Every Thai Student Should Have A Tablet PC By May: Woravat

[globalmenace]

Thailand just doesn't get it, on so many levels. It never will. A stunning waste of time and resources.

As someone previously posted, the PM might as well hoist an Etch-A-Sketch for the photo.

[whybother]

One would hope, rather than place an order with an overseas manufacturer, that the government has thought this through and uses the opportunity to set up a domestic supply operation providing local jobs. An order of this magnitude must surely be enough to tempt a manufacturer to set up in Thailand especially since there is already a large electronics manufacturing industry here.

It will be interesting to see where they actually come from and if the opportunity is grasped to benefit the whole country or if the contract goes to some faceless factory in China with dubious ownership???

"the government has thought this through"

:cheesy:

[nikster]

I would take a bet that the tablets received by the students are not the same as those in the picture at the top.

Total waste of money that could be much better spent in other ways.

This is the thai government you're talking about.

The only reason to spend money on anything is to receive kickbacks. And the only reason for government policies is to distract the public from the graft.

Have they now decided to buy the poor students iPads? I sure hope so. I recently was asked to look at our nanny's tablet computer - turned out to be some sort of fake iPad ("iPad" written on the plastic back of a 7" tablet) that was completely useless. In terms of functionality, I could get it to boot up Android and take blurry images with the front facing camera. That was it. I tried many other things but none of them worked. Gave up after 15 minutes. Battery seemed to drain at an alarming rate, too. I can only imagine that that's the sort of thing you'd get for 3,000 baht - and 3k baht would be a lot of money for this ugly paperweight.

I agree with some posters above: All the international school students already have iPads, and those who don't will have them in a few months time. It's easily affordable for anyone who can afford international school fees. And it seems to be a must have item. I gave one to my 4 year old because I am a tech geek but it seems like all his friends already have them too...

[globalmenace]

I would take a bet that the tablets received by the students are not the same as those in the picture at the top.

Total waste of money that could be much better spent in other ways.

This is the thai government you're talking about.

The only reason to spend money on anything is to receive kickbacks. And the only reason for government policies is to distract the public from the graft.

Have they now decided to buy the poor students iPads? I sure hope so. I recently was asked to look at our nanny's tablet computer - turned out to be some sort of fake iPad ("iPad" written on the plastic back of a 7" tablet) that was completely useless. In terms of functionality, I could get it to boot up Android and take blurry images with the front facing camera. That was it. I tried many other things but none of them worked. Gave up after 15 minutes. Battery seemed to drain at an alarming rate, too. I can only imagine that that's the sort of thing you'd get for 3,000 baht - and 3k baht would be a lot of money for this ugly paperweight.

I agree with some posters above: All the international school students already have iPads, and those who don't will have them in a few months time. It's easily affordable for anyone who can afford international school fees. And it seems to be a must have item. I gave one to my 4 year old because I am a tech geek but it seems like all his friends already have them too...

To be fair, there is nothing intrinsically wrong with the internet, except for TV. My youngest child spends an incredible amount of time online gaming. Still, he got a perfect score in math on his SAT, and is attending the university of his choice. I don't credit that to his access to technology, but to the quality of his teachers.

[Buchholz]

Additional Worawut-ism's on how to fund the tablets and how they will be used, plus an oldie but goodie from his earlier days...

The new Education Minister went on to say that it would come out of the budget that was previously devoted to providing free school uniforms for students as well as free textbooks

The clueless guy Worawut, who obviously has never come close to caring for school-aged children, said,

"This will not affect students and the overall education program because... uniforms do not need to be changed to new ones every year."

What a moron.

Another gem from the Chief of Educating the Youth of Thailand, "The tablets will not completely replace textbooks. They will act like calculators the help the student to calculate faster."

Education Minister Worawat Ua-apinyakul previously was the genius as Culture Minister, when he came up with idea of producing black magic amulets, including phallus and buffalo-shaped ones, as souvenirs for tourists.

Phallus Symbols And Buffaloes To Attract More Tourists

[scorecard]

The ever-changing goal posts.

This is a far cry from the latest previous change to issuing tablet computers to only selected first graders.

The new change will encompass around providing some 11 million tablet computers.... and in six months.

Something tells me this is not the last change in plans for the scheme.

But I wonder whether the reporting is correct and/or whether the reporters checked the details. e.g:

"All children - Does that include kids at private schools?"

