Thai Students Score Poor Marks In World Survey

[NALAK]

did not realise they got a formal education, definatly gone down hill in last few years, schools always closed, closed here again for chonburi games, why?

[ThaiRich]

And........This is a surprise????? Anyone that has been in Thailand longer than 2 days knows that the average Thai Government school is not teaching the students. The true desire is to "keep em stupid". If they get educated who's gonna work on the farms. Who will be their driver for 7000 baht a month, who is gonna work at the 7-11 for nearly nothing, who will work in the factories 10 hours a day, 6 days a week for 6000 baht? I once had a director of education for a school tell me "don't teach them too much". LOL Come to think of it, I kinda like going to the neighborhood restaurant and getting a fresh cooked meal and a bottle of water for less than 40 baht. Hell, I pay 36 baht for a liter of benzine.

Most people come to Thailand for a holiday.

You on the other hand spent your first two days looking for things that were wrong in your way of thinking. Thailand can do very well with out people like you.

Yes there are a lot of people who think like you but they did not form that opinion in there first two days. They form there opinions on experiance and things they have witnessed. Not step off a plane and say the school system is wrong.

Well, Most people come to Thailand for a holiday. NOT all people. By my 2nd day in Thailand I had already been teaching in a school for 2 days. By reading others comments it is clearly not my opion and mine alone. In one month I probably do more to help Thailand and Thai students than you have done your entire time in Thailand. Your probably just as guilty of exploiting the uneducated as the Thai elite are.

[elshaheen]

Actually, that article orginated in the New York Times, yesterday or the day before.

[tim armstrong]

Why am I not surprised?

Yes I do completely agree that the quality of the teacher in the classroom is much more important that anything else; curriculum, infrastructure etc. A good teacher will foster a high level of learning in any environment (but the better the environment, curriculum and infrastructure the better chance that teacher will stay).

China did amazingly well this year, kicking the US and many European countries proverbial butts. Makes me think about cheating etc. but the tests were proctored by int. observers and was said to be kosher.

Thailand needs to train better teachers; will this happen, TIT :jap:

I used to teach final-4th year English major Thai Uni undergraduates who were going to be English teachers. They had all been learning English either at school or university for about 12years. In a class of 35 only 2 could have a simple english conversation. I also tutored a group of PhD students in English. They were a bit better, but I spent most of the time teaching them how to write a research proposal. No one had taught them, and they had been at Uni for 6yrs at least. So yes the education system is a mess and has low standards. Unfortunately its often reinforced by US teaching methods and curriculum in both school and university which are also way below the standards of other western countries.

As a point of interest, when Chinese students take western intelligence tests they score on average 5 points higher than their western counterparts who do the same tests.

The solution - stop the brain drain to other countries, create quality assurance measures and curriculum that are Thai and Asian in concept, and pay teachers and lecturers well. Also an annual bonus related to performance and teaching outcomes.

But before all that stop the payoffs that happen at the start of every academic year in the majority of schools and universities, and audit every institutions' financial records. Confiscate money from the crooks and give to those who can demonstrate they are not corrupt.

That would be a start, but best done without political influence, as many politicians have bogus or questionable qualifications, and like western politicians are mostly interested in private institutions that have status and influence.

[SamritT]

Thai Students Score Poor Marks In World Survey? This fact is wrong. Thai student are the best in the world. Look at how many academic Olympic medal Thailand received each year; IN THE HUNDREDS. Other country is just fortunate to get one or maybe two.

[cup-O-coffee]

Just because you happen to glance and see something, does not mean it stops when you look away and continue on your way.

Enough of examining the tree itself! Here is a look at the forest from an aerial view:

EDUCATION

Thai students score poor marks in world survey

By The Nation

Really? Well Hell, I wonder why. Maybe here are a few symptoms, excuse me, reasons that mommy and daddy might care to crawl out from behind their face-mask and answer???

