"One Tablet Per Child" tablet manufacturer goes bankrupt

[Scamper]

Another card falls. Bankruptcy comes to the lowest bidder of another Yingluck programme stuffed to the gills with graft - the one-tablet-per-child gambit. And yet, nothing fazes Pheu Thai. It's full steam ahead.

[MMarlow]

Tablets, tables, cancellations and continuations. This article is as clear as mud

Sent from my GT-S7270 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

Only to you it seems.

[robblok]

I had the pleasure of teaching a few lessons in government schools in Chiang Mai a few months ago and met some wonderful teachers and very committed pupils. The conditions of the buildings and the lack of basic textbooks and equipment were lamentable though. If the tablet money had been spent on that and giving the teachers a decent salary it would have provided the major improvement in education that the country so badly needs. On the other hand we live in the IT age and how else are kids to get the tablets? - parents certainly couldn't afford them on 9,000 Baht a month - even assuming they are receiving the minimum wage, which many aren't. Of course the 'bungs' to everyone in the education ministry, would have helped steer their minds into the tablet direction - not many bungs from new desks.

Wow never have thought that I would see an anti government post of this staunch pro government supporter.

I agree fully with the assessment but ask one question then why are you against more anti corruption laws and the punishment of people guilty of corruption. That would clean the system up.

[badmedicine]

Advisor to Minister of Education Kitti Limsakul said on Monday that theShenzhen Yitao Intelligence Control company, the winner of the tablet procurement auction for Grade 1 students in four regions, was closed down on 30 January 2014.

30th January, huh? Am I the only one that wonders why news of this wasn't announced BEFORE the election on Feb 2nd?

Edited February 4, 2014 by badmedicine

[MickeyKnox82]

Yeah suuuurreee! Someone should look very careful who s behind this company and to whom he / shey / they are connected to!

[WhizBang]

Yet another flagship Phua Thai policy goes down the drain. Unfortunately, not really a big surprise.

Now the $64 question is... what happened to the money set aside for the program? Any left? I think a complete audit is called for.

[MMarlow]

Surely people are entitled to know who owns the company/or is connected to it.

According to Bloomberg it's a listed company, easy to check it out.

[MMarlow]

I assume that the due diligence performed by the Yingluck administration was impeccable before they entered into a contract with this fly-by-night Chinese tablet manufacturer.

"Fly-by-night" listed company?

[schietkop]

Paid to much comissions I guess

[1Ping1]

When Thailand spends all the money it does on education and the results are, as most of us know, very sad, this should be noted as the worst form of corruption in the country.

The average Thai kid does not have a chance if this system does not change. Even at the University level (for those that can afford it) degree's are handed out to kids that can barely read.

No, I do not blame the Teachers (Neither Thai or Farong), I admire them "in general" as in public schools they have 45 kids per class and zero tools to work with to have any expectation of achieving much at the end of any given day.

On the surface, the tablets was a great plan. Would have been a great plan if a quality product actually delivered to all as was the initial "intent", at least on paper. Corrupt system though quite simply "STOLE" these kids future to pad their pockets. Any Government that allows this is not seeing the big picture.

I love Thailand. I love Thai people. I do not love the vision of what I see down the road 10-20 years though with the need for computer skills being the core of any educated society.

[KimoMax]

As said before by so many others: "Folow the Money!"

Next maybe the government will propose a new IPhone for everyone.

Oooops.... sorry, they (most or all) already have those.

Next everyone will need a new Digital TV since current standard Analog is being replaced by Digtal TV.

Next government scheme? They will probably find a way for sure.

I can't wait til the change comes and all the peterbd people over this change.

No more Drama and Soap Operas will be seen in the millions of Tin Roof homes or businesses even with a digital tv or converter box becase the digital signal can not penetrate tin (Aluminum) or some metals.

Edited February 4, 2014 by KimoMax

[AdamRich]

Now that is hilarious.

[Thaddeus]

There will be a lot more to this story in the coming days ......

You bet.

Maybe we can have an explanation as to what happened the bankruptcy trustee, and what happened to the reorganization plan as required under Section 87 of the New Chinese Bankruptcy Act. of 1986. This "bankruptcy" will make legal history, because a company just doesn't go bankrupt in China like that. There are legal steps that must be followed, and at the very least, the company's situation would have been known some time ago.

Interesting that this comes after the election, isn't it.

It would also be interesting to find out who owns Intech Thai Technology, the Thai "partner company.

They have an address in Bangkok, phone & fax, and their single email address is gmail.

Make of that what you will.

[ginjag]

Surely people are entitled to know who owns the company/or is connected to it.

According to Bloomberg it's a listed company, easy to check it out.

I guess the prosecutors will have a field day when the names of the Thai part of it is revealed.

See the above post #74

Edited February 4, 2014 by ginjag

[thaimat]

Surely people are entitled to know who owns the company/or is connected to it.

According to Bloomberg it's a listed company, easy to check it out.

A search on Bloomberg, Hoovers, and Dunn & Bradstreet sites yielded no results on Intech Thai Technology. Why is there no news about Jasmine Telecom Systems Plc, the Thai company that was supposed to supply 402,899 tablets? Will they be taking up the slack, now that the China supplier is bailing? As usual, this story has almost no meat in it. Investigative journalism- a very foreign concept here.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Just wondering...

When they open up the Chinese-made tablets here for repair or inspection, does stale, moldy Thai rice fall out???

Just think, it could have been a school lunch AND education program combined into one!!!

