PM Yingluck Hands Out First Free Computer Tablets

[webfact]

PM hands out first free tablets

Jeerapong Prasertpolkrang

Saowanee Nimpanpayungwong

The Nation

BANGKOK: -- After waiting for months that the government announced its policy of distributing tablets to Prathom 1 (Grade 1) students across the country, the One Tablet Per Child (OTPC) project was yesterday kicked off officially.

The government was proud that this policy finally began, as it was an urgent policy that the government announced to the Parliament, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said after she presided over the official launch of the OTPC project at the Government House.

Yingluck gave the tablets to representatives of Prathom 1 students, educational supervisors and teachers to mark a start of the OTPC project.

Many teachers and students from different schools were reportedly enthusiastic to try using the tablets at an exhibition of tablet use.

Information and Communication Technology Minister Anudith Nakornthap denied rumours of tablet quality problem. He insisted that the first batch of 2,000 tablets did not have any problems about their quality. The minister had already allow Shenzhen Scope Scientific Development, the manufacturer to produce more tablets. Therefore, the second batch of 400,000 units would be sent to Thailand in July. Next batch would be in August.

The company can produce around 25,000 per day.

She added that Prathom 1 students were in proper ages (6-7 years old) of learning and adjusting to technological tool use. The premier also urged teachers to follow up and record their students' development for comparison.

"Even though, it has taken long time to implement the policy, relevant ministers are happy when seeing students' happy smiles and eyes. We hope that this project will arouse them to love learning. After they are fulfilled with technology, they will be able to learn in an unlimited way.

Education Minister Suchart Thada-Thamrongvech vowed to push forward the project seriously.

He also said research on tablet use in Grade 1 students in Chicago found satisfactory results that students had spent longer time on learning, reading and writing practising and knowledge summarising. After two years of doing a pilot project in that state, a plan to expand the project with full-scale use has been created.

-- The Nation 2012-06-08

[softgeorge]

Just curious, is this a one time only thing? I mean they are giving the free tablets to all grade one children this year but will they be doing it next year and subsequent years as the children move into grade one? If this is a once only vote buying exercise then it seems a little pointless and a waste of money.

[Buchholz]

Education Minister Suchart Thada-Thamrongvech vowed to push forward the project seriously.

He also said research on tablet use in Grade 1 students in Chicago found satisfactory results that students had spent longer time on learning, reading and writing practising and knowledge summarising. After two years of doing a pilot project in that state, a plan to expand the project with full-scale use has been created

.

What Suchart failed to mention is that Chicago is using much more reliable and capable US$600 iPads, not US$81 Shenzen Scopads.

They also have 100% of the schools with electricity and WiFi.

They also partnered with Apple to provide the teachers with extensive training in how to best incorporate this educational technology.

But hey, if a program that did things the right way from the very beginning is successful, why shouldn't his hastily planned, non-infrastructure supported, pipe dream with untrained teachers using crap tablets also succeed?

.

[alanferdi]

Just curious, is this a one time only thing? I mean they are giving the free tablets to all grade one children this year but will they be doing it next year and subsequent years as the children move into grade one? If this is a once only vote buying exercise then it seems a little pointless and a waste of money.

Good point

I am thinking on the hours if trying to understand the operation modus, the IT limitations, the hiccups from poor R&D on these units.... Could keep an entire IT group busy for years!

[LuckyLew]

I am so so so pretty

Mirror mirror on the wall, who is the prettiest of them all?

I look so so so good at photo ops

[bangkokheat]

I just had a dirty thought, was thinking that the delay in tablet delivery perhaps may have been a tactic from the beginning in relation to thaksin return, he gave buffalos to the people, she gave away tablets to the kids = reconciliation bill

Dunno, seems a little shifty to me

[MunterHunter]

Did one of the tablets have the new charter bill on it? Or has YL still not read the dam_n thing?

[birdpooguava]

Good to see the government delivering on yet another election promise.

Finally a progressive government of action, instead of the 'only good at talking, boost the army budget, arm twisted behind the back Democrat coalition.'

[MunterHunter]

Good to see the government delivering on yet another election promise.

Finally a progressive government of action, instead of the 'only good at talking, boost the army budget, arm twisted behind the back Democrat coalition.'

