Mps Are Told Of Troubles With Computer Tablets: Thailand

[JurgenG]

so much negatitivety why is it blamed on low quality in China when all said and done apple does most its manufacturing there and considered good quality

Do you do realize that China is capable of producing both a good product, for 23,000 baht, such as an iPad and at the same make a less-than-good product, for 2500 baht, such as a ScoPad?

.

What are the bases for your prices ? What do you get for 23,000 bahts ? I just check the AppleStore, iPad starts at 13,500

And where does this price of 2,000 come from ?

[connda]

....anddddd, no surprises here! I think from the minute the Computer Tablet scheme was released to the news agencies, Thai Visa members were busy predicting this end result.

Yep, the Road to Hell is paved with good intentions.

Ha! Good intentions on the surface. But underneath the underbelly of this scheme is the normal greasy corruption. A few folk got their pockets lined with cash, lots of pictures and hand-shaking and brown-nosing, status seeking was accomplished, and the real losers -- tax payers and children.

Edited October 12, 2012 by connda

[JurgenG]

....anddddd, no surprises here! I think from the minute the Computer Tablet scheme was released to the news agencies, Thai Visa members were busy predicting this end result.

Yep, the Road to Hell is paved with good intentions.

Ha! Good intentions on the surface. But underneath the underbelly of this scheme is the normal greasy corruption. A few folk got their pockets lined with cash, lots of pictures and hand-shaking and brown-nosing, status seeking was accomplished, and the real losers -- tax payers and children.

Anything to back your post ?

Or you just want to illustrate the other thread () with some practical examples ?

[Arkady]

"Songkhla MP Sirichok Sopa said only 700 out of 30,000 schools have wireless Internet connections for the tablets."

LOL

[asiawatcher]

BHT 200M for software creation to block porn? Must have been a lot of software politicians officials engineers involved in this...

[Nickymaster]

BHT 200M for software creation to block porn? Must have been a lot of software politicians officials engineers involved in this...

That's why all the Thai politicians are rich.

[khunken]

I think that a lot of the criticism in this thread is overdone.

Yes, the project was about vote-buying not too different to the Microsoft policy of 'get 'em young & indoctrinated & they'll be ours for life'. But now that it is being implemented one needs to get on with their acceptance.

I reviewed the specs a while ago & they were good based on the price of cB3000 per tablet. The China knockers ignore the fact that no matter what country one uses for manufacture of any good, a cheap price will only get you a cheap product.

The wifi project has only just started so it is ridiculous to expect it to be rolled out every where now.

Not being a teacher, I still don't know if the concept is good or bad for year 1 students. As a computer user of long-standing, I do feel that it is good to get young children involved with modern technology & if it is properly used (a big if), good for their future. I'm sure, however, that it won't be a substitute for the awful Thai education system.

The Nation article is nothing more that a brief opinion piece with nothing to back it up.

[OzMick]

Oh dear, lets start near the beginning shall we, atoms. OK, atom structure, what , neutrons, protons and ah, we're getting somewhere now , electrons. Basic physics. See what the Institute of Physics in collaboration with the Nuffield Foundation thinks

http://www.nuffieldf...uits-and-fields

The subject of sub-atomic physics is as closely related to applied electricity as marine engineering is to hydrology (at least they both involve water). But yes, all sciences overlap.

Now can we return to discussing crap computer tablets that are not being supplied, to schools without wifi and others without electricity, to students who are apparently getting minimal use of them, and whose textbooks were not printed because they had a tablet (or not as the case may be.)

[rollrunna]

i just can not believe they spent 200m bht ( err 4m euro ) to develop anti porn software.... which already exisits in most windows platforms = parental control ( nanny button)....... i suspect the whole shipment of tablets would not have cost that figure....common plueese...perhaps the kids will believe them, no one else will

Edited October 12, 2012 by metisdead
: Font reset,

[Thaddeus]

Regarding the chargers.............

http://www.tradingstandards.gov.uk/products/Electricshocks.cfm

[theajarn]

Private company hired..... THB200 million. That says it all. Let's forget the fact that the crappy electrical system in the schools aren't to blame rather than the cords... or even the 'broken tablets' that require a simple reinstall of the OS to become "un-broken".

THB200 million to prevent something these kids don't even KNOW about.

But that is typical Thai mentality. Our boss just hired a bunch of incompetent f__kwits to "fix" our ICT lab when I had already offered no.. INSISTED that I do it -- for free (and yes... these monkeys still haven't done a proper job and will never get around to it). But hey -- where there are "private companies" (most probably owned by public officials' relatives) there will always be a steady flow of cash.

Next up... the government spends a few hundred billion baht on "fixing" those broken tablets... no doubt another 'private company' will be hired...

