Education In Thailand

[Khun Jean]

Fail to see why a probability calculation which in this case can only be done when enough information is given has to do with the topic on hand.

Probability is a very difficult subject, hardly comparable with basic calculations.

The topic being a very easy question that even my 7 year old nephew in the Netherlands can answer correctly and my grandmother of 91 years. In fact i tested it and none of the family members and friends in the Netherlands came up with 480 as an answer. They all said 520, which by the way is not correct but very close.

Another fact remains that 'basic' knowledge, and yes years and weeks are used everywhere, seems to be lacking. Even worse the basic knowledge of many Thai peole is wrong, thanks to the education or lack of it.

[Jingjok]

Weeks in a year

Asked Thai PA: Laughs, ‘Err… 500 something’?

How many days in a year? ‘365' (In thai) (Immediate)

‘Four weeks in a month…’

Really? How many days in a week then?

‘7’.

How many days in four weeks then?

‘28’ (in Thai) (immediate).

How many days in a month ‘30, 31… err!’ Laughs.

‘We are taught there are four weeks in a month!’

There are 52 weeks in a year.

‘We are not taught there are 52 weeks in a year. If so, the answer is 520.’

BOTH of course are cultural approximations. There are neither four weeks in a month nor 52 weeks in a year.

As others have pointed out at great length.

Does no one else read ‘Dumb Britain’ in Private Eye? It's not just Thailand.

Monty Hall, the bastard!

I hate this guy. When I was first dating my girlfriend in the UK, mathematical puzzles were the kind of thing we would idly discuss over dinner.

This bloody paradox nearly caused my brain to explode, but I am now utterly with Theyreallrubbish: I would change doors.

She is a highly intelligent woman with a degree in maths from Bristol, but still she wavers. In 12 years of debate, sometimes heated, I have not yet been able to convince her that my opinion is an unassailable fact!

But this is a woman whom I once caught in bed with Euclid, pencil in hand, ‘Checking his equations’. She meant confirming to herself of course, but I’ll never let her forget the actual words she used.

If only we could argue about something more mainstream like introducing a second woman into the bed, rather than Euclid’s Elements.

There’s no shame in finding Monty Hall totally counter-intuitive, and even infuriating. Try quantum mechanics!

And then there’s the twelve-ball problem.

[Jingjok]

These are are from the West:

... ...

[Edit: brain failure]

Edited March 9, 2008 by Jingjok

[misterman21]

Also its worth pointing out that I have found most Thai students who make it to uni are far better at maths than their fellow farang students. I think the problem here is that lots of people simply forget there is 52 weeks in a year and have problems working out 365/7 in their heads.

Nonsense - everyone who has spent anytime in thailand knows that thais need a calculater to add 5 + 5

Try this one: the bus leaves bangkok at 11pm and arrives in chiangmai 9am the following morning - how many hours is the journey? (never met a thai yet who would come close)

Maths is the fundamental bases for all logical thinking!!!

[Jingjok]

Also its worth pointing out that I have found most Thai students who make it to uni are far better at maths than their fellow farang students. I think the problem here is that lots of people simply forget there is 52 weeks in a year and have problems working out 365/7 in their heads.

Nonsense - everyone who has spent anytime in thailand knows that thais need a calculater to add 5 + 5

Try this one: the bus leaves bangkok at 11pm and arrives in chiangmai 9am the following morning - how many hours is the journey? (never met a thai yet who would come close)...

Oh come on. That's going too far!

My PA: 'Do you mean leaving at 23.00?' Yes. 'Ten hours’.

Remember you have to explain the time system clearly. Best to use 'naalikaa'. (24Hr clock).

Although a few months ago I did purchase ten items at ten Baht each in a hardware shop.

I was amazed to see the calculator being reached for.

BUT not for 10 x 10.

10 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 10 + 10!

