Request For Another 300,000 Tablet PCs: Thailand

[Moruya]

This thread is like Deja Vu all over again...

Can you have Deja Vu all over again? That'd be like watching a repeat of Groundhog Day

[Kalbo]

This has got me thinking. The government could afford to pay for these tablets easily if they cut the military spending by a very, very small amount.

The question being is would the Military allow for a smaller budget in order for this tablet farce to proceed unhindered ?

[gamini]

Anyone know the quality of these tablets they are handing out?

What are the chances that pawn shops every where are soon over stocked with tablets?

I can see uncle Somchai pawning his newpews tablet so he has money for weekend whiskey

And if they do have internet access the children will be downloading porn and playing games on the tablets

[letitbe]

Why on earth don't they admit that they dropped a <deleted> in the first place, election gimmick that was not thought through properly, Yingluck--holding up Samsung-all kids to have- impossible promise on cost, now not knowing what to download, who can have internet access, home use--what on the farm,wi/fi. Schools that do not have electricity never mind internet. This idea should be scrapped NOW

no let them continue but if as seems 99.99% likely its a complete fiasco do you think the mass will at last see this bunch of clowns for what they are or just accept next promise and 500 baht without learning anytihng. Ill lay my money on masses will never learn and so deserve IMO exactly what they get and also IMO deserve to stay totally poor and slaves to elite Taksin and his gang being first amongst them. Having lived here for well over 16 years ive totally stopped having any care or sympathy with most of poor here. Ive seen how they treat each other, how sister has stolen from sister, mother from child neighbour from neighbour and I guarantee its far worse than scams and cons against forang. Their are a few decent Thais but in my experience rich poor educated ignorant without exception have no care or compassion for those less lucky than them. I despise the lot of them and most of them deserve exactly what they get. And before someone says well leave I find confort in the few Thais around me and our family who are genuine honest and caring but despair about most of rest. Ive found it most surprising since while a large number of people in west are same ive found generally amongst the poor in west their is a caring for each other and a sharing which is almost totally absent here.

[jonclark]

Why on earth don't they admit that they dropped a <deleted> in the first place, election gimmick that was not thought through properly, Yingluck--holding up Samsung-all kids to have- impossible promise on cost, now not knowing what to download, who can have internet access, home use--what on the farm,wi/fi. Schools that do not have electricity never mind internet. This idea should be scrapped NOW

no let them continue but if as seems 99.99% likely its a complete fiasco do you think the mass will at last see this bunch of clowns for what they are or just accept next promise and 500 baht without learning anytihng. Ill lay my money on masses will never learn and so deserve IMO exactly what they get and also IMO deserve to stay totally poor and slaves to elite Taksin and his gang being first amongst them. Having lived here for well over 16 years ive totally stopped having any care or sympathy with most of poor here. Ive seen how they treat each other, how sister has stolen from sister, mother from child neighbour from neighbour and I guarantee its far worse than scams and cons against forang. Their are a few decent Thais but in my experience rich poor educated ignorant without exception have no care or compassion for those less lucky than them. I despise the lot of them and most of them deserve exactly what they get. And before someone says well leave I find confort in the few Thais around me and our family who are genuine honest and caring but despair about most of rest. Ive found it most surprising since while a large number of people in west are same ive found generally amongst the poor in west their is a caring for each other and a sharing which is almost totally absent here.

More than an ounce of truth in those words for sure

[sparebox2]

The tablets need Internet access so students can search for information from the wider world

And the majority of schools probably DON'T have this as neither will the kids homes.....so of WHAT value will these tablets be to the students?

Do you have any proof of this "probable" assertion? I either use the ADSL phone line at my wife's aunt's home or the WIFI network at the school when we're in town. I know I'm being anecdotal, but that's far more solid than your probabilities.

More than 2000 schools don't have electricity.

No need electricity main.

They run on batteries.

Batteries can be charged using solar chargers.

[Buchholz]

This has got me thinking. The government could afford to pay for these tablets easily if they cut the military spending by a very, very small amount.

The question being is would the Military allow for a smaller budget in order for this tablet farce to proceed unhindered ?

Between the Education and ICT ministry tablet-related costs, they are not very, very small amounts.

.

[ross163103]

Anyone know the quality of these tablets they are handing out?