[borovik]

so much negatitivety why is it blamed on low quality in China when all said and done apple does most its manufacturing there and considered good quality

Do you do realize that China is capable of producing both a good product, for 23,000 baht, such as an iPad and at the same make a less-than-good product, for 2500 baht, such as a ScoPad?

.

What are the bases for your prices ? What do you get for 23,000 bahts ? I just check the AppleStore, iPad starts at 13,500

And where does this price of 2,000 come from ?

I was in Shenzen last week.Tablet with specification same to OTOC is 2000THB retail loco Shenzen;whole sale? - much less,with such huge order like

OTOC - much!much less.

Do not compare it with Ipad,compare it with product of similar specification.

Thai gov. should open new factory in Thailand and produce tablets here,it makes economical sense and gives jobs.

Ipad is not better - it doesnt have memory slot.You can put new softo in tablet inserting memory card,without acces to internet.

Any school with internet connection can install wi-fi router,they do not need "free wi-fi" from government.(who came here with this brilliant idea? ).

Anybody with internet access can open private,home wi-fi.Public free wi-fi? what do you need it for?Schools do not need it at all.

[Markaew]

This is pathetic. We beat this to death on TV for over six months and now our complaints are coming true. Again, poor decision making by the Thais. Doesn't matter how much you try to warn a Thai, they will plow through regardless.

[Rhys]

Reality is a bear.. how will they spin this next..

[laislica]

and no one saw this coming

You get a larger order of cheap tablets from China

What were people expecting?

On another note, seems pretty stupid to give

them to students then tell them they can only use them

for 2 hours a day and that you cannot take them home.

Perhaps the two hour a day limit was imposed because

they Gov't new they would not last long

“All truth passes through three stages.

First, it is ridiculed.

Second, it is violently opposed.

Third, it is accepted as being self-evident.” -- Arthur Schopenhauer

I hope that the 1-2 hours use per day is to limit the WiFi radiation exposure to the children.

New research is showing WiFi, Smart Phones, Tablets etc pose a serious health risk.

"Pulsed radiation is much more harmful and the true intensity is not provided as it is "averaged" during a period of time (30 minutes for public exposure in US). The average of the pulse (maximum reading) and the minimum reading

gives a false low reading. Engineers like to measure averages but living organisms react to extremes so these average readings under estimate the potential for harm if the radiation is pulsed."

Cell Phone Radiation Declared "Possible Carcinogen"

On May 21, 2011, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), a committee of 27 scientists from 14 different countries working on behalf of the World Health Organization (WHO), concluded that exposure to cell phone radiation is a "possible carcinogen" and classified it into the 2B category. This is the same category as the pesticide DDT, lead, gasoline engine exhaust, burning coal and dry cleaning chemicals, just to name a few.

The group did not perform any new research; rather the decision is based on a review of the previously published evidence, including the Interphone study results published so far (about 50% have still not been released) and the Hardell studies. This is the same evidence that the National Cancer Institute (NCI) and the American Cancer Society (ACS), among others, have previously waved aside; calling it "reassuring," and claiming it showed "no evidence" of harm.

Finally, this international committee of experts has now declared otherwise. Only days before the meeting commenced, a key 'expert', Dr. Anders Albom of the Karolinska Institute, was let go from the expert group after it was revealed he had failed to disclose a potential telecom industry conflict on his WHO conflict-of-interest statement. Anders Albom and others long suspected of ties to the telecom industry had recently been featured in the spoof poster created by activists below, "The Science of the Lambs".

Christopher Wild, Director of IARC, opened the IARC meeting on carcinogenicity of RF calling for scientists to understand the gravity of the upcoming decision for society.

Maybe this aspect of 1 Tablet per child should be looked into?

Just how many years was it that the tobacco industry got away with their lies that Smoking does not damage your health?

AND;

Before you all jump over me to squash these thoughts - TRY GOOGLE FIRST

[kotsak]

Regarding the topic of this thread, does "Mps" refer to "Millions per second"?

Edited October 12, 2012 by kotsak

[JurgenG]

so much negatitivety why is it blamed on low quality in China when all said and done apple does most its manufacturing there and considered good quality

Do you do realize that China is capable of producing both a good product, for 23,000 baht, such as an iPad and at the same make a less-than-good product, for 2500 baht, such as a ScoPad?

.

What are the bases for your prices ? What do you get for 23,000 bahts ? I just check the AppleStore, iPad starts at 13,500

And where does this price of 2,000 come from ?

I was in Shenzen last week.Tablet with specification same to OTOC is 2000THB retail loco Shenzen;whole sale? - much less,with such huge order like

OTOC - much!much less.

