Isaan Being Failed By Inequalities In Education System; Thai Opinion

[webfact]

EDITORIAL

Isaan being failed by inequalities in education system

By The Nation

Politicians are ignoring long-term solution to Northeast's poverty trap

Waves of both good and bad news have swept through the Thai education world this month alone. These realities reflect not only the inequitable structure of our national education policy but also the lack of attention authorities have paid to the field.

First the bad news. The latest survey by the Mental Health Department reveals that the average intelligence quotient (IQ) of Thai students aged six to 15 is 98.59, a little lower than the world's median average of 100. Children in Singapore, Hong Kong, China and Japan have, on average, a higher IQ.

Frankly speaking, this simply means that Thai students are of lower intellectual capability at best, and even less capable than their peers in those countries at worst.

By region, students in the Northeast had the lowest average scores, with 95.99. In the South, students did a bit better, scoring 96.85. On average, Northern students' scores were 100.11 while students in the Central region achieved 101.29. Students in Bangkok averaged 104.5.

Of 72,780 Thai students surveyed, 6.5 per cent qualified as having intellectual disabilities, because their IQs were lower than 70.

The second piece of bad news came on Monday, when 200 students rallied in front of the Faculty of Mass Communication at the prestigious Chiang Mai University, demanding that the faculty's dean step down following her alleged poor management. Not long before that, a similar protest occurred at the same university's Faculty of Education, resulting in the removal of its faculty dean.

Now, three pieces of good news.

First, a team from King Mongkut's University of Technology North Bangkok (KMUTNB) marched to victory early this month at the World RoboCup Rescue 2011 contest in Istanbul, making Thailand the champion in the field for six consecutive years now.

Then, five Thai high-school students mostly from Bangkok scooped medals at the 42nd International Physics Olympiad, with one gold medallist (also from Bangkok) earning the highest score ever for Thailand.

And third, Thai students won 99 medals including nine golds at the International Mathematics Competition 2011 (IMC) and the World Youth Mathematics Inter-City Competition 2011 held recently in Bali. The majority of these medallists were from schools in Bangkok.

These five events furnish three conclusions on the state of our education system: Bangkok students seem the best educated; students countrywide don't have equal opportunities in education; and there is something wrong in our education system.

As shown by the first piece of bad news, students in Bangkok have the highest IQ score. Needless to say, Bangkok has the best schools and other education facilities. That the lowest IQ is seen in Isaan is no surprise - and it's not because children there have brain cancer, but because there are simply not enough decent schools, libraries, teachers and education funding, which children in Bangkok have easy access to.

In principle, this is a less an education than a political problem.

It's easy to name MPs who have big houses or big plots of land in the Northeast, and even easier to see how many MPs in Isaan send their sons for education abroad while children living in their constituencies within a 50 kilometre-radius of their luxury homes don't have a decent school to go to.

What's even more heart-wrenching is that it is the parents of these Isaan kids are the majority of the national electorate, instrumental in electing every government. But what Isaan people have received in return, in the way of education development from a series of governments, is too little too late.

Over the past 20 years, Isaan's primary schools have remained just as shabby. New emerging universities there lack both quality and credibility. The education authorities are currently deciding whether to shut down E-sarn University in Khon Kaen after it was rocked by a scandal over the sale of teaching diplomas.

Yet one fine day we see a series of road signs put up over a 100km stretch of highway leading to a birthday party of an influential politician in Isaan.

In the midst of all this, politicians are talking about issuing credit cards for farmers and raising their daily wages, as if these were "magic bullets" for curing poverty once and for all.

There's no serious talk about building quality schools, libraries and research centres in Isaan or elsewhere. We believe these are key to improving the lives of the masses and eradicating their chronic poverty in the long run.

This Thailand is nothing like Bangkok. And the capital remains the only serious education destination for every kid in the Kingdom. This is not fair.

What's fair is that children of the poor and the working classes, regardless of where they live, must have the same access to quality education as their counterparts in Bangkok.

Politicians must grasp the fact that countries that spend money on educating kids to think, then use their knowledge to build robots and helicopters, ultimately have the brightest future.