What are the chances that pawn shops every where are soon over stocked with tablets?

I can see uncle Somchai pawning his newpews tablet so he has money for weekend whiskey

And if they do have internet access the children will be downloading porn and playing games on the tablets

Exactly!!!

I saw a Thai tv program that was interviewing this age student about this program, asking them what they would do with a tablet if they got one. 95% said they would play games on it. It's not rocket science to figure out what children are going to do with them! I say somebody's got a vested interest in "giving" these tabs to children.....if you know what I mean?

[Kalbo]

This has got me thinking. The government could afford to pay for these tablets easily if they cut the military spending by a very, very small amount.

The question being is would the Military allow for a smaller budget in order for this tablet farce to proceed unhindered ?

Between the Education and ICT ministry tablet-related costs, they are not very, very small amounts.

.

Read what I wrote again. Here's some figures. Tablet farce is expected to cost the government approx. B1.9 billion. Now, I wrote that if a very small amount of the money budgeted for military spending was allocated to this tablet project, then it could easily be paid for.

(Military budget for 2010 was approx B170 billion, so if 1.2% of this was spent on the tablets, the project could be financed easily. However, would the military stand by and allow this to happen ?

[Buchholz]

This has got me thinking. The government could afford to pay for these tablets easily if they cut the military spending by a very, very small amount.

The question being is would the Military allow for a smaller budget in order for this tablet farce to proceed unhindered ?

Between the Education and ICT ministry tablet-related costs, they are not very, very small amounts.

.

Read what I wrote again. Here's some figures. Tablet farce is expected to cost the government approx. B1.9 billion. Now, I wrote that if a very small amount of the money budgeted for military spending was allocated to this tablet project, then it could easily be paid for.

(Military budget for 2010 was approx B170 billion, so if 1.2% of this was spent on the tablets, the project could be financed easily. However, would the military stand by and allow this to happen ?

Read what I wrote again. The combined costs on the tablets are over 10 Billion Baht. Not a small amount by any stretch.

They are ending the free school uniforms and free school textbooks to pay for it.

Rather than tap into yet another ministry's budget, if they scrapped the whole fiasco, at least some good (free uniforms and free textbooks) could come of it.

.

Edited January 31, 2012 by Buchholz

[animatic]

This has got me thinking. The government could afford to pay for these tablets easily if they cut the military spending by a very, very small amount.

The question being is would the Military allow for a smaller budget in order for this tablet farce to proceed unhindered ?

Between the Education and ICT ministry tablet-related costs, they are not very, very small amounts.

.

Read what I wrote again. Here's some figures. Tablet farce is expected to cost the government approx. B1.9 billion. Now, I wrote that if a very small amount of the money budgeted for military spending was allocated to this tablet project, then it could easily be paid for.

(Military budget for 2010 was approx B170 billion, so if 1.2% of this was spent on the tablets, the project could be financed easily. However, would the military stand by and allow this to happen ?

Read what I wrote again. The combined costs on the tablets are over 10 Billion Baht. Not a small amount by any stretch.

They are ending the free school uniforms and free school textbooks to pay for it.

Rather than tap into yet another ministry's budget, if they scrapped the whole fiasco, at least some good (free uniforms and free textbooks) could come of it.

.

Which means the parents must now pay for mandatory multiple uniforms

and school books... somehwere down the line they MIGHT

think about solar chargers for their lil darlings Pad Computer....

[Old Man River]

Do you have any proof of this "probable" assertion? I either use the ADSL phone line at my wife's aunt's home or the WIFI network at the school when we're in town. I know I'm being anecdotal, but that's far more solid than your probabilities.

How many Thai kids have access to the internet at home? How many schools currently have wifi access? Will the governments promise of free wifi eventuate before the handing out of tablets?

'

For me, any attempt at educating the kids of Thailand is a good attempt. If obstacles to do this are identified it is a better attempt. If the government announces they will do something about these obstacles it is a great attempt. If they actually do something it is a great day for Thailand.

[OzMick]

No need electricity main.

They run on batteries.

Batteries can be charged using solar chargers.

Do the 2000 schools, that don't have electricity, have solar chargers?

