Thailand To Construct Science City

[brahmburgers]

How about a network of decent libraries throughout Thailand?

In Chiang Rai, the largest Thai city north of Chiang Mai, there's one little place that can barely be called a library. It used to have some computers, but no more (don't know why).

It houses enough books to fill the back of station wagon, and the books are archaic. There's an English section of paperbacks that wouldn't fill a suitcase (Reminder to myself: donate some books and magazines).

How to get Thais to appreciate and read books? I don't know, but prying them away from TV, computer games and videos would be a start ....even a tenth less time staring at a TV or computer monitor would be an improvement.

Science city / scmiensse shippy - there are all sorts of inducements (toward learning about science and nature) that don't require a multi-billion baht center. Here are some:

>>>> start by trying to get Thais weaned away from being up to their gills in superstitious beliefs. Newspapers could play a role by not making hocus pocus appear believable.

>>>> English learning programs tutored by native English speakers. If English continues to be taught by people who don't speak/understand the language well, then expect English proficiency to continue as it has - abysmally.

>>>> contests/competitions - which is also an opp for corporate sponsors, who normally don't do diddly squat to promote science.

>>>> commercial free radio with a wide spectrum of science/nature related topics.

>>>> better programming on TV - less drivel in video shops.

>>>> Incentives to promote decent articles in popular magazines, rather than all skin-whitening creams, mobile phone add-ons, and wall to wall vanity.

No need to build a city to promote some of the things mentioned above.

A city (or expensive center) will likely devolve to a commercial and vanity mecca, as every other modern venue becomes in Thailand, from mall to shining mall. Or else a big space with few people.

Actually, there's a science center in HK that's pretty good. If the powers-that-be want me as an advisor in such a project, I'll donate my time.

[Dakhar]

Science City eh? In a country where they can't get the traffic lights to work for more than a few days at a time. About an hour ago it started to rain. Two minutes later all electric power was lost and returned twenty minutes later. Just how hi-tech is this Science City going to be?

put it this way, a city will built around two sticks.... it really is amazing really.... rubbing two sticks together, can create fire.

[Dakhar]

Who remembers....?

Phuket was to be a South East Asian IT hub to take all those IT factories from Penang.

Somewhere near Nakhon Nayok was to be a new technological city linked to Bangkok by a high speed train to rival France's TGV.

All science subjects were to be taught in English.

This is a very fair critique of Thailand's approach to things. You're not trying to extrapolate too much, you're just stating some facts. I, too, have noticed grandiose words about becoming a hub for this or that, but saying it and doing it are two different things.

The only "hub" I have noticed in Thailand was created by the strong backs of Thai women.

It is good to dream though...