-- The Nation 2011-07-28

[thequietman]

you know whats not fair..... having to listen to the same old crap about the thai education system over and over and over and over again. everyone knows in is ineffectual, everyone knows it is corrupt, everyone knows it is the laughing stock of asia, everyone knows that the money is squandered away on show boating. will it change.......no. end of story. educated people are thinking people and we dont want that. in the north east where i live, there is a no fail policy. where is the incentive to get the students to think,to learn, to put what they have learned into practice. the educational institutions are more concerned about morning parades, do our flowers look nice around the school, does the school look pretty. when it gets to the point where they are now cancelling lessons so the kids can learn to cheerlead and walk in a straight line, then all is lost.

the students are smart, all they need is an opportunity to learn properly and a government that cares. so no change. the almighty baht is god here and sod the rest.

[OzMick]

Will the Perpetual Thickness Party improve education standards for their loyal supporters - not a chance! First, they have to pay for all their populist policies, emptying the Treasury coffers and likely to cause all sorts of economic problems. Secondly, why educate those who vote for you already, they might get smart enough to make a better choice.

Interest rates going up in oz, Thailand getting ready for an inflationary spiral, how long before what was once called the Pacific Peso hits THB50? But what good is it when prices are going up just as fast? Might be a good time to buy a 5-year lease, and hope the landlord doesn't go broke.

[LuukKoeyKorat]

You are so spot on with this excellent reply.

you know whats not fair..... having to listen to the same old crap about the thai education system over and over and over and over again. everyone knows in is ineffectual, everyone knows it is corrupt, everyone knows it is the laughing stock of asia, everyone knows that the money is squandered away on show boating. will it change.......no. end of story. educated people are thinking people and we dont want that. in the north east where i live, there is a no fail policy. where is the incentive to get the students to think,to learn, to put what they have learned into practice. the educational institutions are more concerned about morning parades, do our flowers look nice around the school, does the school look pretty. when it gets to the point where they are now cancelling lessons so the kids can learn to cheerlead and walk in a straight line, then all is lost.

the students are smart, all they need is an opportunity to learn properly and a government that cares. so no change. the almighty baht is god here and sod the rest.

[SweatySock]

As a teacher in Issan, I couldn't agree more.

[renaissanc]

Will the Perpetual Thickness Party improve education standards for their loyal supporters - not a chance! First, they have to pay for all their populist policies, emptying the Treasury coffers and likely to cause all sorts of economic problems. Secondly, why educate those who vote for you already, they might get smart enough to make a better choice.

Interest rates going up in oz, Thailand getting ready for an inflationary spiral, how long before what was once called the Pacific Peso hits THB50? But what good is it when prices are going up just as fast? Might be a good time to buy a 5-year lease, and hope the landlord doesn't go broke.

This is basically the reason. Keep the people stupid so that you can manipulate them, and then reallocate funds meant for the Isaan people to your own bank account. If Thaksin is running the country for the next 12-16 years, then the Isaan people can expect handouts, but no change in education. Isaan people ... som num na for selling your votes to Thaksin! You've just perpetuated the poverty of education of your children! But then you couldn't have known better.

[hgma]

IQ for minus 16 children is relative to say the least.16+ gives a more accurate scientific figure on the phenomenon IQ

It amazes me over and over again that NOBODY seems to have data concerning the EQ of children in Isaan.

I thought that reveals a lot more about mental health/social skils rather than testing minus 16 children on IQ

won't you agree sweatysock??????????

hgma

As a teacher in Issan, I couldn't agree more.

[talk2sam]

you know whats not fair..... having to listen to the same old crap about the thai education system over and over and over and over again. everyone knows in is ineffectual, everyone knows it is corrupt, everyone knows it is the laughing stock of asia, everyone knows that the money is squandered away on show boating. will it change.......no. end of story. educated people are thinking people and we dont want that. in the north east where i live, there is a no fail policy. where is the incentive to get the students to think,to learn, to put what they have learned into practice. the educational institutions are more concerned about morning parades, do our flowers look nice around the school, does the school look pretty. when it gets to the point where they are now cancelling lessons so the kids can learn to cheerlead and walk in a straight line, then all is lost.

the students are smart, all they need is an opportunity to learn properly and a government that cares. so no change. the almighty baht is god here and sod the rest.

Spot on......

[JurgenG]

It's Isaan where the difference between traditional Chinese values andThai values are the more visible.