Do not compare it with Ipad,compare it with product of similar specification.

Thai gov. should open new factory in Thailand and produce tablets here,it makes economical sense and gives jobs.

Ipad is not better - it doesnt have memory slot.You can put new softo in tablet inserting memory card,without acces to internet.

Any school with internet connection can install wi-fi router,they do not need "free wi-fi" from government.(who came here with this brilliant idea? ).

Anybody with internet access can open private,home wi-fi.Public free wi-fi? what do you need it for?Schools do not need it at all.

I really like this post.

For a lot of poster here, you're not smart if you can't speak perfect english. But here we have a post that asks the right questions, doesn't compare apple and orange and make smart remarks despite a very basic english.

On the other hand 90% of the posts of this thread are just pure rubbish, good english, but total rubbish.

Rant over

[borovik]

i just can not believe they spent 200m bht ( err 4m euro ) to develop anti porn software.... which already exisits in most windows platforms = parental control ( nanny button)....... i suspect the whole shipment of tablets would not have cost that figure....common plueese...perhaps the kids will believe them, no one else will

this software is system to make tablet closed.Tablet can be used only to play installed applications.You are not allowed to install what you want.It is not anti pornoprogram,windows platform doesnt work on android.

If you want to play everything what is available in GooglePlay Store - buy another tablet,there are many available.I suggesst to go for Samsung,Asus,Acer. or Ainol,Cube or Ramos.

Do not spoil school property!

[simple1]

The development of the porn blocking software contract was given to SAP; as said above no idea why they couldn't buy off the shelf software. You would think that the Ministry would already have in place an Enterprise license for porn site blocking software

[Synastry]

I thought this scheme was a huge joke to start with. Unfortunately this joke has made me laugh.

The government has overpaid for the Chinese tablets with pathetic software. I can buy better and cheaper from China on eBay, delivered!

As an IT professional, I won’t go further about this joke as I have too much to say about the government’s mistake wasting so much money.

[phantomfiddler]

I think everyone is missing the point here. The plan worked, the family got back into power, so now make way for the emperor.

[dude007]

You can't make a silk purse out of a pig's ear. Poor choice of hardware

Poor choice of hardware ? Could you please explain ?

I don't say you're wrong, I just would like to have more details about this deal and why do you think the hardware should be considered as the cause of the troubles.

The whole PT-populistic project was wrong right from the start. Never ever believe that students will study harder now with tablet computers... The whole project is meant to keep the poor farmers from the N and NE as dumb as ever for the generation to come. Then vote buying can go on for many years to come and then students will continue to believe that corruption is "normal" and "lying" accepted if it for your own benefit... PT is there for continuing corruption, stealing, and keeping the people dumb by sheer populism! The Shinwatra can and their cronies.... Oh my God!

[OzMick]

I thought this scheme was a huge joke to start with. Unfortunately this joke has made me laugh.

The government has overpaid for the Chinese tablets with pathetic software. I can buy better and cheaper from China on eBay, delivered!

As an IT professional, I won’t go further about this joke as I have too much to say about the government’s mistake wasting so much money.

What you ascribe to stupidity may better be called the corruption factor.

[Rancid]

200 million spend on software to block pornography? How much was spend on educational software?

Consider was it software to block pornography or to block sites regarded as undesirable? Seems the latter occupies the minds more tham the former.

[Ferangled]

so much negatitivety why is it blamed on low quality in China when all said and done apple does most its manufacturing there and considered good quality

Do you do realize that China is capable of producing both a good product, for 23,000 baht, such as an iPad and at the same make a less-than-good product, for 2500 baht, such as a ScoPad?

.

Do you do? realise that China is capable of producing a superior product to the iPad for far less than 23,000 baht but Apple add a considerable mark up?! Have you not considered that you tend to get a considerable discount when ordering in the millions as opposed to over the counter at a fashion victim Apple store?

[Noistar]

Still reckon it's only needed for Skype so their 'education' can begin from afar.

[Dap]

"Some tablets were broken, mainly due to incomplete operating systems. They were sent for repairs, but the exact number of broken tablets was not known."

If not the "exact" number, then how about a close number? Just curious.

Edited October 12, 2012 by Dap

[rbrooks]

Excellent picture depicting the real use of these tablets for Thai students. Watching cartoons!

[karlos]

Is it the power cords, or the various assortment of loose fitting Thai power outlets that are to blame??

[culicine]

200 million spend on software to block pornography? How much was spend on educational software?

It's hardly likely grade 1 (or any primary student for that matter) will have the slightest interest in porn anyway.....maybe it was designed to block teachers who WOULD be taking the tablets home They could have given me the 200 mil to set the safe search in google!