So you consider the handing out of 100 tablets 'deleivering on yet another election promise' when the election promise was all kids would get a tablet, and then after she got elected it was reduced down to some kids will get it... much like the rest of her promises, they get downscaled dramatically after the election and then deleiver only a fraction of what she promised.

Perhaps in the next election i can have a campaign slogan of "Free Merc for everyone!" then just buy a handful of mercs and hand them out to people i like - then its a election promise fulfilled, right?

[kawaiimomo]

We hope that this project will arouse them to love learning. After they are fulfilled with technology, they will be able to learn in an unlimited way.

Is that the way to promote interest for learning? Give them a gadget? Such an stupid statement. Once they explore the tablet, and know it well, the interest will disappear...

[Buchholz]

Good to see the government delivering on yet another election promise.

That will occur when 11 million tablet computers are delivered to all the promised elementary school students, all secondary students, and all vocational tech students..... not when 105 of them are delivered to a very tiny segment of first grade students.

btw, how's that minimum 15,000 baht university degree salary promise coming along?

.

Edited June 8, 2012 by Buchholz

[Thaddeus]

Good to see the government delivering on yet another election promise.

Finally a progressive government of action, instead of the 'only good at talking, boost the army budget, arm twisted behind the back Democrat coalition.'

You appear to only have one bullet in your armoury.

[noitom]

Just curious, is this a one time only thing? I mean they are giving the free tablets to all grade one children this year but will they be doing it next year and subsequent years as the children move into grade one? If this is a once only vote buying exercise then it seems a little pointless and a waste of money.

This is a very good point and question! I don't recall previously seeing this question. It probably hasn't been thought through by the Thais either. Thanks for posting this.

[hellodolly]

Good to see the government delivering on yet another election promise.

Finally a progressive government of action, instead of the 'only good at talking, boost the army budget, arm twisted behind the back Democrat coalition.'

Well well you are learning.

How long did it take for you to figure out it was a coalition. Not evil Democrats.

What is your opinion on Yingluck posing for photo Ops and not saying a word about the red shirts (the PT armed contingent) publicizing all the Judges and their families phone number. You have a real moral leader in her.

[hellodolly]

Good to see the government delivering on yet another election promise.

Finally a progressive government of action, instead of the 'only good at talking, boost the army budget, arm twisted behind the back Democrat coalition.'

So you consider the handing out of 100 tablets 'deleivering on yet another election promise' when the election promise was all kids would get a tablet, and then after she got elected it was reduced down to some kids will get it... much like the rest of her promises, they get downscaled dramatically after the election and then deleiver only a fraction of what she promised.

Perhaps in the next election i can have a campaign slogan of "Free Merc for everyone!" then just buy a handful of mercs and hand them out to people i like - then its a election promise fulfilled, right?

Wasn't it supposed to be some thing like 9,000,000 or 10,000,000 tablets.

It would take some thing like 400 work days to produce that many at 25,000 a day. In the mean time more students come into the system pad's break down and have to be replaced.

But hey lets forget that we have 115 of them and the PM got another Photo Op.

Note to self get priorities rite.

Not to worry birdpooguava will put me right.

Edited June 8, 2012 by hellodolly

[apetley]

Good to see the government delivering on yet another election promise.

Finally a progressive government of action, instead of the 'only good at talking, boost the army budget, arm twisted behind the back Democrat coalition.'

So you consider the handing out of 100 tablets 'deleivering on yet another election promise' when the election promise was all kids would get a tablet, and then after she got elected it was reduced down to some kids will get it... much like the rest of her promises, they get downscaled dramatically after the election and then deleiver only a fraction of what she promised.

Perhaps in the next election i can have a campaign slogan of "Free Merc for everyone!" then just buy a handful of mercs and hand them out to people i like - then its a election promise fulfilled, right?

"Free Merc for everyone" becomes "one village, one mountain bike".

Sent from my GT-I9003 using Thaivisa Connect App

[Theboy]

Good to see the government delivering on yet another election promise.

Finally a progressive government of action, instead of the 'only good at talking, boost the army budget, arm twisted behind the back Democrat coalition.'

[ginjag]

Here we have another opinion from Birdpoo, living up to his name, your wind up handle needs oiling.

[Skywalker69]

Just curious, is this a one time only thing? I mean they are giving the free tablets to all grade one children this year but will they be doing it next year and subsequent years as the children move into grade one? If this is a once only vote buying exercise then it seems a little pointless and a waste of money.