Thai Boys Having Unprotected Sex From 14 Y. O. (76% did not wear condoms)

Spoiled Bangkok Kids (Students splurge on big brands: Poll)

Thai Female Teacher Alleged Student Relationship (Thai teacher investigated)

Thai Student Leaders Against Condom-vending... (... machine on campus)

Phuket Police Target Teenage Gangs (Crackdown on after-dark spots)

Young Thai Lovers Videotaped By Official (Students having sex in broad daylight)

Barbaric Students: Police To Take Action (Passengers must feel safe: Bus driver)

Minister Plans To Send Thai Teachers Back To School

Dark Side Of Thai Student Behaviour (Sex, rape, gambling by "Student Mafia")

Thai Students Having Sex - Again! (Hair dye, revelry, sex . . .)

Punishments Agreed For Student Acts (No swearing, no sex, no gambling etc.)

Thai School System Turns Quite Spooky

Pm Worried As Students Flood-cram Schools (EXAM TIME: Thai student tactics... )

Violence Forces Thai Teachers To Carry Guns

Thai Students Cheating Exams (Probe into test-leak scandal )

Teens Buying Chemicals To Throw At Songkran (Police launch probe into mass purchases )

Thailand Allows School Teachers To Carry Guns

Bangkok Girls Warped By Porn (CRACKDOWN ON OBCSENITY)

I Poisoned Them, Thai Teacher Admits

Thai Teens Only Interested In Sex, Drink, Horror (Academics lash out at Thai youths)

British Teacher Stabbed

Please! No Sex On The Bus! (BANGKOK BUS SERVICE WARNS STUDENTS)

80,000 Young People In Thailand Suffer From Aids

Govt To Provide English Language Training (FOR 30,000 TEACHERS)

High Rate Of Depression Among Internet Users

Rules For Internet Cafe's Considered (Three-hour gaming limit may be imposed)

Alcohol And Cigarette Ban To Thai Teenagers

Alcohol And Cigarette Ban To Thai Teenagers

Several Injured As Stressed Teenager Goes Rampage

Two Killed In Drunken Youth Brawl

Young Thai People Increasingly Keen On Sex: Poll

Teenage Sexual Behaviour In Crisis: Aids Experts

Thai Children 'eat Too Many Sweets' (Thailand getting fat!)

Thai Education System Fails (Fails to promote good citizenship)

Iq Of Thai Children To Be Improved

Ministry To Tackle Harassing Males

Smoking Doubles Among Young Women

Sex, Drugs, Fights Welcome New Students (BANGKOK STUDENTS BEHAVIOUR)

Teenagers Axed Man To Death: Police (Made off with cash to play online games)

University Hazing Sex-pic Sparks Witch Hunt (Oral group sex at university hazing)

University Initiations: Clampdown On Hazing (No more freshman parties this year)

Debate Held Over Condoms In Schools (SEX IN CAMPUSES)

Keep Pregnant Girls In School: Teen Expert

Thaksin Asked To Curb Casual Sex Among Youth

Thais Increasingly Dissolute: Experts (Society has hit a nadir in immorality)

Young Teens Happy With Sex Work: Study

800,000 Thai Children Per Year At Risk (Of Growing Up Unintelligent)

Cash-strapped School Sends Students Out To Work (Classes suspended,students do labor work)

Thai Youngsters Switch From Drugs To Drinks

Lusty Teens Await Loy Krathong

Teenagers More Likely To Contract HIV Or AIDS

Crackdown On Thai Students Mini Skirts (University clamps down on sexy outfits)

Thai Teens Find Porn Cartoons The Most Arousing

School Closed After ' Pupils Possessed By Spirits'

Only 30% Of Thai Children Get Enough Mothers Milk (Research Shows Intelligence Affected)

Condom Vending Machines To Be Installed In Universities

Teenagers Warned Against Having Careless Sex In February (The Month of Love)

