Cabinet To Mull Tablet Plan Tuesday

[Lite Beer]

Cabinet to mull tablet plan Tuesday

JEERAPONG PRASERTPOLKRUNG

THE NATION ON SUNDAY

BANGKOK:-- Details of the tablet-computer distribution project will be put to the mobile Cabinet meeting in Phuket for consideration on Tuesday, the prime minister's personal spokesman Suranand Vejjajiva told reporters yesterday, after a meeting with the premier.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra called a meeting yesterday with ministers and agency chiefs from the Foreign, Education, and Information and Communications Technology (ICT) ministries to check on progress of the project and discuss any obstacles. The meeting was held after the PM hosted her weekly TV programme "Yingluck Government Meets the People at Phitsanulok House", at her official residence.

Suranand said Yingluck wanted the project to be put to Cabinet for consideration as soon as possible, so the government will be able to deliver the tablets in May or June, when the next semester starts.

He said a tri-ministry panel would choose which company the government will buy the tablets from. The premier would not do that.

Suranand denied there was major disagreement over the project between the Education and ICT Ministries, only some misunderstanding after the ministries received different information. They would have to find a resolution to this and the procurement had to be done according to regulations, he said.

"The prime minister wanted the procurement to be done under a government-to-government contract (with China) in order to strengthen the relationship between both countries and prevent budget leakage. She wanted to know the quality of the tablets and how they would be used."

He said the ICT Ministry told the meeting procurement progress had been slow because it wanted to ensure the government received quality tablets at reasonable prices before giving them to students.

The spokesman insisted that Prathom 1 students (first graders) would have the tablets to use in the next academic year, barring any serious problems such as, obstacles caused by regulations at individual ministries. But the government had not found any such obstacles so far

-- The Nation 2012-03-18

[Reasonableman]

In other words, a fiefdom demarcation dispute between Education and IT?

[Reasonableman]

"Budget leakage"... 555

[OzMick]

Hmmm...........usually when this PM takes no part in decisions its because she has something to hide.

[slapout]

A campaign promise made 8 plus months ago (for all students) now we are down to first grade only and the lady who proposed this scam to start with, is raising questions about what was promised and those that have been appointed by her as ministers are involved in a conflab about a misunderstanding.

Another example of how an absentee boss, a figurehead leader, and a group who are concerned with self promotion/profit have problems working together, much less with the rest of the government personal.

The taxpayer, majority of the population, etc are being used as stepping stones by these self serving, uninformed groups/individuals who have failed from the orginal announced agendas, much less dealing with mother nature and running a government.

What started as an international joke is fast becoming a disgrase.

[pipo1000]

Watch my words, they will delay and delay this project untill they find the perfect excuse to cancel the whole project.

My bet is on a quality issue.

[gudtymchuk]

Yunglick and the minions are waiting for Sonkran when all will go to Laos to celebrate with the "Boss". During the celebration the "Boss" will give them their instructions how to weasel out of the free tablet PC promise.....

[AleG]

Watch my words, they will delay and delay this project untill they find the perfect excuse to cancel the whole project.

My bet is on a quality issue.

On quality issues I've been wondering if "Child Resistant" was part of the specifications. I know the One Laptop Per Child laptop was made to be dust, shock and water resistant, to withstand the careless treatment of your average school kid.

From what I've seen the tablets that may or may not have won the bid don't look like they are "ruggedized" in any form. I have the feeling than when or if this tablets start to be distributed they will be broken in short order.

[anterian]

I understand that many reputable toy manufacturers (i.e not Chinese), employ a team of kids to test their toys to destruction.

[Buchholz]

Yunglick and the minions are waiting for Sonkran when all will go to Laos to celebrate with the "Boss". During the celebration the "Boss" will give them their instructions how to weasel out of the free tablet PC promise.....

He's got loads of previous personal experience in that regard.

.

[rubl]

The spokesman insisted that Prathom 1 students (first graders) would have the tablets to use in the next academic year, barring any serious problems such as, obstacles caused by regulations at individual ministries. But the government had not found any such obstacles so far

English is difficult. Are we talking about the coming or the next academic year?

Anyway personally I would think technical obstacles more likely to delay the project, simply things like 'delivery', 'infrastructure', 'training the teachers', etc., etc.

[Buchholz]

The spokesman insisted that Prathom 1 students (first graders) would have the tablets to use in the next academic year, barring any serious problems such as, obstacles caused by regulations at individual ministries. But the government had not found any such obstacles so far

Anyway personally I would think technical obstacles more likely to delay the project, simply things like 'delivery', 'infrastructure', 'training the teachers', etc., etc.

the government doesn't view not having any of the 900000 tablets, 2000 schools without electricity, nor 20000 schools without WiFi as an obstacle to implementing this gargantuan program in 60 days.

ok.... as long as they have clear vision, things will go swell.

