Picture: Sanook

 

Thailand's Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha used a meeting online with the education minister to espouse his views on what Thai education should be. 

 

This was reported in great detail by Sanook with not one suggestion that such a leader might not represent the ideal role model in this capacity, notes ASEAN NOW.

 

Listening patiently to the diatribe from the great leader - as some call him - was education minister Trinuch Thienthong, herself installed after her predecessor was jailed then bailed. 

 

Main item of news was that the Thai government have ordered 2,000 baht be given to the parents of every one of 11,000 pupils nationwide to help with costs incurred by the pandemic. 

 

Picture: Sanook

 

Huge numbers of children have been studying at home as parents grapple with online learning often in subjects they have no understanding of and with no expertise in helping their children adequately.

 

Even if they have a properly functioning internet or devices such as phones, laptops or tablets. Many especially in the countryside have very little. 

 

The money will be available once the treasury has released 22 billion to pay for it all. It will be available within 5 to 7 days depending on what kind of student is getting the cash and will be either transferred to parents' bank accounts or available for collection at schools. 

 

So what did Prayuth say?

 

He said that he cares passionately about education and the effect that the pandemic has had on students and parents.

 

He said help was needed quickly and more was on the way to provide equipment and free internet. 

 

He stressed that what should be delivered in these "new times" was quality education and fairness and equality for all students throughout Thailand.

 

This must mean lessons that have relevance to everyday life and focus on the needs of children and he urged the Education Ministry and the Digital Economy and Society Ministry (DES) to work together on internet equality and equipment. 

 

The DES - whose previous minister Buddhipongse Punnakanta was also ordered jailed over riots many years ago before he was ditched by the PM - has been criticised for cracking down on free speech and flying in the face of the ideals that the PM was promoting yesterday, suggests ASEAN NOW.

 

Still the PM went on as everyone listened to his every word delivered from government house behind a face mask.

 

"The children may be at home but they must have a complete and relevant education," he said.

 

"This is so that they can compete in the international sphere".

 

The PM threw out his buzzwords as to what this means - discipline, morality, virtue, moral integrity, Thai history, responsibility. 

 

Sanook made no attempt to juxtapose this against the violence on the streets of Bangkok with fed-up young people being sprayed with water from cannons, tear gassed and fired at with rubber bullets just kilometers from where the PM was speaking.

 

Or indeed what happened in 2014 when Prayuth decided that he was what the country needed and took over in a coup replacing an elected government.

 

The PM merely concluded that it was important that the education system turned out responsible students, responsible citizens and it was important that no child missed out on a good education to achieve these lofty ideals.

 

One parent in Bangkok who preferred not to be named told ASEAN NOW:

 

"This lip service to a relevant, fair and worthwhile education is par for the course in Thailand and has been going on for decades.

 

"Even the better schools have curriculums steeped in the past teaching irrelevances under the guise of statehood and good citizenship".

 

A case in point, said our contact, was the parent's child who was asked to complete online work by explaining religious terms in Thai that the Thai mother had never heard of.

 

"Helping an eight year old in such circumstances without any assistance means en environment full of frustration for both parents and children. They'd be better off watching YouTube and be done with it.

 

"Frankly the PM's platitudes and buzzwords show someone out of touch with reality.

 

"Yes, all parents need to take responsibility for their children and their learning and yes, many teachers are doing their very best in what are trying circumstances for them,too.

 

"But many parents are poorly equipped to assist their children especially in a book based system with intense demands on exam results and frequent tests that add pressure to both children and their mums and dads.

 

"In our family we have the advantage of having electronic devices and a fair amount of internet knowledge. I dread to think what it must be like for those without such material benefits.

 

"I can only conclude that they are learning even less than they would in school and because of the pandemic in particular are a million miles away from the lofty sentiments of the PM".

 

Indeed with no end in sight and more lockdowns now in place the trial that is online learning is set to continue indefinitely.

 

Many parents are thinking that it could be November and the second semester before children are back in school. Many schools have not been open since April, notes ASEAN NOW. 

 

Meanwhile it remains to be seen what discounts schools will offer on top of the government's 2,000 baht per pupil handout. 

 

Many parents feel that not only have they parted with money for a service they are not getting but are even being asked to deliver most of the curriculum that they don't understand. 