Thai Youths To Be Prevented From Gathering At Internet Cafes

Teenagers To Be Monitored On Valentine's Day

Chat Lines Continue To Pose Threat To Teens

Thai Teens Can't Get Enough Of Online Porn

Bangkok Teens Only Want Love - Or A New Mobile

Parents Warned To Keep Underage Children From Alcohol Drinking

Youth Warned Strongly On Solvent Abuse Perils

Crackdown On Flashy, Skin-tight Uni Uniforms (THAI UNIVERSITIES NEW DRESS CODE)

Crackdown On Student Football Gambling

Lack Of Understanding For Highly-gifted Children May Hinder Development

Thai Minors Claim Sexual Harassment

- - - - - - - - - - - - - - - -

Is it any wonder that these kids are F.U.B.A.R. because of their parents? I have to disagree emphatically with the suggestion that it is the school's responsibility to teach these kids.

How can a model school be created, and then have these F.U.B.A.R. kids from dysfunctional families get dumped into the model school, and the kids take over and totally bring the system down.

The above headlines are from pages 200 through 301 of this forum; roughly 2005 through mid 2006.

What I read about adult behavior makes it clear to me that the people conceiving these children are teaching the kids to be monsters; with sex clearly being the primary behavioral dysfunction. It is no wonder when one reads all the headlines and get to see all the articles on corruption, gambling, bigamy, alcoholism, and the like.

Kids are a mirror reflection of what is at the heart of the matter.

There does not seem to be one single article on the quality of Thai families, or the fact that Thai family culture may be a source of the ills that are evident in the behavior of children and teens. The only article evident was about Thai women needing to bow at their husbands feet every night, and it was listed under Thai Family Values.

Oh, and one symptom of sexual abuse towards a child, is that child being fixated with sex as it develops in an environment that does nothing to divert that behavior. The headlines (especially the last one) clearly indicate that point.

Poor marks? What a joke! That's just the molecule on the tip of the iceberg.

[SamritT]

cup-O-coffee, If you hate Thai people so much, why visit TV? The news keep telling us that Thai student won so many medals. I have not heard the news say the same, or even mention that other country kids have done anything near us.

[cup-O-coffee]

cup-O-coffee, If you hate Thai people so much, why visit TV? The news keep telling us that Thai student won so many medals. I have not heard the news say the same, or even mention that other country kids have done anything near us.

SamritT, is that the best you can come up with? These are all news articles printed by various media throughout Thailand. I did not have anything to do with these stories, or the people causing the reasons for the stories to be printed as "newsworthy".

Yours is a typical reaction to denial; to accuse the messenger.

Additionally, I do not "hate" Thai people. I appreciate human beings who earn the right to be respected as civil and (as Berkshire aptly put) "decent" human beings.

The "medals" you so illustriously use as a shield, are nothing more than an attempt to digress from the obvious. They are frosting on a cake that has ingredients that make me gag.

Why do I come to ThaiVisa? Why do you care?

Question: Why are you not responding to the seriousness of the articles, and instead making me out to be a bad person. Would it be better were I to have a reporter's license, and get my own article? Or, would you then go after my reporter's license and try to get me censured for pointing out legitimate truths that any half intelligent man, husband, father, former teacher can clearly see?

Another question; yes or no answer; Do these headlines describe problems with Thai youth, that affect their ability to sit in a classroom and raise their level of poor marks in a future world survey?

Final question: Do you believe that Thai parenting (or lack thereof) are the chief cause of these children's behavior?

[MrJohnson]

Its not all about teachers and teaching. I taught in a Thai High school for 2 years and 80% of the students were only interested in having fun at school. Whatever the English native teacher tried to do if it wasn't fun then they were not interested, On top of the fact many students , particularly outside the cities dont seem to think education is important and that has to be a parental and cultural issue

Heaven forbid that learning should be fun.

[Scott]

Let's exercise care. The thread is about "Thai Students Score Poor Marks....."