[tingtongteesood]

According to some news article Thailand spend the most in the WORLD on education lol

Makes me wonder why I have I pay for everything at my kids semi government school

But that money that goes to the schools, doubtless a lot goes missing along the way to people with sticky fingers. And the total spent on education here is way boosted by the amount of hiso's who send their kids to study maths, science, english, music, art etc. at weekends, some kids are studying 7 days a week ! If you look at it in real terms the amount spent per kid in normal government schools to pay for the teachers, materials etc. is probably not that high in comparison to other Western countries.

[lostinisaan]

Can see the sons and daughters of Anarchy marching through Bangkok's streets, dressed in boy scout uniforms and carrying weapons like water guns.

[Old Man River]

According to some news article Thailand spend the most in the WORLD on education lol

Makes me wonder why I have I pay for everything at my kids semi government school

But that money that goes to the schools, doubtless a lot goes missing along the way to people with sticky fingers. And the total spent on education here is way boosted by the amount of hiso's who send their kids to study maths, science, english, music, art etc. at weekends, some kids are studying 7 days a week ! If you look at it in real terms the amount spent per kid in normal government schools to pay for the teachers, materials etc. is probably not that high in comparison to other Western countries.

I liked the program, despite knowing the possibility of potential corruption. Any government funds at least aimed at kids is good. I have been in Thailand a number of years and while every government talks about education, most of it is talk and no action. Some is better than zero.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

[smedly]

Bankrupt .........yea right another scam gone tits up maybe

I'd be more inclined to say the opposite, a scam that worked perfectly

The money went somewhere, my guess is it did a 180

[scorecard]

And how good / how thorough was the due diligence on the tablet manufacturer now gone bankrupt?

[draftvader]

It didn't work? I am surprised. Well at least they have that well advised rice-pledging scheme to fall back on!

[EyesWideOpen]

A lot of Thai Visa posters saw this coming from a mile away..

1. Rice scam = trail of tears

2. Tablet scam=trail of tears

Well at least the tablet scam will not bankrupt the country....

[cosmont]

If you search this company (Shenzhen Yitao Intelligence Control company) on the internet, it seems has never existed.

Otherwise, the Shenzhen YITOA Intelligence Control company exist.

It is quote on SHZ market !

http://www.bloomberg.com/quote/300131:CH

http://www.hktdc.com/manufacturers-suppliers/Shenzhen-Yitoa-Intelligent-Control-Co-Ltd/en/1X05X0ND/

Following this information here :

http://www.4-traders.com/SHENZHEN-YITOA-INTELLIGEN-9065150/news/ShenZhen-Yitoa-Intelligent-Control-CoLtd--Shenzhen-Yitoa-Terminates-Cooperation-with-Thai-Partner-17738282/

It is not bankrupt company, just the deal with THai company who is end...

Edited February 4, 2014 by cosmont

[Jonmarleesco]

Now there's a surprise.

[belg]

nice one.. give everybody a 2000 b rebate and let them buy the cheapos in big c or tesco ... would work better, no ?

[Valentine]

According to some news article Thailand spend the most in the WORLD on education lol

Makes me wonder why I have I pay for everything at my kids semi government school

But that money that goes to the schools, doubtless a lot goes missing along the way to people with sticky fingers. And the total spent on education here is way boosted by the amount of hiso's who send their kids to study maths, science, english, music, art etc. at weekends, some kids are studying 7 days a week ! If you look at it in real terms the amount spent per kid in normal government schools to pay for the teachers, materials etc. is probably not that high in comparison to other Western countries.

I think they are talking about the money the government allocates to education & does not include how much is spent on private lessons as that would be almost impossible to quantify.

[aimbc]

Wow....wow....wow....I called it. It was obvious when they needed more time. 180 days more days to deliver the product. More than likely, the govt. already deposit more than half, as the company would need the money to purchase the raw goods. The project was already corrupted as they are purchasing low quality tablet for 4,000 baht. At that quantity, they should have got a cheaper price. But definitely the price and quality does not match.

Some one made off with a lot of money that is for sure. And good luck trying to recover the money. Never was any plan to produce the tablet and never any plan to return the money. Good luck trying to go after the Chinese company. And will the Chinese govt help, they probably won't as the bad deal was made, but it was all planned.

[casualbiker]

According to some news article Thailand spend the most in the WORLD on education lol

Makes me wonder why I have I pay for everything at my kids semi government school

But that money that goes to the schools, doubtless a lot goes missing along the way to people with sticky fingers. And the total spent on education here is way boosted by the amount of hiso's who send their kids to study maths, science, english, music, art etc. at weekends, some kids are studying 7 days a week ! If you look at it in real terms the amount spent per kid in normal government schools to pay for the teachers, materials etc. is probably not that high in comparison to other Western countries.

I liked the program, despite knowing the possibility of potential corruption. Any government funds at least aimed at kids is good. I have been in Thailand a number of years and while every government talks about education, most of it is talk and no action. Some is better than zero.

Sent from my iPad using Thaivisa Connect Thailand

I spoke to a Head mistress from a school in Ratchaburi a few months ago. She didn't agree with the tablet program so got the equivalent funds and has fitted out 8 classrooms with computer and interactive white boards. She told me that other schools who haven't had the tablets delivered are following the idea.... the 8 classrooms are for ALL students not just P1.

Much. Much better idea.

Sent from my XT1032 using Thaivisa Connect Thailand mobile app

[Basil B]

I think the thing that worries me is "MADE IN CHINA"

Do they not have lithium cells?

They could burn a hole in a child's pocket, or worse.

Just seen an articular on the news this morning, Cabin crew being trained to deal with self combusting lithium cell in personal portable equipment in flight.

They were blaming cheap copy replacement cells bought on the internet not being test or meeting safety regulation, how they got through the interview without mention China is hilarious.