New ones next year, also. Edited June 8, 2012 by Skywalker69

[Skywalker69]

Good to see the government delivering on yet another election promise.

Finally a progressive government of action, instead of the 'only good at talking, boost the army budget, arm twisted behind the back Democrat coalition.'

You appear to only have one bullet in your armoury.

He is out of bullets. Edited June 8, 2012 by Skywalker69

[bigbamboo]

Good to see the government delivering on yet another election promise.

Finally a progressive government of action, instead of the 'only good at talking, boost the army budget, arm twisted behind the back Democrat coalition.'

Hmmm........... well they did cut the corporate tax rate so at least some people will be much richer as promised.

But is supplying just 105 kids with tablets when they were all promised to receive them and some time ago really your idea of a 'government of action'?

Edited June 8, 2012 by bigbamboo

[hellodolly]

Good to see the government delivering on yet another election promise.

Finally a progressive government of action, instead of the 'only good at talking, boost the army budget, arm twisted behind the back Democrat coalition.'

Hmmm........... well they did cut the corporate tax rate and so at least some people will be much richer.

But is supplying 105 kids with tablets when they were all promised to receive them some time ago is your idea of a 'government of action'? Sounds more inactive to me.

He is like 3 year old kid with a present under the Christmas tree. Easy to impressed.

[Thaddeus]

Good to see the government delivering on yet another election promise.

Finally a progressive government of action, instead of the 'only good at talking, boost the army budget, arm twisted behind the back Democrat coalition.'

Hmmm........... well they did cut the corporate tax rate and so at least some people will be much richer.

But is supplying 105 kids with tablets when they were all promised to receive them some time ago is your idea of a 'government of action'? Sounds more inactive to me.

He is like 3 year old kid with a present under the Christmas tree. Easy to impressed.

Who on opening the present finds a half eaten sandwich and utters "that wasn't what you promised" only to be told "shut up, that's all you are getting"

Meanwhile, mummy and daddy have a brand new Merc and a healthy off shore bank account.

And when Christmas rolls around again another box of empty promises appears under the tree.

[bangkokheat]

come on guys, what are we all saying here, that she didnt keep her election promise? so what makes her any different to any other politician/leader, I guess they are like little children promising to be good to get their sweets and then get back to their old ways, except they have the destructive power of a nuclear war head

[Thaddeus]

come on guys, what are we all saying here, that she didnt keep her election promise? so what makes her any different to any other politician/leader,

Yes, other politicians fail to make good on some promises, happens all the time, but other politicians at least make promises that could be delivered given the right circumstance, not some ridiculous flights of fancy that people with more hope/greed than brains/common sense fall for.

[saltandpepper]

Good to see the government delivering on yet another election promise.

Finally a progressive government of action, instead of the 'only good at talking, boost the army budget, arm twisted behind the back Democrat coalition.'

Your sense of humor is absolutely irresistible!

[MunterHunter]

So next election i promise to give everyone 1,000,000b, a 3 bedroom detached house in a nice moo baan and a saloon car of their choice... don't forget to vote for the "I'm Honest Guv Farang party - we will make you all rich in 3 months!"

Then when i am elected PM, i will reduce the 1,000,000 down to 100b and will be given out as vouchers to a shop chain i own, the house idea will be scrapped as its too costly to implement the way i offered during my election campaign and the car idea will only be for the village heads who secured me 100% of the village votes.

obviously this is just a sarcastic scenario - as farangs cant be voted into office - but you get my point, i'm sure.

[nattydread]

wouldnt it have been cheaper and more effective to put 30 brand new desktops with internet connection in every school in thailand along with a service package to fix downed computers?....then every class could have had supervised lessons several times a week...i can only presume there wasnt enough of a kickback on doing this

[rubl]

Therefore, the second batch of 400,000 units would be sent to Thailand in July. Next batch would be in August.

It used to be 100,000 in June and 300,000 before the 12th of July.

[ThaiOats]

Good to see the government delivering on yet another election promise.

Finally a progressive government of action, instead of the 'only good at talking, boost the army budget, arm twisted behind the back Democrat coalition.'

Lol I'm going to guess this is what the red shirts are thinking too. It doesn't matter if it fails or how much money is spent on it, as long as it's delivered. Lack of problem analysis.