[rubl]

Let's exercise care. The thread is about "Thai Students Score Poor Marks....."

It seems not only scores of Thai students

[Thai at Heart]

Its not all about teachers and teaching. I taught in a Thai High school for 2 years and 80% of the students were only interested in having fun at school. Whatever the English native teacher tried to do if it wasn't fun then they were not interested, On top of the fact many students , particularly outside the cities dont seem to think education is important and that has to be a parental and cultural issue

Heaven forbid that learning should be fun.

Fun can be had but not at the expense of everything else.

Unfortunately, school also basically involves some learning and some hard work to succeed, and those that work more and have more ability usually get better results than others. I don't remember too many contemporaries of mine retelling how getting 3 A's at A level and a 1st at University was so much fun.

In fact, strangely, those who worked more than others and had less fun in a week actually got higher grades, and eventually got better jobs. Strange but true.

As much as we wish it to be true, Dead Poets Society was fiction.

Edited December 9, 2010 by Thai at Heart

[doggie888888]

Thai Students Score Poor Marks In World Survey? This fact is wrong. Thai student are the best in the world. Look at how many academic Olympic medal Thailand received each year; IN THE HUNDREDS. Other country is just fortunate to get one or maybe two.

I am curious, what academic Olympics are you referring to? Can you be more specific please so we can all be sure you are not referring to the paralympics.

[sirchai]

Says it all, doesn't it? :sleepy:

Pisa 2009 doesn't mean much doesn't it?:jap:

[sirchai]

Thai Students Score Poor Marks In World Survey? This fact is wrong. Thai student are the best in the world. Look at how many academic Olympic medal Thailand received each year; IN THE HUNDREDS. Other country is just fortunate to get one or maybe two.

I am curious, what academic Olympics are you referring to? Can you be more specific please so we can all be sure you are not referring to the paralympics.

Guess he/she meant the gay Olympics without criticizing people who love the same gender na ha.:jap:

[moetownblues]

cup-O-coffee, If you hate Thai people so much, why visit TV? The news keep telling us that Thai student won so many medals. I have not heard the news say the same, or even mention that other country kids have done anything near us.

I have search everywhere looking for something to support your claims can you point me in the right direction as to where I can find the facts

[moetownblues]

cup-O-coffee, If you hate Thai people so much, why visit TV? The news keep telling us that Thai student won so many medals. I have not heard the news say the same, or even mention that other country kids have done anything near us.

Is this the olympics you mean: Thai students being judged by Thais only

[afarang]

Thai teachers are poorly trained. They are not taught how to teach.Many at Primary level, have no qualifications.Thai teachers often write a lesson on the board, and then disappear, leaving the classroom unattended.Thai teachers will not allow students to ask questions. Why? If the teacher cannot answer, they lose face."Face " is very important. Education , up until Thaksin, was a privilege, not a right. He started the compulsory 12 years of education. Prior th that ,particularly in Isarn, the ruling elite did not want poor people ( the "Prai") educated. Far better to keep them ignorant, providing cannon fodder for industry. And more able to be politically manipulated. At my local High School . for example, there are 12 English teachers. Only 2 can communicate with me in English.Enough said?

[KKvampire]

And........This is a surprise????? Anyone that has been in Thailand longer than 2 days knows that the average Thai Government school is not teaching the students. The true desire is to "keep em stupid". If they get educated who's gonna work on the farms. Who will be their driver for 7000 baht a month, who is gonna work at the 7-11 for nearly nothing, who will work in the factories 10 hours a day, 6 days a week for 6000 baht? I once had a director of education for a school tell me "don't teach them too much". LOL Come to think of it, I kinda like going to the neighborhood restaurant and getting a fresh cooked meal and a bottle of water for less than 40 baht. Hell, I pay 36 baht for a liter of benzine.

Most people come to Thailand for a holiday.

You on the other hand spent your first two days looking for things that were wrong in your way of thinking. Thailand can do very well with out people like you.