.

[TackyToo]

I still don't believe the tablets will contribute to qualify anyone to be prepared for the AEC in 2015 or later.

Oh yeah, I forgot there are still options as one politician said: learn cooking and sewing...

Edited March 18, 2012 by TackyToo

[GentlemanJim]

But I thought that the manufacturer had already been chosen about three weeks ago? The article above says they are going to choose who makes the tablets! Talk about disinformation.

[animatic]

In other words, a fiefdom demarcation dispute between Education and IT?

Let's see, which ministry should understand hardware,

and which ministry should understand software needs.

Should be pretty clear which should be assigned which focus.

Android means the platform OS is clear so ITMin should sign off on hardware to run it.

Software is what the students learn and how,

which EduMin should be configuring for Android OS.

Or to get the job done right just hire some 25 year olds from Pantip plaza,

and say set em up for us so kids can learn.

And tell the ministry fools to go sit on their hands.

[animatic]

I still don't believe the tablets will contribute to qualify anyone to be prepared for the AEC in 2015 or later.

Oh yeah, I forgot there are still options as one politician said: learn cooking and sewing...

It really all comes down to the software chosen.

Bad choices little improvment, good choices marked improvement.

The question is do we get the same old same old lockstep dinosaurs

from EduMin choosing or a younger more forward looking crew?

There is super textbooks available for the iPad,

but this Thai stuff will need to be developed from scracth in Thai...

And I have NOT HEARD WORD ONE about software companies being hired.

Gee folks what will you be USING on delivery???

Edited March 18, 2012 by animatic

[Buchholz]

But I thought that the manufacturer had already been chosen about three weeks ago? The article above says they are going to choose who makes the tablets! Talk about disinformation.

They did say that... and then some

The story goes, way back on Feb. 23, they announced the tablets had been ordered with up to 200,000 of them expected to be delivered every month (beginning with this month, March ) until the whole order was filled.

http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__5080652

Then, on March 6, the specific manufacturer was identified as the probable winner of the contract and that an order was expected to be completed soon (not sure what became of the hundreds of thousands of tablets supposedly ordered 2 weeks prior ) after the Cabinet confirmed the winner.

http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__5111477

A week later, on March 13, it was announced the specific manufacturer had not been selected and another round of the bidding process would take place. The next day, on March 14, it was announced the same original specific manufacturer had successfully won the bidding process again. The next day, on March 15, it was announced that the specific manufacturer had NOT won the bidding process as the issue of the changing bid had to be approved by China.

The next timeline is today, where everything is on hold until the Cabinet decides what to do, but they do want to get the ball rolling so that tablets can start being received by May or June.

Months ago, it was pledged that every thing would be place when school starts..... in mid-May.

Hope that clears things up as the government is confident in what it is doing.

.

Edited March 18, 2012 by Buchholz

[pipo1000]

Watch my words, they will delay and delay this project untill they find the perfect excuse to cancel the whole project.

My bet is on a quality issue.

On quality issues I've been wondering if "Child Resistant" was part of the specifications. I know the One Laptop Per Child laptop was made to be dust, shock and water resistant, to withstand the careless treatment of your average school kid.

From what I've seen the tablets that may or may not have won the bid don't look like they are "ruggedized" in any form. I have the feeling than when or if this tablets start to be distributed they will be broken in short order.

What happened to that One child One laptop program, was it reduced to to One laptop for One child?

[AleG]

What happened to that One child One laptop program, was it reduced to to One laptop for One child?

The OLPC program is still ongoing, I have a friend working for it in my homecountry, In fact it was, as far as I remember, the first country to fully implement the program. The laptops used are called XO, compare this with a generic tablet. As you can see the OLPC is well thought out, ready to deploy, no need to run around like headless chicken trying to figure out how to fit a generic tablet of unproven quality into the education system.

The cynic in me thinks they didn't consider the OLPC program because it's not Tea Money friendly.

[pipo1000]

What happened to that One child One laptop program, was it reduced to to One laptop for One child?

The OLPC program is still ongoing, I have a friend working for it in my homecountry, In fact it was, as far as I remember, the first country to fully implement the program. The laptops used are called XO, compare this with a generic tablet. As you can see the OLPC is well thought out, ready to deploy, no need to run around like headless chicken trying to figure out how to fit a generic tablet of unproven quality into the education system.