I so wanted her to mis-key and charge me 90 Baht

[misterman21]

Even using the 24 hour clock leaves them stumped - i think the software being used by thais is a very bad copy!

My wife showed me an article in a thai magazine recently which reported on the result of an international inteligence competition in which thailand - represented by a young girl - had come 47th from 50! (makes you wonder about the bottom 3 - i think 2 were represented by goldfish)

Edited March 9, 2008 by misterman21

[Aries74]

Don't blame thai, tourists can't even calculate what they just bought into their home currency.

Foreigners Don't blame thai teachers, if you can't learn how to speak thai after many year.

some American don't even know who is their president.

[misterman21]

Don't blame thai, tourists can't even calculate what they just bought into their home currency.

Foreigners Don't blame thai teachers, if you can't learn how to speak thai after many year.

some American don't even know who is their president.

I dont think anyone bames thais - its not their fault. But it is a fact! How many thais do you see reading books, othere than cartoons?

[madjbs]

Are you a troll misterman? If not then get a grip, you don't have the faintest idea what you are talking about. I assume you only associate yourself with poorly educated Thais that frequent bar areas and the like, this is the only reason that you might think all Thai people need a calculator to add up 5+5. I can assure you that the majority of university level Thai students are waaaay better at maths than farang students and if you don't believe me then I will happily show you otherwise.

[misterman21]

Certainly not a troll - please read all the posts. Refer especially to the fact that thais cant calculate how many weeks in 10 years. I base my opinion on 15 years experience of living and working in thailand.

The ability to understand basic arithmatic is aquired at an early age - way before university. The enviornment in thai schools is often akin to a zoo.

In my opinion - based on experience - thais are ilogical and mathamaticaly inept. However, accepting your assumption that university students are better at maths than ferangs (meaning everyone not thai - as to thais their are only thais and non thais) then that still leaves the vast majority of the population unable to count past 10 without a calculator!

Edited March 9, 2008 by misterman21

[madjbs]

I was talking about my own experiences, yes lots of people are probably rubbish at maths, just like anywhere else. What I am saying is that the average hard working student in a maths class is much more capable than a farang of the same age. However they are likely to be of a lower standard in subjects such as geography for example. However my experience is limited to higher quality institutions and students than that are found in rural or poor areas, the standard may well be lower elsewhere.

Edited March 9, 2008 by madjbs

[misterman21]

Ok thais are better at maths than their ferang counter parts

But as you say worse at geography - even worse than americans!

Re. general knowledge or history - ask the average thai when WW2 took place or who was JFK!

Thais are encouraged not to think - 'mai kit mak'!

[sbk]

Certainly not a troll - please read all the posts. Refer especially to the fact that thais cant calculate how many weeks in 10 years. I base my opinion on 15 years experience of living and working in thailand.

The ability to understand basic arithmatic is aquired at an early age - way before university. The enviornment in thai schools is often akin to a zoo.

In my opinion - based on experience - thais are ilogical and mathamaticaly inept. However, accepting your assumption that university students are better at maths than ferangs (meaning everyone not thai - as to thais their are only thais and non thais) then that still leaves the vast majority of the population unable to count past 10 without a calculator!

Well, I guess I lose then. Arithmetic and numbers are my nemesis. I am terrible at basic math, never did well in school at it and find I get flustered when asked to do some calculation in a hurry. My Thai husband, on the other hand, is excellent at calculating in his head and is often faster at it than the clerk with the calculator. Perhaps he is a freak of Thai society as he often gets frustrated with clerks inability to do basic math. Perhaps I am a freak of Western society because I am so bad at it.

[madjbs]

Ok thais are better at maths than their ferang counter parts

But as you say worse at geography - even worse than americans!

Re. general knowledge or history - ask the average thai when WW2 took place or who was JFK!

Thais are encouraged not to think - 'mai kit mak'!