 

-- © Copyright  ASEAN NOW 2021-08-17

 

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6 minutes ago, webfact said:

 

Main item of news was that the Thai government have ordered 2,000 baht be given to the parents of every one of 11,000 pupils nationwide to help with costs incurred by the pandemic. 

 

Meanwhile it remains to be seen what discounts schools will offer on top of the government's 2,000 baht per pupil handout. 

Lesson 1. for  a PM that seems to have an inability - or blind eye - on numbers, there are far more than 11,000 pupils at school that need help.

 

Lesson 2. The schools are going to have a real funding shortage this coming new term. Any 2,000 baht will go on food, rent and staying alive ! Wife already tell me the parents at my daughter's school are talking about not paying  

19 minutes ago, webfact said:

The PM threw out his buzzwords as to what this means - discipline, morality, virtue, moral integrity, Thai history, responsibility. 

Hmm, a teacher might say the buzzwords should be thinking, questioning, access to facts/information rather than rote learning designed to teach one view only as an acceptable one and understanding you learn from mistakes. 
 

OK, those last two are a series of words rather than a buzzwords…

Edited August 17, 20214 yr by Bluespunk

"to espouse his views on what Thai education should be. "

You could not make this ***t up!

She would fit perfectly at an immigration office. 

Does anyone honestly care about his views or ideas anymore most people just want him gone .

Is Prayuth lecturing us on morals?  You couldn't make it up!

37 minutes ago, webfact said:

from the great leader - as some call him - 

Main item of news was that the Thai government have ordered 2,000 baht be given to the parents of every one of 11,000 pupils nationwide to help with costs incurred by the pandemic.

Nothing fake about our PM Khun Prayut Chan O Cha .....  and giving every parent 2,000 baht for every pupil to assist with study & learning. 

Excellent news from this government.  No one can dispute that .... 

 

 

 

 

Edited August 17, 20214 yr by steven100

 

 

"Moral"? He's completely clueless, and lacks any sort of self-awareness.

 

He's qualified to lecture anyone on 'education'? Please. 

 

He is beyond a parody of

 

49 minutes ago, webfact said:

the great leader

 

What an embarrassment for the country.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

11,000 pupils, 22 Billion Baht... they must be using that faulty TAT calculater. 

"transferred to parents' bank accounts or available for collection at schools. " 

Imagine the scrum for the cash

The covid factories continue....

Obviously they mean 11 mill. not 11 thousand. That gives 22 billion. These journalists do not proof read.

1 hour ago, webfact said:

One parent in Bangkok who preferred not to be named told ASEAN NOW:

 

"This lip service to a relevant, fair and worthwhile education is par for the course in Thailand and has been going on for decades.

 

"Even the better schools have curriculums steeped in the past teaching irrelevances under the guise of statehood and good citizenship".

 

Sounds very much like a particular Rooster to me. ????

Someone with no moral at all and knowledge what it is is teaching morals..... Education in Thailand!!!!

19 minutes ago, martin81 said:

Obviously they mean 11 mill. not 11 thousand. That gives 22 billion. These journalists do not proof read.

They might really mean 11 thousands. These brand new sports cars I see every day in Sukhumvit do not pay themselves!

 

But yes, hopefully, they meant 11 millions.

Well, I will believe it when ( if ) I see it!

 

My son's private school just got ahold of me to ask for his ID card number and my bank account so they can deposit 2,000 baht into my account.

What will I do with my new found riches?

3 hours ago, webfact said:

discipline, morality, virtue, moral integrity, Thai history, responsibility. 

my  sides.  my sides,  help  help

49 minutes ago, kwonitoy said:

My son's private school just got ahold of me to ask for his ID card number and my bank account so they can deposit 2,000 baht into my account.

What will I do with my new found riches?

Cool  season  coming ask  your  child if  he divides 2000 baht into 20  baht  notes  how  many  will  he  get and  how  long could he burn them for to keep  warm,  on the other  hand  you may need to deduct 100  baht for a calculator.

3 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

Hmm, a teacher might say the buzzwords should be thinking, questioning, access to facts/information rather than rote learning designed to teach one view only as an acceptable one and understanding you learn from mistakes. 
 