[scorecard]

What a dumb idea. How many parents of kids will sell them?

How many kids will now learn nothing because they will be playing games?

How many teenage boys will be looking at porn all night?

How many kids in 10 years time will not be able to add 5+3 without a calculator or computer?

I had hoped the expat community in Thailand was more interest in the educational development of the country's children than making cheap comments. I recall, from the technology forum of TV, that a few months ago a Thai company, yes a Thai company, had devloped a tablet computer that would sell for about $100 and be pre-poaded with Thai educational software; Internet connection is through a controlled portal that blocked pornography , gaming sites and other undesireable websites. I do not know whether that company will be the chosen supplier for the tablet computers.

Yes, some of the educational programs will be games. There is nothing wrong with that, in fact it is a good thing - learning should be fun. My kids had educational games (English, maths and science) on the home computer 20 years ago. It certainly helped their education and was recommended by their teachers. Incidentally, they went to very good schools with high academic standards. If it is good enough in the West, why should Thai students not have the same advantage?

I take it you are all in favor of Technology.

Personally I believe the students would be better served with better teachers.

I notice your children learned from games.

Do you not realize that most kids already know how to game.

What is needed is students with the ability to add two plus two and come up with four without a calculator or computer.

First things first. Educate them in the basics then give them a tool to improve the basics on.

Not give them a tool to replace learning the basics.

Are you saying that gaming is good.

I agree but I do believe it's value as a learning tool is vastly over rated.

And we have two Thai nieces (sisters, 8 and 9 yrs old) who sit watching cartoons and play very childish computer games from the moment they wake up to the moment they are bundled into a tuk tuk to go to school, then the same when they come home from school until bed around 11:00pm and they eat while playing computer games. Their Thai teachers are very old styles, the kids never speak one word in the classroom.

End result - these two kids cannot communicate, they cannot construct sentences, they just say one and two work answers, they never attempt to join a conversation, they never ask their parents a question (and they are not encouraged to),you have to tell them simple things several times before they understand (and not a language problem). Sad.

On a different point, I wonder whether any of the ministry bright sparks considered making a policy that their should be English words under all Thai words?

Edited December 15, 2011 by scorecard

[noitom]

What about funds for those who don't have a book to study or don't even have a school to go to?

This budget is too wasted which probably half go to the policy maker.

Right exactly! And then when you ask them why they dropped out of school at 12 or 13 to work around the farm or house, they say "we couldn't afford to go". But school is free - well, we have to spend for clothes, books, transportation..etc..., Then they retreat in to watch one of two 50 inch flat panel TVs which get replaced every two years, and the new trucks, and the big top brand motorcycles, and everyone's teeth are falling out.

What about figuring out how to really educate those who actually finish school. Actually develop a commitment to "real teaching" and real subject matter. Don't just throw a tablet at them so they can play more games and make up silly pictures and play nonsense while they should be learning. Who dreams up these ideas - a knockoff, home grown, imitation, tablet for everyone, pirated software included, "free wireless" - who is pulling whose chain here?

[janverbeem]

... but now with the floods solved, tourism soaring, and the economy booming,

Did I miss something there? Must have been the sarcasm emoticon I guess.

[ramrod711]

Give it 7 months and pawn shops will have millions at a discounted price.

i think you are partially correct, i was thinking june would be more like it

[globalmenace]

I had hoped the expat community in Thailand was more interest in the educational development of the country's children than making cheap comments. I recall, from the technology forum of TV, that a few months ago a Thai company, yes a Thai company, had devloped a tablet computer that would sell for about $100 and be pre-poaded with Thai educational software; Internet connection is through a controlled portal that blocked pornography , gaming sites and other undesireable websites. I do not know whether that company will be the chosen supplier for the tablet computers.

Yes, some of the educational programs will be games. There is nothing wrong with that, in fact it is a good thing - learning should be fun. My kids had educational games (English, maths and science) on the home computer 20 years ago. It certainly helped their education and was recommended by their teachers. Incidentally, they went to very good schools with high academic standards. If it is good enough in the West, why should Thai students not have the same advantage?

Many expats are interested in the educational development of Thailand (much more interested than the politicians who are actually in charge of this, I would argue...), but realize the Thai educational system is broken and throwing tablet PCs at it won't fix it. I can just imagine a classroom in a typical Thai school, with 40+ students crammed in a tight space, suddenly being thrown 40 tablet PC's with a teacher who has been given absolutely no training in how to use them in an educational setting...recipe for disaster. As another poster said, a stunning waste of time and resources at this point. Put the money into teacher training that takes into account student-centered approaches that promote thinking...oops, but the powers-that-be will never allow that, will they?