Why do you insist on the continual derogatory generalisations. They really show us more about you than the majority of Thai people (there goes that phrase again) I know dozens of Thai people and I am 99% sure they would all know the answers to your questions. You are getting rather boring, I don't know why I bother.

Edited March 9, 2008 by madjbs

[misterman21]

Ok thais are better at maths than their ferang counter parts

But as you say worse at geography - even worse than americans!

Re. general knowledge or history - ask the average thai when WW2 took place or who was JFK!

Thais are encouraged not to think - 'mai kit mak'!

Why do you insist on the continual derogatory generalisations. They really show us more about you than the majority of Thai people (there goes that phrase again) I know dozens of Thai people and I am 99% sure they would all know the answers to your questions. You are getting rather boring, I don't know why I bother.

Because your bored! However, it is interesting to hear your point of view. My opinions are based on my experiences and if they are derogatory then thats just an unfortunate fact of my experience. I would agree though that there must be dozens - even hundreds - of thai people who would know the answers - i just havent met any!

[makavelithedon]

What would worry me about their failure to answer this 10 year quiz question correctly, would be that I hazard a pretty good guess all the students on the game show (if it's the one I think) would be from international schools. They wouldn't have pooled the local government schools for that. It just wouldn't do!

Edited March 10, 2008 by makavelithedon

[MeaMaximaCulpa]

Posters using phrases like "the majority are way better than" and "I am 99% sure" might be well advised to provide some solid scientific research data to back up their claims. Because from my experience, without suchlike, it is just a lot of hot air...

To provide another angle, and hopefully some light entertainment in the process, I saw in the "Postbag" section of Bangkok Post sometime after the floating of the Baht triggering the 1997 Asian crisis a foreign "Einstein". He was so annoyed about the lack of maths skills of his fellow "postbaggers", and went on to explain to the readership that the Thai Baht had lost around 120% of it's value. How a currency can lose more than 100% of its value is beond me, but then again, it was printed in BKK Post. So it must be true...!

Based on USD = 26 THB before the crisis, to peaking at USD = 57 THB, this rocket scientist had of course calculated the appreciation of the USD, not the depreciation of the THB, which using the same figures was around 55%. A lot for sure, but nowhere near 120%

Perhaps this should teach us to be a touch more humble, and also be able to admit that we sometimes are wrong. For stuff like the Monty Hall problem, it is not at all obvious what the answer is, even when the definitions are clearly stated.

But keep it flowing, I enjoy threads like this!

[madjbs]

Are you blind? It is from MY OWN EXPERIENCE, I don't need to provide scientific data for that thank you. Where is your scientific data for all this "hot air" anyhow? and no the Bangkok Post does NOT count.

Edited March 10, 2008 by madjbs

[TheDon]

Ok thais are better at maths than their ferang counter parts

But as you say worse at geography - even worse than americans!

Re. general knowledge or history - ask the average thai when WW2 took place or who was JFK!

Thais are encouraged not to think - 'mai kit mak'!

Why do you insist on the continual derogatory generalisations. They really show us more about you than the majority of Thai people (there goes that phrase again) I know dozens of Thai people and I am 99% sure they would all know the answers to your questions. You are getting rather boring, I don't know why I bother.

Because your bored! However, it is interesting to hear your point of view. My opinions are based on my experiences and if they are derogatory then thats just an unfortunate fact of my experience. I would agree though that there must be dozens - even hundreds - of thai people who would know the answers - i just havent met any!

You crack me up with nearly every single one of your posts, I definately dont agree but you do bring a smile to my face.

May I ask what part of Thailand are you from? Your experience in 15 years isnt from a Thai jail is it? When did they get the internet there?

[misterman21]

A recent survey conducted by a bangkok university maths proffesor - reported in a thai magazine - stated that 15% of thais achieved above average results in maths whilst the remaining 90% were below average

This was though to be a result of thais having to make do with 48 week years as opposed to the 52 weeks enjoyed by ferangs

[madjbs]

And where is this average from?