In my local hardware store, the owner proudly displays the picture of his children graduating from University, those where the King or someone from the Royal Family hand over the diploma.

They don't hesitate to send their kids abroad to study when it's possible, and if the parents can't afford it, very often an uncle or an aunt more well off will step up to pay.

In a typical local family, kids are sent to work in the field or in factories as soon as they are of legal age, even if they are able and willing to pursue further studies as it was recently the case for one of my young neighbour.

The problem may also lie with the lack of professional opportunities near home. Going to school, ok, but what for ?

I can see in my home country where we have a first class education system, if there isn't a will to study (from the students AND their parents), you can't expect much from students.

[philw]

You are so spot on with this excellent reply.

you know whats not fair..... having to listen to the same old crap about the thai education system over and over and over and over again. everyone knows in is ineffectual, everyone knows it is corrupt, everyone knows it is the laughing stock of asia, everyone knows that the money is squandered away on show boating. will it change.......no. end of story. educated people are thinking people and we dont want that. in the north east where i live, there is a no fail policy. where is the incentive to get the students to think,to learn, to put what they have learned into practice. the educational institutions are more concerned about morning parades, do our flowers look nice around the school, does the school look pretty. when it gets to the point where they are now cancelling lessons so the kids can learn to cheerlead and walk in a straight line, then all is lost.

the students are smart, all they need is an opportunity to learn properly and a government that cares. so no change. the almighty baht is god here and sod the rest.

Agreed.

Absolutely correct.

[Squigy]

Yes you can blame it on the Government for not focusing on a better education system in rural Thailand.

You have to take into consideration when commenting about the education system the position of the parents/grand parents and the carer's. In general (in my village)they have no wish for the kids to be educated and eventually leave the village.

Who is going to plant the rice and harvest the rice? In most cases the parents are a little lazy and the grand parents are too old for these yearly chores. Yes, they can get the Lao people to come across and plant/harvest the rice but the Lao people are waking up and demand more money to do this and generally the Thai's (Isaan) cannot afford to pay them. Even getting the locals to do this chore is getting expensive.

So in some ways it is easier to keep the kids uneducated and with little future in the village to do this.

Somewhat rather selfish if you ask me. The parents care givers and grand parents should think it out a bit and they would soon realise that by having the children educated they would reap far better monetary rewards in the

future.

However getting back to the Government, that would not suit them at all. The revenue that is produced from rice would fall and the various people (middlemen etc) involved would lose out as well, causing more headaches for the Govt.

Maybe the Government (and middlemen) should start to think seriously about other forms of revenue than relying on the rice crop and the people who work in agriculture.

Let these rice farmers families be educated with the correct resources and I think they would be amazed at what would happen in the future.

Things have to change! The feudal system must be abandoned by this Government so that a industrial revolution can take place for the overall benefit of Thailand and it's people.

[SAffer]

It's catch 22 for Thailand. It doesn't matter who the government of the day is; Thais all over the country are passionate about their culture, and it is this culture itself that inhibits free thinking and questioning of superiors. I cannot see how a change in government or education system can impact the overall intelligence of a nation whose culture is just not conducive to anything other than parrot-style learning.

Thais are not explorers or poineers, never have been.

[JurgenG]

It's catch 22 for Thailand. It doesn't matter who the government of the day is; Thais all over the country are passionate about their culture, and it is this culture itself that inhibits free thinking and questioning of superiors. I cannot see how a change in government or education system can impact the overall intelligence of a nation whose culture is just not conducive to anything other than parrot-style learning.

Thais are not explorers or poineers, never have been.

The culture is evolving, Thais have now access to foreign cultures trough internet and television. A lot of young thais, the futur leaders of the country, are now studying abroad. And fortunately not all in Oxford

And a lot of the people who now call themselves Thai are the grand children of explorers, voyagers and traders from other countries ....

[Pakboong]

Wiki considers the average Thai IQ to be 91 and I guess if you factor out the 14 million Chinese that number could actually could be reduced further to maybe the low 80s.

It doesn't really matter what the IQ is if the family does not value accepting a more learned existence. You can start with the language they use to distinguish the Issan folks from the rest as being a series of grunts which if not used at the proper times means you have your nose in the air and have disgraced your roots and caused your family great loss of face.