Have you thought where the tablets will be between 08:30 and 1500 - inside with the students perhaps? Should the students sit in the sun so they can charge the tablets but where it will be too bright (unlike some posters) to read them?

[OzMick]

This has got me thinking. The government could afford to pay for these tablets easily if they cut the military spending by a very, very small amount.

The question being is would the Military allow for a smaller budget in order for this tablet farce to proceed unhindered ?

Between the Education and ICT ministry tablet-related costs, they are not very, very small amounts.

.

Read what I wrote again. Here's some figures. Tablet farce is expected to cost the government approx. B1.9 billion. Now, I wrote that if a very small amount of the money budgeted for military spending was allocated to this tablet project, then it could easily be paid for.

(Military budget for 2010 was approx B170 billion, so if 1.2% of this was spent on the tablets, the project could be financed easily. However, would the military stand by and allow this to happen ?

Anything is possible in fantasyland. Except stopping the rice pledging scam.

[philw]

The tablets need Internet access so students can search for information from the wider world

And the majority of schools probably DON'T have this as neither will the kids homes.....so of WHAT value will these tablets be to the students?

As I said last week , who is going to pay for the internet provider.

Free nation-wide WiFi is Yingluck's government plan.

.

IF that is the case, what's wrong with it ??

Seems like a good idea.

[philw]

Why on earth don't they admit that they dropped a <deleted> in the first place, election gimmick that was not thought through properly, Yingluck--holding up Samsung-all kids to have- impossible promise on cost, now not knowing what to download, who can have internet access, home use--what on the farm,wi/fi. Schools that do not have electricity never mind internet. This idea should be scrapped NOW

no let them continue but if as seems 99.99% likely its a complete fiasco do you think the mass will at last see this bunch of clowns for what they are or just accept next promise and 500 baht without learning anytihng. Ill lay my money on masses will never learn and so deserve IMO exactly what they get and also IMO deserve to stay totally poor and slaves to elite Taksin and his gang being first amongst them. Having lived here for well over 16 years ive totally stopped having any care or sympathy with most of poor here. Ive seen how they treat each other, how sister has stolen from sister, mother from child neighbour from neighbour and I guarantee its far worse than scams and cons against forang. Their are a few decent Thais but in my experience rich poor educated ignorant without exception have no care or compassion for those less lucky than them. I despise the lot of them and most of them deserve exactly what they get. And before someone says well leave I find confort in the few Thais around me and our family who are genuine honest and caring but despair about most of rest. Ive found it most surprising since while a large number of people in west are same ive found generally amongst the poor in west their is a caring for each other and a sharing which is almost totally absent here.

Like the way your post is in complete contradiction to the sentiments of the Lennon / McCartney from which you draw your avatar.

I won't comment on the uglier aspects of your post.

[janverbeem]

"I've also planned a project that will give tablets to some parents so they can use them to gain more knowledge," he said.

Hey,why not give every Thai between 6 and 25 years old a tablet,that would give a very good reason to approve a budget so large that everyone can eat from the cake and still have a reasonable big enough piece.

[Buchholz]

And the majority of schools probably DON'T have this as neither will the kids homes.....so of WHAT value will these tablets be to the students?

As I said last week , who is going to pay for the internet provider.

Free nation-wide WiFi is Yingluck's government plan.

.

IF that is the case, what's wrong with it ??

Seems like a good idea.

Like so many of the PTP "good ideas", the wrong with it is in the implementation.... which invariably never occurs.

.

[sirchai]

"The tablets need Internet access so students can search for information from the wider world. The students should be allowed to take them home."

Considering that the Isaan is about 33 % of this country I'm really amazed.

It's true, the whole experiment isn't about education. Prathom one teachers at our school don't even know about the technical revolution coming in tablets. None of them would be able to go online, using a touch screen, even if there was wireless access.

Our computer teacher's notebook is mostly at a shop because of viruses.

We've got two PC's in our 'office', both only run because i take care about any Anti Virus software and hardware problems.

What's most important in learning a language, especially when they're six and kids just started to learn Thai? .

Doesn't it all come down in learning how to read and write, before using any untested BS from Super powered China?

We had to attend at a seminar last Sunday, where Thai English teachers received a lecture from a woman holding a PHd in English.When the lecturer was asking a very simple question for grade one kids, none of them could answer.

