are going to be well taken care of though. But let's not forget where we are. Things are rarely thought out, and no one passes a cheque without a thousand camera flashes capturing the moment, so if 13 kids get a scholarship out of it, good for them. A few of them especially could do with a break or two.

[greenchair]

36 minutes ago, Artisi said:

nothing wrong with what you are saying ---  but bear in mind there are thousands of kids in Thailand who don't have this opportunity and also be aware there are many families in extreme debt endeavouring to educate their kids.

This offer from NU is badly thought out and inappropriate, confirmed by many in the Thai social media along with many senior academics at NU. 

 

Have the kids of the diver who gave his life in the rescue attempt been offered the same scholarships?

 

It is simply grandstanding to make a name.

My son is a top student. He won a first place scholarship in a top high school.  I spent every penny I could find to get him private teachers that could teach at his advanced level. Sometimes we would eat rice and egg for a week and my credit card is full to the brim. 

The people that complained most about his scholarship were the rich parents that were absolutely livid that a poor child could get free education, whilst they had to pay.

Most poor people are really happy to see another poor person get some free education , just as me and my poor son are ecstatically happy for the 13 poor boys to get a hand up the ladder. 

[Anythingleft?]

These kids their attitude and how they survived should be a lesson for all of Thailand.  These kids and their coach are the future of Thailand.
 

Haha really, I think their stupidity to have gone in the cave should be the lesson taken from this.....Here's hoping that this kind of stupidity is not the future of Thailand...


Sent from my SM-N950F using Tapatalk

[Naroge]

4 hours ago, Jeremy50 said:

Their offer should politely be put on hold. A University place should be earned, and I'm sure the students who studied for years to get there would agree.

The OP says (in English) that the university will waive the tuition fees. It doesn't say that they automatically will be accepted for admission. If correct, sounds fair enough.

 

Maybe the Thai text is different.

[pmh2009]

What about for the ex-seal who died??? Who is taking care of his funeral and family???

[theguyfromanotherforum]

How about something more useful like free lifetime kfc meal? 

[yellowboat]

For the forgotten, the disenfranchised there is greater gift than knowledge.  Knowledge is power and they can one day benefit their entire community.  The university did a smart thing, a decent thing.

[Artisi]

1 hour ago, greenchair said:

My son is a top student. He won a first place scholarship in a top high school.  I spent every penny I could find to get him private teachers that could teach at his advanced level. Sometimes we would eat rice and egg for a week and my credit card is full to the brim. 

The people that complained most about his scholarship were the rich parents that were absolutely livid that a poor child could get free education, whilst they had to pay.

Most poor people are really happy to see another poor person get some free education , just as me and my poor son are ecstatically happy for the 13 poor boys to get a hand up the ladder. 

Hope you could eat rice and egg for 3 meals a day. Having taught for many years at the Uni in question, I know that some students and parents would be more than happy for rice and egg 3 times a day - and they didn't have a credit card to max-out - just loan sharks to keep happy.

But all that is missing the point, my point was - the president is grandstanding to make a name for herself - that is the one and only reason for the offer.

[Artisi]

56 minutes ago, pmh2009 said:

What about for the ex-seal who died??? Who is taking care of his funeral and family???

His funeral was hosted from the VERY top from what I hear.

[Jingthing]

It's a nice gesture and hope most of them can take advantage of that or even better opportunities. However, it's a TEAM and I think they should also also include the members that by chance didn't enter that cave. I doubt most would agree but I think that would be an even nicer gesture. 

 

The odds were really strongly against all the trapped getting out alive. That they did is at least on the verge of miraculous.

 

Life is unfair. They were very nearly doomed. Now they're going to get special breaks in life. Oh well! I say go ahead and shower them with privilege.

Edited July 13, 2018 by Jingthing

[DrTuner]

The message is get stuck in a cave and you'll be handsomely rewarded?

[JAZZDOG]

It is clear the rescue is over and all the cheerleaders have left the stadium. Next week the kids can trade in that trip to the World Cup for a McDonalds happy meal.

Next heartfelt moment just around the corner !

[greenchair]

39 minutes ago, Artisi said:

Hope you could eat rice and egg for 3 meals a day. Having taught for many years at the Uni in question, I know that some students and parents would be more than happy for rice and egg 3 times a day - and they didn't have a credit card to max-out - just loan sharks to keep happy.

But all that is missing the point, my point was - the president is grandstanding to make a name for herself - that is the one and only reason for the offer.

So what you are saying is that some parents didn't even have 3 meals a day so that their kids could attend. Which is absolutely rediculous and just not true. In order to get money from a loan shark, one must have assets such as land or vehicle. Not to mention that low income thai children are all entitled to student loans to fund university, same as every other country. Where as these stateless children are not entitled to that. 

Thai airways got criticised for offering free tickets. 

The university is criticised for offering scholarships. 

I continue to be amazed at how critical the people with money are of organisations that give something to the poor. 

Their reason for giving is irrelevant. 

My mother always said, never look a gift horse in the mouth. 

[Jingthing]

5 minutes ago, DrTuner said:

The message is get stuck in a cave and you'll be handsomely rewarded?

Not exactly.

Looking at what happened objectively, their odds of survival were not good.

They were subject of one of the most dramatic amazing rescue operations in the world history.

So then "won" a lottery of sorts just being alive.

It's natural to treat them as special now. 

It may not be rational, but it's very human.