I liken it to street English used in the US to distinguish different ethnic groups. To learn another language is pretty difficult when you don't even speak your own to any serious degree.

Edited July 28, 2011 by Pakboong

[housepainter]

The whole Thai Education system is flawed and produces failures.

The Universities are not recognised abroad bar perhaps two examples. From those the ordinary Thais are excluded on the grounds of class.

The schools are grossly underfunded, teachers poorly trained, methodologies out dated and talented children consequently condemned to a life growing rice or working in a factory when they have the intelligence to learn but it is wasted by the system.

Corruption is endemic. The ruling elite be they red or yellow have vested interests not to have a society that is a meritocracy but rather one that maintains the nepotism that exists and the dynasties with it. The latest example being the Shinawatra revivalists.

As long as the children remain the future to be balanced on motorbike handlebars and not nurtured through the education system to the benefit of society, then Thailand will continue to waste its most valuable natural resource; not prawns, not rice, but people.

[SAffer]

It's catch 22 for Thailand. It doesn't matter who the government of the day is; Thais all over the country are passionate about their culture, and it is this culture itself that inhibits free thinking and questioning of superiors. I cannot see how a change in government or education system can impact the overall intelligence of a nation whose culture is just not conducive to anything other than parrot-style learning.

Thais are not explorers or poineers, never have been.

The culture is evolving, Thais have now access to foreign cultures trough internet and television. A lot of young thais, the futur leaders of the country, are now studying abroad. And fortunately not all in Oxford

And a lot of the people who now call themselves Thai are the grand children of explorers, voyagers and traders from other countries ....

The evolution of those Thais who are addicted to internet and television isn't always positive though- and the ones who study abroad usually end-up staying in Thai communities in their host countries. Here at my office we have almost a dozen foreign educated Thais, almost none of them speak English better than locally educated Thais, none of them actually lived seperated from the Thai community, none of them have a western attitude when dealing with senior Thais (they cannot be anything but what is expected from them by Thai culture), and the Thais of mixed race are almost always more Thai than German, British or whatever nationality they may have.

Thai history shows no exploration, they stayed home and tried to protect their culture from outside aggrassors. Europeans colonised the world, because they explored the world. A Thai goes to Pattaya and calls that travel????

I take your point, but I think it needs to be qualified, and also it is not widespread.

Even the Thais who belong to sub-cultures, such as hip-hop... they don't actually embrace or understand the sub-culture (in this case I think luckily), the Thais simple superimpose the dress style to Thai culture. So, unlike in the west where a Punk rocker and a Hip-Hopper(?) have distinctly different views and philosophies, Thai culture supercedes all sub-cultures here and dilutes them completely.

It is this culture- not current political parties- which inhibates learning.

[Bkkorupcountry]

Will the Perpetual Thickness Party improve education standards for their loyal supporters - not a chance! First, they have to pay for all their populist policies, emptying the Treasury coffers and likely to cause all sorts of economic problems. Secondly, why educate those who vote for you already, they might get smart enough to make a better choice.

Interest rates going up in oz, Thailand getting ready for an inflationary spiral, how long before what was once called the Pacific Peso hits THB50? But what good is it when prices are going up just as fast? Might be a good time to buy a 5-year lease, and hope the landlord doesn't go broke.

This is basically the reason. Keep the people stupid so that you can manipulate them, and then reallocate funds meant for the Isaan people to your own bank account. If Thaksin is running the country for the next 12-16 years, then the Isaan people can expect handouts, but no change in education. Isaan people ... som num na for selling your votes to Thaksin! You've just perpetuated the poverty of education of your children! But then you couldn't have known better.

It seems to me that this issue has been around for a lot longer than Thaksin's has been alive and yet the anti-Thaksin brigade will put every problem facing Thailand at his feet. When will you guys ever grow up?

[thequietman]

The whole Thai Education system is flawed and produces failures.

The Universities are not recognised abroad bar perhaps two examples. From those the ordinary Thais are excluded on the grounds of class.

The schools are grossly underfunded, teachers poorly trained, methodologies out dated and talented children consequently condemned to a life growing rice or working in a factory when they have the intelligence to learn but it is wasted by the system.

Corruption is endemic. The ruling elite be they red or yellow have vested interests not to have a society that is a meritocracy but rather one that maintains the nepotism that exists and the dynasties with it. The latest example being the Shinawatra revivalists.