OK, those last two are a series of words rather than a buzzwords…

Yet, all appears to be surface contradictory.....even moot.

As any such encouragement regarding an independent, critical or questioning thought process is strictly taboo. 

3 hours ago, steven100 said:

Nothing fake about our PM Khun Prayut Chan O Cha .....  and giving every parent 2,000 baht for every pupil to assist with study & learning. 

Excellent news from this government.  No one can dispute that .... 

 

 

 

 

his so desperate that he's trying to buy votes for 2,000 baht each.....pity man

2 hours ago, martin81 said:

Obviously they mean 11 mill. not 11 thousand. That gives 22 billion. These journalists do not proof read.

The arithmetic weakness runs through the whole country. Even the very highest management positions are also affected. I'm always fascinated when I buy something in the 20 Baht shop. Then 100 baht minus 20 baht = 80 baht is calculated twice on the calculator to be on the safe side. In Thai the calculator is called: kruang kit. The machine that thinks.

 

Edited August 17, 20214 yr by tomacht8

Many schools have not been open since April, notes ASEAN NOW. 

 

A real disaster. It will not even start with an idea of how school operations can be better organized in the pandemic. Other countries are further, such as revolving lessons in a reduced class group (1st week of precedence, 2st week online), vaccinated teachers, Corona rapid tests for all students before the start of classes, online question collection of students who do not understand the material,Immediately help for parents who do not have the technical IT requirements, organization of small student working groups in the same neighborhood, older students help younger students as a task,training of teachers in online -teaching, -pedagogy and - didactics.

The whole educational system now depends only on the individual commitment of the individual teacher.

Edited August 17, 20214 yr by tomacht8

47 minutes ago, Mavideol said:

his so desperate that he's trying to buy votes for 2,000 baht each.....pity man

Further evidence that inflation really is taking off...

4 hours ago, steven100 said:

Nothing fake about our PM Khun Prayut Chan O Cha .....  and giving every parent 2,000 baht for every pupil to assist with study & learning. 

Excellent news from this government.  No one can dispute that .... 

 

 

 

 

That's ridiculous. 11 million students have not had regular classes since 5 months. Only improvised, unorganized, mostly sporadic online lessons. All parents have paid school fees, meal fees, book fees and school clothing fees beforehand. The promised 2000 Baht is not a consolation plaster, but only the repayment for services that were not provided. That you have no school-age children is obvious, otherwise you would not write such a hurray garbage.

4 hours ago, steven100 said:

Nothing fake about our PM Khun Prayut Chan O Cha .....  and giving every parent 2,000 baht for every pupil to assist with study & learning. 

Excellent news from this government.  No one can dispute that .... 

 

 

 

 

Steven. You got a thing about a little man in uniform?

Edited August 17, 20214 yr by DaveE13

5 hours ago, steven100 said:

Nothing fake about our PM Khun Prayut Chan O Cha .....  and giving every parent 2,000 baht for every pupil to assist with study & learning. 

Excellent news from this government.  No one can dispute that .... 

It is NOT every parent of pupils. You seriously think there are only 11,000 pupils that need help - must be millions ! When only 11k of millions get help that is not excellent news, but ridicule of those others that need it

1 hour ago, tomacht8 said:

The arithmetic weakness runs through the whole country. Even the very highest management positions are also affected. I'm always fascinated when I buy something in the 20 Baht shop. Then 100 baht minus 20 baht = 80 baht is calculated twice on the calculator to be on the safe side. In Thai the calculator is called: kruang kit. The machine that thinks.

 

yes .... the majority and average thai are so stupid when it come to maths.  Buy a drink for 20 baht and hand over a 50 baht note ......  they shuffle around looking for the calculator.   Try 2 x Leo @  60 baht .....      that's really confusing.

I don't know whether it's a communication breakdown from english and maths or it's just they never learnt.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Thai government have ordered 2,000 baht be given to the parents of every one of 11,000 pupils nationwide

Good counting again!

5 hours ago, steven100 said:

Nothing fake about our PM Khun Prayut Chan O Cha .....  and giving every parent 2,000 baht for every pupil to assist with study & learning. 

Excellent news from this government.  No one can dispute that .... 

 

 

 

 

Yes bless him, he is even going to get us 12 million more Sino Thingy jabs!