Are Thais taught basic arithmetic?

[Lacessit]

Today, I paid my green fees at a golf course. The cost was 350 baht for 9 holes.

 

I gave the manager a 1000 baht note, and a 50 baht note. He looked confused, and tried to give me the 50 baht note back

 

He was using a calculator. He has said before he has a university degree.

 

It's not the first time I have encountered this. Some staff in 7/11 get it, some do not.

 

Is it the education system?

[marin]

7 minutes ago, Lacessit said:

Is it the education system, or is the Thai brain not wired for math?

Its not just Thai's it is a generational thing. Back home in California last summer a lot of times the sellers had to use a calculator on something that is just wired into boomers heads. 

[mfd101]

The human brain is being improved & transferred to computers & AI.

 

The future does not belong to members of H. sapiens.

[Negita43]

Alternate basic arithmatic for some

When charging 2+2 = 5

When giving change 2+2 = 3

😄

[Lacessit]

4 minutes ago, mfd101 said:

The human brain is being improved & transferred to computers & AI.

 

The future does not belong to members of H. sapiens.

Given some of the blatantly wrong answers I get from AI, it will be a while yet.

[soalbundy]

Yes they do but looking at my son's homework they seem to start later than we did with trigonometry and algebra.

[scubascuba3]

I've noticed the same thing at Golf navy base, they need a calculator for 1000-320. The smart ar se ones try and give change for 500

[OneMoreFarang]

1 hour ago, mfd101 said:

The human brain is being improved & transferred to computers & AI.

 

The future does not belong to members of H. sapiens.

 

Calculators are obviously the reason for above. Many people don't use their brain anymore, because they don't have to.

Unfortunately, there are many trends like that.

People can't read maps anymore, and they don't want to remember where to go and drive. Instead, they want instructions from their phones and navigation systems.

With ABS, people don't know anymore, how to brake carefully.

And soon, many won't know how to drive anymore, because some automatic does it for them.

And then there is autocorrect, AI suggesting the next words, and many more things.

 

It won't take 500 years...

 

 

[FritsSikkink]

2 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Today, I paid my green fees at a golf course. The cost was 350 baht for 9 holes.

 

I gave the manager a 1000 baht note, and a 50 baht note. He looked confused, and tried to give me the 50 baht note back

 

He was using a calculator. He has said before he has a university degree.

 

It's not the first time I have encountered this. Some staff in 7/11 get it, some do not.

 

Is it the education system?

Have a look in your home country, very likely the same.

[MalcolmB]

2 hours ago, Lacessit said:

gave the manager a 1000 baht note, and a 50 baht note. He looked confused, and tried to give me the 50 baht note back

You gave him too much.

makes sense to me.

He probably thought you were an idiot.

[phetphet]

Back in the day, before mobiles, I used to carry all friends and family telephone numbers in my head. Nowadays, although I still remember many, the use of mobile phones negates that use.

Also back then, there were always telephone directories in the red boxes. Failing that, directory enquiries.

I think that when convenience takes over, be it mobile phones, or calculators, the brain quickly realises some things aren't necessary and adapts accordingly.

 

Thais having calculators handy seems to be one of those things, but it does seem to also show a lack of ability in Maths.

 

[cdnvic]

I edited one line out of the original post that was really insulting to Thais, rather than hide the entire topic.

[Lacessit]

24 minutes ago, MalcolmB said:

One observation I have made about these intellectuals is they are usually married to a lowly educated bargirl.

 

The irony.

One observation I have made about ASEAN is the number of snipers who live to put down other posters.

 

It must be disappointing when I fail to respond to their baiting.

 

Another SOS to join my ignore list. Bye bye.

[fredwiggy]

1 hour ago, MalcolmB said:

You gave him too much.

makes sense to me.

He probably thought you were an idiot.

A learning tool just for you.............

Dictionary

Definitions from Oxford Languages · Learn more

 

 

 

 

 

re·straint

/rəˈstrānt/

 

noun

noun: restraint; plural noun: restraints

1. 1.

   a measure or condition that keeps someone or something under control or within limits.

   "decisions are made within the financial restraints of the budget"

   • the action of keeping someone or something under control.

     "a policy of restraint in public spending"
   • deprivation or restriction of personal liberty or freedom of movement.

     "he remained aggressive and required physical restraint"

     h

     Similar:

     constraint

       2. unemotional, dispassionate, or moderate behavior; self-control.

     "he urged the protesters to exercise restraint"

      

      

[Sierra Tango]

5 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Today, I paid my green fees at a golf course. The cost was 350 baht for 9 holes.

 

I gave the manager a 1000 baht note, and a 50 baht note. He looked confused, and tried to give me the 50 baht note back

 

He was using a calculator. He has said before he has a university degree.

 

It's not the first time I have encountered this. Some staff in 7/11 get it, some do not.

 

Is it the education system?

Why complicate a simple transaction. That's not how any Thai cashiers are used to calculating change.

Questioning their intelligense and education just proves your lack of compassion to those who may have had a poorer upbringing to yours. Think about it. Don't like it here? Move on.

 

[RichardColeman]

Best way to learn quick maths is Darts ! They should play more darts at school. My wife is an ex teacher but her level of maths in her head is next to kindergarten levels

[Schoggibueb]

1989, Manaus, Brazil: I had a soup and a beer in a run down "restaurant" near the harbour. Costed together 17 Cruzados Nuovo (10 for the beer +7 for the soup). Wanted to pay and laid the exact amount on the table. The guy took the calculator and after tipping and typing for a looong time he showed me on the display 24...

I took the calculator and we went through this calculation together... No problem, he agreed and was really surprised that the correct amount was already laying there.

 

From then on he just asked me "how much?" and he didn't have to bother his calculator anymore... Of course I never cheated him.

 

We can't expect that the whole world has the same education.

[Lacessit]

2 hours ago, Sierra Tango said:

Why complicate a simple transaction. That's not how any Thai cashiers are used to calculating change.

Questioning their intelligense and education just proves your lack of compassion to those who may have had a poorer upbringing to yours. Think about it. Don't like it here? Move on.

 

I do like it here, and I'm not moving on.

 

And to think there's people on this forum that call me a woke leftist. Wow.

[sidjameson]

7 hours ago, Lacessit said:

Today, I paid my green fees at a golf course. The cost was 350 baht for 9 holes.

 

I gave the manager a 1000 baht note, and a 50 baht note. He looked confused, and tried to give me the 50 baht note back

 

He was using a calculator. He has said before he has a university degree.

 

It's not the first time I have encountered this. Some staff in 7/11 get it, some do not.

 

Is it the education system?

I've heard there are foreigners in Thailand who after many years can't speak Thai either!!!! 

 

Was there no second language learning in their education system?

[black tabby12345]

I gave the manager a 1000 baht note, and a 50 baht note. He looked confused, and tried to give me the 50 baht note back

 

He was using a calculator.

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It is well-known that Thais are often poor at arithmetic and map reading.

Many people here cannot figure out even one digit plus/minus without gadget(except for established Chinese-Thai merchants).

But they have no problems using calculator.

So that manager you encountered with is a kind of surprise.