As long as the children remain the future to be balanced on motorbike handlebars and not nurtured through the education system to the benefit of society, then Thailand will continue to waste its most valuable natural resource; not prawns, not rice, but people.

[thunder30101]

There is no doubt thailands education system is seriously broken and has been for a long time but after teaching here for a little over two years I can honestly say I give up. Its like everything else here that is corrupt even if you fixed it would anyone care ??? Thai students are just plain LAZY and dont give a crap about anything but facebook and youtube, they have no desire to accomplish anything or to have anything but dreams and sanook. You can throw all the money you want at it(education is the largest budget in thailand) but unless the thais want to change they wont, you can lead a buffalo to water but you cant make him drink.

[thequietman]

There is no doubt thailands education system is seriously broken and has been for a long time but after teaching here for a little over two years I can honestly say I give up. Its like everything else here that is corrupt even if you fixed it would anyone care ??? Thai students are just plain LAZY and dont give a crap about anything but facebook and youtube, they have no desire to accomplish anything or to have anything but dreams and sanook. You can throw all the money you want at it(education is the largest budget in thailand) but unless the thais want to change they wont, you can lead a buffalo to water but you cant make him drink.

think back when you were a young student. if you were made aware that if you didnt do any work or pass any tests, you would STILL pass, would you bother learning ?

the problem is with the system and it needs to be fixed. dont blame the students. if they are taught at a young age by both parents and teachers alike that hard work is rewarded then that will run over into their teen education. if however it is encouraged to be corrupt, cut some corners, kiss some asses and you will still get there, then what is the point.

the teachers are poorly paid and this reflects in their daily performance. "just do the bare minimum, no more, then we can make up the shortfall in extra tuition." this is true of most thai teachers, believe me.

the thai moe is the number 1 corrupt government organisation in thailand -fact- and as long as the plain brown envelopes keep sliding over school directors hands, then the problem remains the same.

thai students are not lazy and they are a lot smartet than you think. just give them an opportunity to learn in an effectual system where education of the masses is the key and not 'gimme the baht and sod the rest."

:jap:

[thequietman]

hi guys, i dont generally post a lot on here but this latest piece of news needs to be told to the masses. following on from my view that the education system here is broken and it is more concerned about "face' my stepson informed me of this latest no brainer.

he has no school tomorrow and neither does the other 254 students. why i ask ? because the local secondary school a few kilometres over are having an unveiling ceremony for their new school sign at the entrance to the school. there is a party and all the teachers are invited including the education boss of the whole district.

so they are closing the whole school to go to a party.

you could not make this up if you tried.

who says the education system in thailand isnt effective.

[selftaopath]

you know whats not fair..... having to listen to the same old crap about the thai education system over and over and over and over again. everyone knows in is ineffectual, everyone knows it is corrupt, everyone knows it is the laughing stock of asia, everyone knows that the money is squandered away on show boating. will it change.......no. end of story. educated people are thinking people and we dont want that. in the north east where i live, there is a no fail policy. where is the incentive to get the students to think,to learn, to put what they have learned into practice. the educational institutions are more concerned about morning parades, do our flowers look nice around the school, does the school look pretty. when it gets to the point where they are now cancelling lessons so the kids can learn to cheerlead and walk in a straight line, then all is lost.

the students are smart, all they need is an opportunity to learn properly and a government that cares. so no change. the almighty baht is god here and sod the rest.

Thank you, thank you, thank you.

The system is certainly appalling, but like you I suspect it will not change in our lifetime. There is too much greed, corruption, and personal interests to spend any money of educating the poorly paid work force and sex industry. Who would supply the brothels if every young girl was educated to her potential. And what if a young man of modest means would aspire to make Thailand great.

LOL in the Land of Scams/Lack of Sanctions (LOS) little will change. Here in Isaan most people don't even have hot running water in their homes or trash pick up. But others are living "high on the hog."

[Thai at Heart]

hi guys, i dont generally post a lot on here but this latest piece of news needs to be told to the masses. following on from my view that the education system here is broken and it is more concerned about "face' my stepson informed me of this latest no brainer.

he has no school tomorrow and neither does the other 254 students. why i ask ? because the local secondary school a few kilometres over are having an unveiling ceremony for their new school sign at the entrance to the school. there is a party and all the teachers are invited including the education boss of the whole district.

so they are closing the whole school to go to a party.

you could not make this up if you tried.

who says the education system in thailand isnt effective.