How can they use any similar technology teaching English, guess the tablets will also be used for this subject, if there's not even a fair command in English?

Wouldn't it make perfect sense instead of tablets to have a PC, projector and a person who knows how to use this old" high tech"?

[janverbeem]

"The tablets need Internet access so students can search for information from the wider world. The students should be allowed to take them home."

And when they finally have the tablet and the internet access they will get this message when they try to look up information from the wider world..

[Bagwan]

I see this as yet another head stuck up their fundamental orifice scheme. No Thai Government has yet to get interested parties together, clouted a few around the ears and coordinated a scheme to lay fibre optic cable throughout the land. TV, telephone and the Internet all through one small cable into every home. In any Thai town just look to the skies and see the electric cable knitting. No more concrete poles doing impersonations of a structure in Pisa, and eliminating the risk of garroting oneself making ones way on foot. I suggest distributing tablets to all members of this Government. Potassium cyanide comes to mind.

[OzMick]

Free nation-wide WiFi is Yingluck's government plan.

.

IF that is the case, what's wrong with it ??

Seems like a good idea.

I'm all for it, but I can understand why the 30+ ISP companies might get upset at their business disappearing - might even want compensating? One of the biggest wireless ISP is good old AIS, and you can bet your butt that this wouldn't be suggested if it hadn't changed hands. I wonder which company will win the contract to supply the hardware, one with the initial S would have to be a front runner.

[hhiser]

I'm surprised that there has been no mention of training the teachers so that Thai schools will able to integrate the new tablets into the syallabus more effectively? I would assume therefore that the teachers are already trained and primed to take full advantage of the fantastic opportunity?

I almost reported this post! Reasoning and proper planning are pejoratives in Thailand, any reference to them should be expunged from all posts.

[KKK]

The tablets need Internet access so students can search for information from the wider world

And the majority of schools probably DON'T have this as neither will the kids homes.....so of WHAT value will these tablets be to the students?

Do you have any proof of this "probable" assertion? I either use the ADSL phone line at my wife's aunt's home or the WIFI network at the school when we're in town. I know I'm being anecdotal, but that's far more solid than your probabilities.

Are you a Prathom 1 student going to a Thai state school in the country areas of Thailand not the cities? If so then I might be tempted to listen to you otherwise not as most other posters have already shown.

[Pulle]

Good idea but to early, maybe soon there will be a lot of tablet pc's on the black market?

[xavierr]

I think some high-placed person has a stake in the company manufacturing or commercializing the tablets

[scorecard]

Free nation-wide WiFi is Yingluck's government plan.

.

IF that is the case, what's wrong with it ??

Seems like a good idea.

I'm all for it, but I can understand why the 30+ ISP companies might get upset at their business disappearing - might even want compensating? One of the biggest wireless ISP is good old AIS, and you can bet your butt that this wouldn't be suggested if it hadn't changed hands. I wonder which company will win the contract to supply the hardware, one with the initial S would have to be a front runner.

And the reality is that the government has to pay a supplier for the the internet signals / service, before it can be distributed free by the government . (No such thing as free lunch!).

So who will be the supplier to the government? It will be very interesteing to see who gets the contract and at what price.

[scorecard]

The tablets need Internet access so students can search for information from the wider world

And the majority of schools probably DON'T have this as neither will the kids homes.....so of WHAT value will these tablets be to the students?

Do you have any proof of this "probable" assertion? I either use the ADSL phone line at my wife's aunt's home or the WIFI network at the school when we're in town. I know I'm being anecdotal, but that's far more solid than your probabilities.

Are you a Prathom 1 student going to a Thai state school in the country areas of Thailand not the cities? If so then I might be tempted to listen to you otherwise not as most other posters have already shown.

...'either use the ADSL phone line at my wife's aunt's home or the WIFI network at the school when we're in town. ...

So to do their homework, assuming that they must use the tablet and access things which are not in the memmory (and if this is not a correct premace then any argument in favor of tablets is dead) your kids have to go their aunt's house, or stay at school until they finish their homework.

Both scenarios are fully of negatives: Aunt could be out of town, etc, maybe kids need to take scheduled transport to go home, cannot do homework at home on the week-end, etc.

But no doubt you'll have a smart diversion answer in response.