Yes there are a lot of people who think like you but they did not form that opinion in there first two days. They form there opinions on experiance and things they have witnessed. Not step off a plane and say the school system is wrong.

Well, Most people come to Thailand for a holiday. NOT all people. By my 2nd day in Thailand I had already been teaching in a school for 2 days. By reading others comments it is clearly not my opion and mine alone. In one month I probably do more to help Thailand and Thai students than you have done your entire time in Thailand. Your probably just as guilty of exploiting the uneducated as the Thai elite are.

says it all.a comment from a teacher after 2 days on the job, some of use know more after 2 years at it.

[Bagwan]

Samrit, I have asked my wife on a number of occasions why is she a Buddhist.  She will not discuss the subject even though I am not after changing her mind. I tell her that I I have difficulty in accepting some of the things that she takes as the Gospel truth and am just seeking clarification. I make the point that I am seeking information and that I am genuinely trying to understand the reasons for her viewpoints. She makes it clear that this is not a subject for discussion. She will not accept the posit that if she had been born and brought up in Italy she would be a Roman Catholic; but no, she insists that she would still be an adherent of the Buddhist faith even when I tell her that the chances in those given circumstances are that she would never have even heard of Buddha and his teachings. You will have excuse me if I say that I consider her to be brain washed in this,and many other respects. I might add that there are quite a few topics that she will not discuss.  

Why is this? I take comfort in the notion that Thai people are discouraged to question anything. The teacher/phu yai/policman/civil servant/whoever is always right apparently. What nonsense. Mayhaps such an attitude prevails because the aforementioned do not know the answers to anything either. When I was a lad at school not only did I become acquainted with the Pythagoras Theorem but I learned a method of proving it - one amongst 83 different proofs by the way. All that I learned had to be proven before acceptance by myself and the other students. We carried out experiments, particularly in the science and phyics laboratories, to prove facts for ourselves. Knowledge and understanding are acquired by all our senses not just the spoken word. What is related to us requires confirmation before acceptance particularly in Thailand when people tell you what they think is what you want to hear - or tell outright lies to protect their superiors. We have a saying that seeing is believing but this tenet is demonstratively untrue as sleight of hand experts demonstrate. 

My wife has a condition that requires regular checking and daily medication and we have chosen a French doctor who is a recognised expert in his field to attend to her.  His comprehensive knowledge of his speciality leads him to advise undergoing a pap smear test at a local hospital every four months. The last two have shown minor inflammation to her cervix and the gynecologist brushes the phenomenon aside stating there is nothing to worry about. The French doctor disagrees and recommended that an ultrasound test and a simple test for cervical cancer be carried out . I was incandescent about this and the Frenchman quietened me by saying that doctors in this part of the world do not question and/or investigate anything untoward. The Thai gynecologist was merely following local teaching and practice. Which doctor would you prefer to attend to you? Which would you have the greatest trust in?  

In 1896 a French biologist found a blue/green mould on plates that had held bacteria. The event was passed over. In 1928 an assistant of Alexander Fleming discovered the same phenomenon at St. Mary's Hospital in London. Upon examination it was seen that the mould destroyed copies of the Staphylococcus biotic and thus penicillin was born. James Watt wondered why the lid of a kettle rattled when the water inside was boiling and giving off steam. Do you now see the value of an inquiring mind? That is what many of us farangs are getting at when we hold forth on the working practices of the dysfunctional Thai education system.  Education is not all about acquiring facts, it is about developing minds and consciousness. Learning must surely follow in those footsteps. 