Unfortunately, the overwhelming need for sanook is all too obvious in Thailand. My kids went back to school for this semester, and had a school trip after a week, interwoven with all of the other holidays that invade May and June.

On a more serious note, the concept of "all must pass" is simply wrong. It has to go.

[dutchguest]

Unfortunately, the overwhelming need for sanook is all too obvious in Thailand. My kids went back to school for this semester, and had a school trip after a week, interwoven with all of the other holidays that invade May and June.

May be that is why Thais are -generally speaking- somewhat more relaxed, easygoing and happy then falangs. The children are not so much pushed and stressed to do well at school and get higher notes then other children.

After all what has all that competitiveness brought to the world apart from a lot of unhappy, neurotic people with heart diseases and a few atomic bombs? Why so many western people like to come to Thailand and live in Thailand?

[Bkkorupcountry]

Unfortunately, the overwhelming need for sanook is all too obvious in Thailand. My kids went back to school for this semester, and had a school trip after a week, interwoven with all of the other holidays that invade May and June.

May be that is why Thais are -generally speaking- somewhat more relaxed, easygoing and happy then falangs. The children are not so much pushed and stressed to do well at school and get higher notes then other children.

After all what has all that competitiveness brought to the world apart from a lot of unhappy, neurotic people with heart diseases and a few atomic bombs? Why so many western people like to come to Thailand and live in Thailand?

Well said. I do feel sorry for those farangs that are living here but constantly complaining about the way things are. Their lives must be a bitch. On the other hand, there are also many who have happily settled down and just accept things as they are, including whichever government is elected to govern.

[scorecard]

Will the Perpetual Thickness Party improve education standards for their loyal supporters - not a chance! First, they have to pay for all their populist policies, emptying the Treasury coffers and likely to cause all sorts of economic problems. Secondly, why educate those who vote for you already, they might get smart enough to make a better choice.

Interest rates going up in oz, Thailand getting ready for an inflationary spiral, how long before what was once called the Pacific Peso hits THB50? But what good is it when prices are going up just as fast? Might be a good time to buy a 5-year lease, and hope the landlord doesn't go broke.

This is basically the reason. Keep the people stupid so that you can manipulate them, and then reallocate funds meant for the Isaan people to your own bank account. If Thaksin is running the country for the next 12-16 years, then the Isaan people can expect handouts, but no change in education. Isaan people ... som num na for selling your votes to Thaksin! You've just perpetuated the poverty of education of your children! But then you couldn't have known better.

It seems to me that this issue has been around for a lot longer than Thaksin's has been alive and yet the anti-Thaksin brigade will put every problem facing Thailand at his feet. When will you guys ever grow up?

I don't agree. Everybody knows well that the problem has existed for decades.

What posters are saying that thaksin is totally responsible for the sorry state of education?

What is legitimate comment (but only one item is this discussion) is that thaksin said education was so important that he made himself the education minister and after six months of achieving nothing he quietly passed the job to another minister who couldn't even spell the word education.

Edited July 29, 2011 by scorecard

[Bkkorupcountry]

Will the Perpetual Thickness Party improve education standards for their loyal supporters - not a chance! First, they have to pay for all their populist policies, emptying the Treasury coffers and likely to cause all sorts of economic problems. Secondly, why educate those who vote for you already, they might get smart enough to make a better choice.

Interest rates going up in oz, Thailand getting ready for an inflationary spiral, how long before what was once called the Pacific Peso hits THB50? But what good is it when prices are going up just as fast? Might be a good time to buy a 5-year lease, and hope the landlord doesn't go broke.

This is basically the reason. Keep the people stupid so that you can manipulate them, and then reallocate funds meant for the Isaan people to your own bank account. If Thaksin is running the country for the next 12-16 years, then the Isaan people can expect handouts, but no change in education. Isaan people ... som num na for selling your votes to Thaksin! You've just perpetuated the poverty of education of your children! But then you couldn't have known better.

It seems to me that this issue has been around for a lot longer than Thaksin's has been alive and yet the anti-Thaksin brigade will put every problem facing Thailand at his feet. When will you guys ever grow up?