The cynic in me thinks they didn't consider the OLPC program because it's not Tea Money friendly.

That was actually my question as I remember that Thaksin introduced the program,but I think that at the end it was all hot air and there were no laptops handed out, similar to what gonne happen to this tablet program.

[Buchholz]

What happened to that One child One laptop program, was it reduced to to One laptop for One child?

The OLPC program is still ongoing, I have a friend working for it in my homecountry, In fact it was, as far as I remember, the first country to fully implement the program. The laptops used are called XO, compare this with a generic tablet. As you can see the OLPC is well thought out, ready to deploy, no need to run around like headless chicken trying to figure out how to fit a generic tablet of unproven quality into the education system.

The cynic in me thinks they didn't consider the OLPC program because it's not Tea Money friendly.

That was actually my question as I remember that Thaksin introduced the program,but I think that at the end it was all hot air and there were no laptops handed out, similar to what gonne happen to this tablet program.

Thaksin's government apparently ordered US$100,000,000.00 worth of these laptops for OLPC ...

http://www.theregist...01/olpc_orders/

but, as per an unlinkable BPost article, the program was cancelled prior to implementation by the successive Education Minister following Thaksin's ouster, along with 2 other programs under his cognizance that were suspected of fraudulent corruption.

,.

Edited March 18, 2012 by Buchholz

[whybother]

The spokesman insisted that Prathom 1 students (first graders) would have the tablets to use in the next academic year, barring any serious problems such as, obstacles caused by regulations at individual ministries. But the government had not found any such obstacles so far

English is difficult. Are we talking about the coming or the next academic year?

Anyway personally I would think technical obstacles more likely to delay the project, simply things like 'delivery', 'infrastructure', 'training the teachers', etc., etc.

The "current" academic year is still going, so the "next" academic year starts in May 2012.

They have said the students will have tablets in the next academic year. Maybe they mean near the end of it.

[hellodolly]

In other words, a fiefdom demarcation dispute between Education and IT?

Let's see, which ministry should understand hardware,

and which ministry should understand software needs.

Should be pretty clear which should be assigned which focus.

Android means the platform OS is clear so ITMin should sign off on hardware to run it.

Software is what the students learn and how,

which EduMin should be configuring for Android OS.

Or to get the job done right just hire some 25 year olds from Pantip plaza,

and say set em up for us so kids can learn.

And tell the ministry fools to go sit on their hands.

Name me one politician in the Yingluck administration with enough smarts to do that.

They should get a small shipment for themselves and see if they can learn on them. Even let them have electricity.

[hellodolly]

But I thought that the manufacturer had already been chosen about three weeks ago? The article above says they are going to choose who makes the tablets! Talk about disinformation.

They did say that... and then some

The story goes, way back on Feb. 23, they announced the tablets had been ordered with up to 200,000 of them expected to be delivered every month (beginning with this month, March ) until the whole order was filled.

http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__5080652

Then, on March 6, the specific manufacturer was identified as the probable winner of the contract and that an order was expected to be completed soon (not sure what became of the hundreds of thousands of tablets supposedly ordered 2 weeks prior ) after the Cabinet confirmed the winner.

http://www.thaivisa....ost__p__5111477

A week later, on March 13, it was announced the specific manufacturer had not been selected and another round of the bidding process would take place. The next day, on March 14, it was announced the same original specific manufacturer had successfully won the bidding process again. The next day, on March 15, it was announced that the specific manufacturer had NOT won the bidding process as the issue of the changing bid had to be approved by China.

The next timeline is today, where everything is on hold until the Cabinet decides what to do, but they do want to get the ball rolling so that tablets can start being received by May or June.

Months ago, it was pledged that every thing would be place when school starts..... in mid-May.

Hope that clears things up as the government is confident in what it is doing.

.

My take on it is that if they just go out and select a supplier they will get the mandatory kickback to be stored in their closets.

But they had to get the Chinese government involved and the kickbacks have become to complicated to be solved on the original time line. They will find away and all will get rich off of it.

[KKK]

A campaign promise made 8 plus months ago (for all students) now we are down to first grade only and the lady who proposed this scam to start with, is raising questions about what was promised and those that have been appointed by her as ministers are involved in a conflab about a misunderstanding.

Another example of how an absentee boss, a figurehead leader, and a group who are concerned with self promotion/profit have problems working together, much less with the rest of the government personal.

The taxpayer, majority of the population, etc are being used as stepping stones by these self serving, uninformed groups/individuals who have failed from the orginal announced agendas, much less dealing with mother nature and running a government.

What started as an international joke is fast becoming a disgrase.

+10