"One Tablet Per Child" tablet manufacturer goes bankrupt

[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.

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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.

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Good with me. I have been involved with charity work in Thailand for many, many years and seen so little done by governments of every political party. Teachers want to teach and want help. Really, there aren't that many success stories, and many of them don't come from government support.

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[theoldgit]

Offensive miss spelling of name removed.

[a99az]

Thankfuly my two girls are now in an English school and have great teachers and equipment. So diferent to there last school in Thailand. Just wish it was warmer,.

[Thait Spot]

How bizarre this is.

Rice deal cancelled

Tablet deal bankrupt

Chinese connection

All above board of course

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[Sunderland]

Disgraceful waste of time and money. Everyone with even a few brain cells knew what would happen. You can dig up umpteen negative posts about this scam from 1-2 years ago. Shambolic. This 'Mickey Mouse' government deserves all the headaches it is suffering now.

[rubl]

I'ts not really the 4 or 5 billion Baht spent over two or three years, peanuts compared to the 400 billion on rice scheme. No, it's the lost opportunity. Private schools use tablet PCs regularly as another means to teach and to seek input / attendance from the kids / students. Modernisation of the school curriculum, etc., etc.

The Thai education system and especially Thai kids loose out again, at least those whose parents can't afford private schools. The gap between have and have-nots is growing again. Thanks to the 'people minded' Thaksin thinks Pheu Thai led government.

[lucifer666]

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.

School PCs are the way to go. We had those as far back as the 1980s (BBC Microcomputers & Acorn Electrons!) and they are fine, you just have to wait your turn, but you can read books while you wait. I personally liked books better (and still do!)

One or two PCs per class is fine. At my school we had a couple of library PCs, and one PC per class, and lots of books. And learning standards were perfectly acceptable. We also learned to queue up to use the PCs, respect other students' rights, and to use our allotted computer time wisely. All useful adult skills.

You are totally right that this money (and a lot more besides) should be spent on school buildings, new books, and school workers. And just get a few basic PCs.

The idea of owning your own personal tech is something you work towards as an adult, same as mopeds cars etc. It isn't a human-right and it certainly isn't in a nation with mass-poverty and pressing infrastructure concerns.

I still own a BBC Master 128, and it still works. Even the best PCs today can't match the Acorn version of Space Invaders lol

[RubbaJohnny]

Moses had the idea,keep taking the tablets

[retsdon]

Yet another gimmicky failure on the part of PTP just waiting and ready for a proper opposition party to exploit at the polls. Pity for Thailand that there's no democratic opposition anymore.

[fleeing]

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...

Great find. So the Ministry of Education is telling 'white lies' too.

Are the benefactors of this scheme folding now before the NACC get their teeth into it?

[Showbags]

Tablet never worked. My son got one last year. It turned on for a few minutes then turned off. Got a new one. Turned on for 30 minutes, was full of Lite educational programs. Never lasted longer than 10 minutes.

Complete garbage, useless and no one uses them in class. This company and the greased palms need to be investigated.

So a bit like them bomb detectors...but for kids.

[wealth]

oh my. What a technical withdrawing from that program. The Thai gov announced already that it will cancel I think in March or April. A gallant way out of responsibility. Did the Chinese company really go bankrupt? I doubt it.

[looping]

Let's see if they can 'brainstorm' their way out of this!

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[looping]

Yet another gimmicky failure on the part of PTP just waiting and ready for a proper opposition party to exploit at the polls. Pity for Thailand that there's no democratic opposition anymore.

A failure of the PTP but not a failure for PTP. Got them in power. The rest is history, hopefully to be uncovered in the future.

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[attento]

Maybe the budget for Tablets can now be redirected to rice farmers, who are probably the parents and grandparents of many of the children.

Those rice farmers always needed the money far more than their children and grandchildren ever needed Tablets.

Edited February 4, 2014 by attento

[MaiChai]

I recon the Thai government could be a slippery customer to deal with

[casualbiker]

According to the Bkk....post. The company has canceled the contract themselves. They haven't gone bankrupt .. probably canceled to ENSURE they WOULDN'T!

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[Somtamnication]

Let's see if they can 'brainstorm' their way out of this!

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They are the biggest bu11sh1ters in the world. Trust me, they will find a way.

[slapout]

If a company is to bid on a project for any government project that is above board, there4 are several steps that must be taken.

1. Said company shows desire to bid and pays for bid documents with techinacal requirements of equipment to be furnished

2. Said company reviews documents, determines if their product meets/exceeds requirements, can meet shipment requirements, etc

3. Purchaser/government of Thailand in this case calls for a 'techinal tender', to satisfy themselves and bidders that the possible bidders can supply what is requested/needed as per specs.

4. Those companies deemed qualified make formal bid with a bid bond supplied to guarentee they will follow thru if they are awarded the bid.

5. Bids are opened. winner declared, and subsquently the winning bid company presents a preformance bond to guarentee their delivery of material, support, etc involved.The bid bond documents are returned to bidders. and the project is underway and a 'letter of credit' for payment of product is issued by the purchaser.via banking system to the credit of supplier upon satisfactory delivory., service, etc.

Thailand has, in the past, has used Thai agents as the go between for the government and the supplier (sometimes several agents), due to national rules and possibly to facilitate corruption.

The 'tablet' scam apparently followed none of these normal business practices, with the exception of the agents and the numbers of same. Then to make a payment of front money for delivery of product, in this case, is a undeniable abuse of the system, and the steps to safeguard the tax dollars being thrown about, in an attempt to hide their ultimate destination.

That, my friends, is one way corruption works in the land of smiles and there are a few more, if anyone one is really inerested.

[TallGuyJohninBKK]

Well, there's always the standard....

The government awards you a contract for X amount, and during the bidding process, the contractor is clearly informed that to win they will need to return 25 or 30% of the value back to specified individuals/accounts.

[tabletmid]

what a said thing. It is a common thing that a tablet manufacturer goes bankrupt. Everyday there are new companies and there are some being closed for economic and financial problem

[american12bthai]

ya guys, im reminiscing about our old government. all the laughs they given us over the years. what did this idea actually turn out to be? one Porsche Per Politician? One Mia Noi Per Man? who didnt see this one coming?

If i had everyone in one room id ask about this.

its a straight out robbery.

its not the tablet.... its the software. only an IDIOT would start with the tablet dev.

but the best way to siphon money would be raw materials. many many many transactions.

obviously somebodys been reading books.