I don't agree. Everybody knows well that the problem has existed for decades.

What posters are saying that thaksin is totally responsible for the sorry state of education?

What is legitimate comment (but only one item is this discussion) is that thaksin said education was so important that he made himself the education minister and after six months of achieving nothing he quietly passed the job to another minister who couldn't even spell the word education.

Yes, everyone knows well that the problem has existed for decades. So why the cheap shots such as those posted by OzMick (Perpetual Thickness Party etc etc) and Renaissanc?

[Bkkorupcountry]

Unfortunately, the overwhelming need for sanook is all too obvious in Thailand. My kids went back to school for this semester, and had a school trip after a week, interwoven with all of the other holidays that invade May and June.

May be that is why Thais are -generally speaking- somewhat more relaxed, easygoing and happy then falangs. The children are not so much pushed and stressed to do well at school and get higher notes then other children.

After all what has all that competitiveness brought to the world apart from a lot of unhappy, neurotic people with heart diseases and a few atomic bombs? Why so many western people like to come to Thailand and live in Thailand?

Well said. I do feel sorry for those farangs that are living here but constantly complaining about the way things are. Their lives must be a bitch. On the other hand, there are also many who have happily settled down and just accept things as they are, including whichever government is elected to govern.

And there are those farangs who live here, have kids here and have deep concerns for the future of their kids (me included) and they speak out on this and other forums because of their love and concerns for the future of their childen!

I have no issue whatsoever with anyone speaking out or voicing their opinion or discomfort with what they see happening around them. I do however have issues with those farangs who refer to the Thais as buffalos or lazy or any other such derogatory remarks. In my view, it reflects upon their unhappiness in staying here.

[osiboy]

Unfortunately, the overwhelming need for sanook is all too obvious in Thailand. My kids went back to school for this semester, and had a school trip after a week, interwoven with all of the other holidays that invade May and June.

May be that is why Thais are -generally speaking- somewhat more relaxed, easygoing and happy then falangs. The children are not so much pushed and stressed to do well at school and get higher notes then other children.

After all what has all that competitiveness brought to the world apart from a lot of unhappy, neurotic people with heart diseases and a few atomic bombs? Why so many western people like to come to Thailand and live in Thailand?

Well said. I do feel sorry for those farangs that are living here but constantly complaining about the way things are. Their lives must be a bitch. On the other hand, there are also many who have happily settled down and just accept things as they are, including whichever government is elected to govern.

And there are those farangs who live here, have kids here and have deep concerns for the future of their kids (me included) and they speak out on this and other forums because of their love and concerns for the future of their childen!

well put me in the second bracket bkkupcountry; i do love this place but it can also make you so angry ,... what seems trivial to thais really gets my goat ,........ to me the biggest problem in thailand is justice and the lack of it, i honestly dont know why the police here get a salary , they do nothing unless there is more in it for them , outside my home we have ''boy racers" using the nosiest bikes and cars on the planet until about 4 AM , probably speeding upto 70 -100 kmp, sure ,i knew it was like this when i decided to live here, but that does'nt excuse the police doing nothing about it , and where i live nobody wears a crash helmet or maybe 5% of bikers do, 3 or 4 to a bike with infants wearing only a pair of shorts and standing up between their parents is common place ,in the west it would only take one accident before some action was taken , here it could be hundreds of lives before any action was taken , unless it was some government figure or a hi-so person ,as life seems so cheap........reason enough to have concerns ??,....a thai scholer once explained to me how the 'wye' came into being ,........he said it was probably from the fear of having you head chopped off or your throat cut from bandits or the like ,.ie a form of grovelling , i think little has changed , money is power everywhere , we all know that ,.... but in a modern society justice must be seen to be done , ........HERE IT IS NOT ! ................TIT !

[parmo1]

Why so many western people like to come to Thailand and live in Thailand?

Erm, because it is cheap ? Workers in the west have fought against all the crap, religion, absolute monarchs,personality cults that were created to reduce their wages , Thai people did NOT, and so western workers now have pensions, investments, and cash to live in countries like Thailand,

Thai workers do NOT. Western workers know that a country does not have to be corrupt and badly run

Thailand is a cheap place with low wages, because of what i have just described

Edited July 30, 2011 by parmo1