ICT Ministry to make temples hi-tech to attract youth

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has unveiled a new project to encourage temples to go 'hi-tech' with information technology under its 'One Temple-One e-learning Center' -- OTEC campaign, which has as a major aim to motivate youth to visit temples more often and to pay greater attention to Buddhist values.

ICT Minister Sora-at Klinpratoom revealed that the ministry will establish e-learning centres at 99 temples nationwide, each equipped with 20 computers and hi-speed Internet service.

The pilot project starts this month at nine temples around the country-- including Wat Pethsamut Voramahaviharn in central coastal Samut Songkram, Wat Nong-Khong in Chiang Mai, Wat Khao Suwanpradit in Surat Thani, Wat Srisaket in Nong Khai, and Wat Phai Lom in the Eastern seaboard province of Trad.

The pilot launch would be evaluated in one or two months before implementing the project in other 90 temples, he said.

Inspired by the popular 'One Tambon One Product' (OTOP), a successful project in which the government provides its support and promotion for local people to develop and market their distinctive village products by relying primarily on local expertise, the newly-initiated OTEC scheme is expected to draw local youth's attention toward temples--frequently--where they can enjoy learning, doing religion-related activities, and develop closer links with temples rather than keeping their distance as is now popular.

The curriculum to be applied at the e–learning centre in each temple would be designed by ICT staff and private sector specialists, who would also provide training for local staff in terms of management.

Mr. Sora-at said the ICT ministry has not set aside special budget but planned to canvass the public to make donations of money and computers for which they could receive a tax deduction.

'Thai Buddhists generally love donating money to temples. Why won't they be more happy to donate for this good project which is run in the temples?, the minister said.

However, if the project needed more budget, the ministry would likely ask the Government Lottery Office for financial support.

--TNA 2005-11-04

ICT Ministry to make temples hi-tech to attract youth 

BANGKOK: -- Thailand's Ministry of Information and Communication Technology (ICT) has unveiled a new project to encourage temples to go 'hi-tech' with information technology under its 'One Temple-One e-learning Center' -- OTEC campaign, which has as a major aim to motivate youth to visit temples more often and to pay greater attention to Buddhist values.

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This is a joke, right?

Oy.

jb

It really is a joke. Khun Thuksin, please don't waste money on such a thing.

Advantages:

1) Most useful for communication between monks and youths the share problems of youths that currently most youth shy away from temples.

2)More activity to make a nice place to study Buddhism from internet

Disadvantages:

1)Misued as a cybercafe to ge free online games, porns website etc.

2)Temple is a place where human to human interact and not human to computer which we lack in this modern world.