Forget it Jake (Andy). It's Chinatown (Thaitown).

I don't believe that Thailand can aspire to Japan, Korea, China or any of the ASEAN partners. They need to set their sights quite a bit lower, and work on a realistic target.

What do they want? I still haven't figured that out...

Edited December 15, 2011 by globalmenace

[Ijustwannateach]

There are sooooo many more obvious areas to spend any 'extra' money than this. (Flood, anyone?)

But the single most important thing that makes this plan top priority, is that it generates kickback flow from a tangible object. It's important to have the objects so that if later they are accused of wasting money, they can point to them. It doesn't matter if they are mainly made from condemned or recycled parts, or with slave or student labour.

As a teacher, I am not particularly fond of technology for technology's sake. It isn't what is going on on the computer screen that is most important, it is what is going on in the mind.

[hellodolly]

Give it 7 months and pawn shops will have millions at a discounted price.

i think you are partially correct, i was thinking june would be more like it

If they are typical products of this government they won't last that long.

They will come with a home page that says give me time.

Edited December 15, 2011 by hellodolly

[Ricardo]

Give it 7 months and porn shops will have millions at a discounted price.

We hope you meant to say "pawn shops"!

I'll be visiting the seaside soon, perhaps I should try the local "prawn shops", or am I being shellfish ?

[Ricardo]

But wasn't it reported a few weeks back that, far from extending the offer to older-students as-well-as Grade-1 pupils, there would only be sufficient tablet-PCs for about half of Grade-1s ?

8 weeks ago, the same guy was talking about scaling back to the already limited to 1st graders.

"We won't distribute them to all Prathom 1 [Grade 1] students in every school."

- Education Minister Woravat Auapinyakul

from the fork-pointing thread:

Thai Government Scales Down Plan To Give Free Tablet Computers

Many thanks, that was the story I was thinking of, the minister has more flip-flops than a cheap-shoe emporium !

Nice Yuri-Geller impression, though !

[Buchholz]

The ever-changing goal posts.

This is a far cry from the latest previous change to issuing tablet computers to only selected first graders.

The new change will encompass around providing some 11 million tablet computers.... and in six months.

Something tells me this is not the last change in plans for the scheme.

But I wonder whether the reporting is correct and/or whether the reporters checked the details. e.g:

"All children - Does that include kids at private schools?"

No, that's never been part of the scheme. Besides, 11 million in public schools will more than enough to surpass whatever half-hearted production or purchase there is.

Hard to imagine them mis-reporting the major change, which went from some first graders to all primary, secondary, and vocational students. The much of a misunderstanding of the Education Minister's words (who spoke before and now on the topic) is difficult to imagine... even by The Nation's standards.

.

[Buchholz]

There are sooooo many more obvious areas to spend any 'extra' money than this. (Flood, anyone?)

Never mind about outside extra money. I find it incredulous that there is no money period within the Education Ministry budget and that the Minister says the cost of these tablets is giving up free school uniforms and free textbooks.

The poorer families with 5 or so children from pathom 1 to matayom 6 grades will be socked for significant bills that last year were free.

The Education Minister also revealed much when saying the school uniforms didn't need to be replaced yearly. Absolutely clueless and smacks of a removed-from-reality-elite ammat. The same ammat these poor families purport to be fighting against. Prime example of how the much hyped "rich vs poor struggle" is piss poor empty rhetoric.

.

[Buchholz]

... but now with the floods solved, tourism soaring, and the economy booming,

Did I miss something there? Must have been the sarcasm emoticon I guess.

[jeanelie]

Free is never free! Someone has to pay the bill.

Do not start with this the western world left wing ideas. On the long run, free will give an extra lot of unhealthy pressure to society. Instead of free you will always pay more.

[JoelOrmsby]

This is dumb, i used to teach prathom 1 students ICT and all they want to do is play games, most of them can't even read properly. Now I see facebook updates from ex students saying "i am studying xxx subject, borrring", that is how students will use their tablets. I now work with Japanese students and they insist on students learning to read and write the old fashioned way before they use technology, and this works. I can think of many better ways of spending cash to improve education such as paying teachers better and giving them better teaching materials. The tablet thing is a stupid intitiative and will be laughed at in years to come.

