Does your partner know who Nelson Mandela was?

[toybits]

Persons who are important to the West are not important to the East. Asians might not know who Konrad Adenauer is but to Germans, he is a very important person. To Asians, Gandhi might be more important, or Ramon Magsaysay, or Ho Chi Min. Your question seems to imply that what is important to the West - should also be important to the East. But Alas! Such is not the case.

[toybits]

Ask Thais whether they are familiar with Bob Marley or John Lennon. I am pretty sure Thais will be familiar with those persons.

[NanLaew]

By the same token, the late Nelson Mandela never knew the amazingly beautiful, incredibly clever and awesomely talented Mrs NanLaew either.

Or me for that matter.

PS. Our son, despite his better schooling, still reckons Spiderman is the best ever although he is suddenly aware that there's a Santa and we DO NOT have a bloody chimney!.

[mmh8]

was'nt he just the cause of people to wear badges and write slogans on bags at school and college to look fashionable 30 yrs ago? I figured it was the passing fad.

[soomak]

My partner wouldn't know who he was just as I wouldn't know the majority of popular leaders in Asia, Australia, South America or the Middle East. It's not great we don't know these things, it's just that you have to focus on what affects your life. I read about the World Wars and Cold War leaders out of my own personal interest. Most people in the West wouldn't know most of these either. Ask a young westerner who was President of the US in the Early 60's and they'd still scratch their heads.

You are mixing apples and oranges here...

Nobody expects a Thai to know who the current Australian president is, or who was the American president in 1958.

Nelson Mandela was (and still is) an icon, at the same level as Martin Luther King, Gandhi and the Dalai Lama. He was someone that you just can't miss if you've watched the news and read newspapers over the past 25 years.

I certainly don't know who the current South African or even British leader is, but I certainly know about Nelson Mandella.

[Om85]

I dont see why she should know who nelson mandela was or why is that relevant for her, I admire him for his fight but for me nelson mandela is just one among many others.

I agree that the educational system of Thailand sucks but what is relevant and important to know for westerners is not necesary relevant for asians. I just wonder how many

people in the west know who Rama V was?

[Crazy chef 1]

_{No. I did ask her but she did had no Idea. I doubt very much that she or indeed many Thai folks have ever been told. only last night she asked me. Why he go to prison.}

She is only 45 so she would be young when it was big news.

I don't think many in Thailand care what goes on outside. Too much going on inside. Sad really but that's the way it is.

Mark Bolan. T Rex i have to admit I did go to see him twice. Ride a white swan was probably his biggest hit. Mini"s and trees do not mix well.

She does know about Fredy Murcury. Only because I have told her and she likes his music. Understandable that Thai folks would not know about Farang Pop groups. But Nelson Mandela Quite another thing.

Thailand could do with a man like him at this very moment.

same " well" as south africa did and is stil doing?

[thailiketoo]

What country do you come from? What percent of the population has more than 12 years of education? Name one course in the first 12 years of education in your country that teaches the mind how to think?

No one wanted my opinion on anything in education till I got to graduate school and then most professors still said, "shut up and listen."

How many medical professors or aviation instructors do you want asking students how to perform brain surgery or land an airplane?

There is little censorship of international non Thai news in Thailand and it is easily available on TV and the INTERNET.

Freedom of the press? Canada #20, UK #29, Japan #53, Thailand #135, Indonesia #139, India #140, Singapore #149, Burma #151, Laos # 168, Cuba #171.

http://en.rsf.org/press-freedom-index-2013,1054.html

U.S.

Don't know what % have more than 12 years of school.

Discussions in class were common in grade school Jr high and high school.

Discussions about history and historic figures and why they did or didn't do things.

High school physics was superb and there was lote of interaction, debate, discussion and stimulus for critical thinking.

Perhaps you should have attended a different graduate school. Both my graduate and post-grad experience was more intellectually challenging and stimulating than the experience you describe.

It is quite normal for medical professors to do just that as well as interact and instruct and challenge students.

The internet is fairly open in thailand but the overwhelming bulk of knowledge is not in the thai language. Thais would need adequate command of a mainstream language and

intellectual curiosity enough to keep their attention and interest. I am not referring to exceptional thai's but to the masses.

"Unmotivated and incurious – a negative side of the Thai culture" http://thaiwomantalks.com/2012/03/23/the-sorry-state-of-thai-education-part-4-dismal-english-language-education/

from thai academic

I don't want to move too far afield but you said US. Well 50% of the adults in Detroit are functionally illiterate.

I asked you for any courses that taught the mind how to think. You didn't give me any.

Then you pointed out that Thailand has a problem learning English. I have never seen in an English course anything but rote memorization and practice, practice, practice.

You are only repeating an old saw that Thai students are not taught how to think. At least they are taught something. In Detroit there is no teaching rote or otherwise and in Thailand's biggest spoken of defect on Thai Visa, English, it would do no good to be involved in critical thinking, it's simply memorization.

But I agree Thailand's education system needs something. More rote learning of English and mathematics. And less fru fru, be creative, marketing ladies, politicians or dancing instructors. If one could break education into two categories, Arts and Science. Thailand has enough Arts and needs 90% more rote learned engineering skills. rote learned quality control skills, rote learned plumbing skills, rote learned electrician skills.

How much creativity or critical thinking skills does a plumber need? Does Thailand need good plumbers?

I don't give flying F if they know who Mandela was. I want them to know how to wire an electric heater in my shower to a ground (earth). I don't care if the dishwasher knows who Winnie Mandela was I want him to know how to wash a dish and not give me diarrhea. Now last I checked a ground is a ground and a clean plate is a clean plate and rote learning over and over again is the best way to teach those things.