[misterman21]

Ok thais are better at maths than their ferang counter parts

But as you say worse at geography - even worse than americans!

Re. general knowledge or history - ask the average thai when WW2 took place or who was JFK!

Thais are encouraged not to think - 'mai kit mak'!

Why do you insist on the continual derogatory generalisations. They really show us more about you than the majority of Thai people (there goes that phrase again) I know dozens of Thai people and I am 99% sure they would all know the answers to your questions. You are getting rather boring, I don't know why I bother.

Because your bored! However, it is interesting to hear your point of view. My opinions are based on my experiences and if they are derogatory then thats just an unfortunate fact of my experience. I would agree though that there must be dozens - even hundreds - of thai people who would know the answers - i just havent met any!

You crack me up with nearly every single one of your posts, I definately dont agree but you do bring a smile to my face.

May I ask what part of Thailand are you from? Your experience in 15 years isnt from a Thai jail is it? When did they get the internet there?

I am glad to see you follow my creative works. Me prison! And you are - the Don! Sorry i cant comment on your posts - must be irrelivant (the don )

[misterman21]

And where is this average from?

!5% plus 90% =

[madjbs]

So there was a typo.....what has that got to do with maths?

[misterman21]

So there was a typo.....what has that got to do with maths?

maths - bad at - 90% + !5% - 48 week years - is their anybody in there!!

[madjbs]

Perhaps if we could see the original article and translation.........

[Jingjok]

A recent survey conducted by a bangkok university maths proffesor - reported in a thai magazine - stated that 15% of thais achieved above average results in maths whilst the remaining 90% were below average ...

I heard that in the UK very nearly 50 per cent of the mathematics students were below average. As was the same percentage of English language and statistical analysis students.

It's a scandal. The government should do something.

[misterman21]

A recent survey conducted by a bangkok university maths proffesor - reported in a thai magazine - stated that 15% of thais achieved above average results in maths whilst the remaining 90% were below average ...

I heard that in the UK very nearly 50 per cent of the mathematics students were below average. As was the same percentage of English language and statistical analysis students.

It's a scandal. The government should do something.

The government have looked into this problem and are to lower the average level to the previous below average level - problem solved! Re. the english language problem: due to recent mass immigration from non english speaking countries - basic english is now considerd higher english!

They are still studying the statistics re. the statistical analysis results due to possible statistical errors which were compiled by poorly trained statistycal analysists

[Sakeopete]

Ok thais are better at maths than their ferang counter parts

But as you say worse at geography - even worse than americans!

Re. general knowledge or history - ask the average thai when WW2 took place or who was JFK!

Thais are encouraged not to think - 'mai kit mak'!

Funny you should mention WWII a few weeks ago I was playing "Return To Castle Wolfenstein" with my kids and I was telling him to shoot Hitler's picture. Our neighbors daughter and friends who are about to start University asked me who Hitler was SHOCK! They had absolutely no knowledge of WWII other than it happened. Since the current PM doesn't even remember Thailand's history (1976) I'm not surprised at all.

[misterman21]

Ok thais are better at maths than their ferang counter parts

But as you say worse at geography - even worse than americans!

Re. general knowledge or history - ask the average thai when WW2 took place or who was JFK!

Thais are encouraged not to think - 'mai kit mak'!

Funny you should mention WWII a few weeks ago I was playing "Return To Castle Wolfenstein" with my kids and I was telling him to shoot Hitler's picture. Our neighbors daughter and friends who are about to start University asked me who Hitler was SHOCK! They had absolutely no knowledge of WWII other than it happened. Since the current PM doesn't even remember Thailand's history (1976) I'm not surprised at all.

WWII, JFK, Stalin, Mao (not the drunk one), - yes it is astonishing. However, according to one 'Madjhb' all is corrected at university. Better not to inform the malluable brain - maths is better learned later in life, thats what makes thais much better at it!!