[letitbe]

and by july their will be a lot of happy ministers pocketing the 20-30% cost and a lot of useless tablets thrown in bin Well at least our 2 kids will get one if its ever done but they will be total crap im sure if its ever done

[letitbe]

One would hope, rather than place an order with an overseas manufacturer, that the government has thought this through and uses the opportunity to set up a domestic supply operation providing local jobs. An order of this magnitude must surely be enough to tempt a manufacturer to set up in Thailand especially since there is already a large electronics manufacturing industry here.

It will be interesting to see where they actually come from and if the opportunity is grasped to benefit the whole country or if the contract goes to some faceless factory in China with dubious ownership???

you really believe this bunch of clowns could organise anything now thats funny

[BKK22]

Give it 7 months and porn shops will have millions at a discounted price.

We hope you meant to say "pawn shops"!

Haha.... kinds might trade the tablet with porn.

[osiboy]

far better to give them the "kindle" with every copy of encyclopedia britannica on it, .....they might actually learn something, like there is big wide wourld outside of thailand and that other cultures exist and have histories too !

[billd766]

I have read this thread and others about the same subject previously.

Nowhere have I seen any information about the most vital part of the project.

How the h-ell are you going to integrate 11,000,000 pads into the networks.

Will they use TAT, TOT, TT&T< AIS,DTAC, True or whoever.

Is the infrastructure already in place in every city, town, village and moo ban yet?

Are all the extra links available to feed back to the servers whoever they belong to because as sure as sh1t on a shovel without that nothing will work.

Who will pay the bill for the internet connection?

Imagine what will happen when 11,000,000 pads all get switched on at the same time?

Total madness and it will affect everybody in the country with an internet connection.

It will be a case of OK switch on your pads now and they all do it together and the internet in Thailand will just fall over.

[Orac]

I have read this thread and others about the same subject previously.

Nowhere have I seen any information about the most vital part of the project.

How the h-ell are you going to integrate 11,000,000 pads into the networks.

Will they use TAT, TOT, TT&T< AIS,DTAC, True or whoever.

Is the infrastructure already in place in every city, town, village and moo ban yet?

Are all the extra links available to feed back to the servers whoever they belong to because as sure as sh1t on a shovel without that nothing will work.

Who will pay the bill for the internet connection?

Imagine what will happen when 11,000,000 pads all get switched on at the same time?

Total madness and it will affect everybody in the country with an internet connection.

It will be a case of OK switch on your pads now and they all do it together and the internet in Thailand will just fall over.

There seems to be some confusion about the timeframes involved as well as the numbers as what The Nation are reporting here does not gel with other reports that have been made. Only a week ago there was a BP article (Apple vs. Lenovo: Tablets in Thai schools) that gave a far different timescale and numbers for what was going on with bidding on the project only expected to happen next June.

[ginjag]

There are sooooo many more obvious areas to spend any 'extra' money than this. (Flood, anyone?)

Never mind about outside extra money. I find it incredulous that there is no money period within the Education Ministry budget and that the Minister says the cost of these tablets is giving up free school uniforms and free textbooks.

The poorer families with 5 or so children from pathom 1 to matayom 6 grades will be socked for significant bills that last year were free.

The Education Minister also revealed much when saying the school uniforms didn't need to be replaced yearly. Absolutely clueless and smacks of a removed-from-reality-elite ammat. The same ammat these poor families purport to be fighting against. Prime example of how the much hyped "rich vs poor struggle" is piss poor empty rhetoric.

.

Thailand logic, take the F out of logic and what have you got ?? there isn't any F in logic, that's what I am trying to tell you.

[wxyz]

doe the tablet pc have this sign on it "Tablet PC sent with love and great concern from Thaksin Shinawatra."

the sign on trucks carrying flood relief packages paid for by the public ,,,

"Relief aid sent with love and great concern from Thaksin Shinawatra."

Edited December 15, 2011 by wxyz

[mijan24]

Do you have to put your child's name on a register to receive one?

Better question "Do you have to have a child to get one"? My guess NO it will be a true free for all. The only questions to be answered are:

• What does the word Free mean in the Thai Free Education System?
  
• What does the word All mean in the Thai Free Education System?
  

[Scott]

A potentially libelous post has been deleted along with a troll post and an off-topic post.