Instead of jumping on the nationalistic bandwagon why not listen and give due attention to what we farangs are saying. Many of us have lived for quiet a while and have amassed a great deal of experience. Many have degrees that are worth having and which are recognised throughout the world, whereas a Thai degree? Why not swim against the tide and open your mind? Most of us do not stick pins in all things Thai for fun - we do it because we love Thailand and the majority of Thai people and want a better life for them. No serious argument can be made for not educating the Thai peoples so that the country advances. Are you content to continue growing rice ( in an inefficient manner it must be said), assembling cars to Japanese designs and using imported robots and machine tools to do so, supplying cheap labour, making illegal copies of branded goods and violating copyrights, persuading gullible tourists to visit the country so that they may be exploited from airport arrival onwards? Your way is not working, is it? The opposite of love isn't hate. It is indifference. Would you prefer us to stand on the sidelines, say nothing and watch Thailand, and you, go down the tubes? 

It is pointless you coming to this place just to defend the indefensible. By coming to this board you have the opportunity to experience different points of view, mull them over in your mind and seek clarification if needed. I do not advocate that you should follow our leanings but do absorb and consider alternative points of view and then make an informed personal decision that you feel that you can defend in a logical and knowledgeable way.   Better that than toe the nationalistic line and appear to many to be stupid.   

 

[Xangsamhua]

Thai Students Score Poor Marks In World Survey? This fact is wrong. Thai student are the best in the world. Look at how many academic Olympic medal Thailand received each year; IN THE HUNDREDS. Other country is just fortunate to get one or maybe two.

Yes, there are some very bright and well taught students in Thailand, but I think the medallists in academic olympiads usually come from the elite schools, Suan Gularb, Triam Udom, etc.

Thai students do very well when they are well taught and their school is focused on teaching and learning.

[Xangsamhua]

cup-O-coffee, If you hate Thai people so much, why visit TV? The news keep telling us that Thai student won so many medals. I have not heard the news say the same, or even mention that other country kids have done anything near us.

I have search everywhere looking for something to support your claims can you point me in the right direction as to where I can find the facts

Here's a few to start with.

http://thainews.prd....id=255309280006

http://www.siamdaily...onomy-olympiad/

http://www.skyscrape...ad.php?t=739476

Edited December 9, 2010 by metisdead
Link to Bangkok Post removed.

[catmac]

Bagwan, I salute you. You've summed it up so clearly....I can't wait to see the outraged replies from the "Thaier than Thai" brigade, or from dear SamriT (who clearly moves in a different world to us!)

[metisdead]

Reminder, links to Bangkok Post are not permitted and will be removed:

31) All members are not allowed to quote news articles or material from bangkokpost.com or phuketwan inside topics on thaivisa.com. Posts containing quotes will be deleted from the forum. Links referring back to the sites are also not allowed and will be deleted.

[Xangsamhua]

These are the countries that ranked below Thailand in Pisa 2009. There's a couple there that will be hosting major international sporting events in the next few years. Hope they get a bit of help!

In rank order:

Trinidad and Tobago

Colombia

Brazil

Montenegro

Jordan

Tunisia

Indonesia

Argentina

Kazakhstan

Albania

Qatar

Panama

Peru

Azerbaijan

Kyrgyzstan

[cup-O-coffee]

cup-O-coffee, If you hate Thai people so much, why visit TV? The news keep telling us that Thai student won so many medals. I have not heard the news say the same, or even mention that other country kids have done anything near us.

I have search everywhere looking for something to support your claims can you point me in the right direction as to where I can find the facts

Here's a few to start with (C.O.C. / ???).

http://thainews.prd....id=255309280006

http://www.siamdaily...onomy-olympiad/

http://www.skyscrape...ad.php?t=739476

Sorry to rain on your parade, but in reality it ends where you started. These are kids in your articles. Oh wow! Let's celebrate mediocrity and make a lot of fuss about very little.

Instead, let's come out with a list of famous adult industrialists, scientists, musicians, poets, explorers, authors, astronomers, inventors, and so on and so on. International award winners? If you are going to challenge the big leagues, then please bring the adults, and not the kids. Kids from Thailand win medals all the time, but what is the end result? The adults. So, where are they, and how are they benefiting the world? I understand Thailand is pretty good at bashing the brains out of the competition in Muay Thai. Now there's something for junior to look forward to!

A few kids getting medals gives a ridiculous impression, and is unfair to those very few kids to use them as representative examples of an education and "family value" system that is, IMO, a failure. Did you read the headlines that I quoted. Those are a "few to start with" that better paint a more truthful picture of the dynamics of system failure.

Furthermore, I will wager that these medalists did not go to a school like Banglamung #01, or the like. They probably went to very expensive schools and are the exception. But we will never know, will we, because there are no conclusive facts that allow the kid's achievements to bring glory to the education system that this OP decries.

Kudos for those kids, but this does not qualify as "so many medals" in addition to qualifying for having no positive and lasting impact at all (ZERO) on the content of the OP.

I think this statistic is a very serious matter, and pandering around with denial and futile pride only serves to exacerbate the decline.

What do Thai children see when they look for heroes? Do they read? Statistics say no. I am sure with all the gambling, infidelity, corruption, cheating, trafficking, extorting, blackmailing, bribing, plagiarizing and all else going on in the news that the statistics clearly indicate what happens to medal winners when they grow up, because I sure can not find anyone to add to the other lists.

Ah well; it doesn't really matter anyways, does it?

To set the record more straight, I would love for Thailand to benefit from the good things in life, as the other poster eloquently said; a most impressive ans well crafted post! By all indications, though, this journey seems to be obstructed by cultural ignorance and stiff-necked pride.

Edited December 9, 2010 by cup-O-coffee

[moetownblues]

cup-O-coffee, If you hate Thai people so much, why visit TV? The news keep telling us that Thai student won so many medals. I have not heard the news say the same, or even mention that other country kids have done anything near us.

I have search everywhere looking for something to support your claims can you point me in the right direction as to where I can find the facts

Here's a few to start with.

http://thainews.prd....id=255309280006

http://www.siamdaily...onomy-olympiad/

http://www.skyscrape...ad.php?t=739476

Ok I read that and it says students from Tawain and China made the highest scores. Also says that the Thai students are from Bangkok Christian College isn't this Thailands equivalent to Oxford in England not exactly the run of the mill school for thais. I would say a school for the children of the extreemly wealthy in Thailand and the elite.

[chops]

education isn't that important. you only need a few bright scientists and engineers to run things. the rest can be dumb, as the only jobs they will be doing is things like data entry and other low skill tasks.

[Scott]

I have a question as to where the few bright scientists and engineers come from? Who picks them?

In my years of experience in education, what I have seen is some really ugly ducklings surface from the pond and go on to achieve things few us thought were possible.

Unless you have universal or near universal education for all, and a certain level of competence on the part of the teachers, the brightest never get a chance to shine.

I worked at a school that made a surprisingly good showing in a music competition. The school placed 2nd against some of the big named schools. The music teacher worked diligently with students had raw talent and the students worked hard. They shined. Without the music teacher that raw talent would never have come out.

As far as the medals go, well, I've seen how that works in subsequent years with the music competition. The school was happy and so money was poured into the program, kids in the choir no longer had to attend class--they just practiced singing. Their education was sacrificed for another prize. No balance in learning time management.

The following year they did very well, but fell from 2nd to 3rd. There were no kind words for that very respectable achievement. The attitude was, they should have placed first.

So, the next time they walk away with a math or physics medal--try and find out how well those students did in other subjects.

[doggie888888]

Ok I read that and it says students from Tawain and China made the highest scores. Also says that the Thai students are from Bangkok Christian College isn't this Thailands equivalent to Oxford in England not exactly the run of the mill school for thais. I would say a school for the children of the extreemly wealthy in Thailand and the elite.

I'd guess they were Thais of Chinese descent too. Add to that the students of HK, Singapore, Taiwan...I think there is a cultural aspect here: I believe most Chinese parents put a premium on education and would go out of their way to pay for it and push their kids. I suspect high student suicide rates in these places too?