Greater focus on history and citizens duties

[Lite Beer]

Greater focus on history and citizens duties
Supinda Na Mahachai,
Chuleeporn Aramnet
The Sunday Nation

BANGKOK: -- The Office of Basic Education Commission (Obec) will not separate history and citizen's duties into the basic education's Ninth subject group.

This was because the History and Citizen's Duties Course Development Committee's recent meeting viewed such a move as requiring legal amendments, which could take a long time, and history could not be taught on its own, said senior educator and the committee's chair, Winai Rodjai.

As Obec aims to give more importance to these topics, history would cover 40 hours per year for primary and lower secondary levels and 80 hours for higher secondary level, he said. Citizen's duties will be taught along other three topics - religion, economics and geology - over 80 hours for primary, 120 hours for lower secondary and 240 hours for upper secondary level, he added.

Since citizen's duties would have additional information about rights and liberties, and democracy that would be practical in daily life, it was necessary to add more class hours, he explained. The committee thus would consider taking some of the schools' elective course hours to teach the pupils about citizen's duties via citizenship development activities at 40 hours per year for all levels, he said.

The handbooks for teachers about the additional history content and additional citizen's duties would also be produced, he added.

Obec deputy chief Kamol Rodklai yesterday said that the workshop on the course details would be held at the end of June so that they could be implemented by the second semester of the current academic year.

In accordance with the wishes of the National Council for Peace and Order, Obec said it would separate history and citizen's duties, which is currently included in the Social Studies, Religion, and Culture subject group, into two new subjects so that they could be taught at one class session each per week.

Kamol said that Obec had set out its plan to have students at international schools in Thailand study Thai history. He said that many of these schools currently didn't have this subject on their curriculum, although almost half of the students there were Thai children of wealthy parents. He said the History and Citizen's Duties Course Development Committee would complete the course structure and handbook within two months and, the textbooks should be printed by September and the course be implemented this academic year.

-- The Nation 2014-06-15

[angsta]

Translation: The poor need to know their place and accept the status quo otherwise military jail and *deleted* law/military detention awaits.

[Thai at Heart]

Citizens duties?????

What?

[Neurath]

HIstory and Duties: Syllabus Outline:

Semester 1 Week 1 Wednesday: King Naresuan 1

Semester 1 Week 2 Wedensday: King Naresuan 2

Semester 1 Week 3 Wednesday: King Naresuan 3

Semester 1 Week 3 Wednesday: King Naresuan 4

Semester 1 Week 4 Wednesday: King Naresuan 5

And so on........

[chooka]

Citizens duties?????

What?

It is to know your place in the pecking order, not to question authority and keep your opinions to yourself.

[NongKhaiKid]

I'll bet the history content will be very carefully selected and edited.

[rametindallas]

At US high schools, the subjects are state and US history and Civics. Civics teaches that democracy comes with responsibilities as well as freedoms/rights; something sorely lacking in Thailand today. The ignorant jerks who posted before me have their noses out of joint because they are pissed that their hero, Thaksin, is de-clawed and they will denigrate anything done by the NCPO.

"Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it" - Edmund Burke. Teaching history allows citizens to learn from previous generations' mistakes e.g. thinking populist policies are sustainable a' la Greece. Knowing the history of one's province and nation can lead to understanding of how the system, in place today, came to be and can, also, become a point of pride at what was done right. Teaching civics makes better citizens when those citizens learn that the success of the entire country depends on everyone working together for the common good. Dr. Thaksin did his best to divide North and Northeast from the Southerners, the well-off and middle-class from the poor, the city dwellers from the rural, and the Monarchists from the Republicans. His selfish, personal goals were achieved by the old maxim of 'divide and conquer'. I never saw such divisions until Thaksin fled the country and formed the UDD. What he did is terrible for Thailand and Thai people. A personality cult must never again exist in Thailand and education is the key to preventing another Thaksin.

[Bluespunk]

History when taught well teaches children how to think for themselves. When taught badly, for e.g. just a list of dates and a narrow view of events from the past as gove in the UK wants it taught, it is useless at best and indoctrination at worst.

Edited June 15, 2014 by Bluespunk

[daveAustin]

Indeed, education is key, but subjecting 6 year olds to coloured Thai history is not the way to do it.

The kids are being bored to tears, let alone brainwashed. A bit of *measured* WORLD history beginning at primary level, ok, but not to the detriment of mathematics and English. Science, geography and economics should always come in front of history, but then again those countries that don't really have any -- as per one of the above posters -- seem to feel the need to talk-up and colour their story. Strange.

Edited June 15, 2014 by daveAustin

[NongKhaiKid]

History when taught well teaches children how to think for themselves. When taught badly, for e.g. just a list of dates and a narrow view of events from the past as gove in the UK wants it taught, it is useless at best and indoctrination at worst.

A former gf of mine had a BBA from a rural university, knew her discipline but was not in the least well rounded educationally and was the first to admit it.

In High School her history lessons, such as they were, were only about Thailand and only the positive parts so, for example, she really didn't know much about how the constitutional monarchy came about. As far as world history was concerned she ' had heard ' about some of the major events such as World War II and that was about it. Incidentally she had no geography lessons not even about Thailand.

One of her favourite sayings was " the government doesn't want the people well educated. "

[Emptyset]

History when taught well teaches children how to think for themselves. When taught badly, for e.g. just a list of dates and a narrow view of events from the past as gove in the UK wants it taught, it is useless at best and indoctrination at worst.

I can't stand Gove either but at least history in UK schools will still bear at least a passing resemblance to what actually happened... (hopefully). I can't agree with Rametindallas above at all, I'm afraid. It's better to teach no history at all rather than a history which is more or less pure propaganda.

[Saan]

At US high schools, the subjects are state and US history and Civics. Civics teaches that democracy comes with responsibilities as well as freedoms/rights; something sorely lacking in Thailand today. The ignorant jerks who posted before me have their noses out of joint because they are pissed that their hero, Thaksin, is de-clawed and they will denigrate anything done by the NCPO.

"Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it" - Edmund Burke. Teaching history allows citizens to learn from previous generations' mistakes e.g. thinking populist policies are sustainable a' la Greece. Knowing the history of one's province and nation can lead to understanding of how the system, in place today, came to be and can, also, become a point of pride at what was done right. Teaching civics makes better citizens when those citizens learn that the success of the entire country depends on everyone working together for the common good. Dr. Thaksin did his best to divide North and Northeast from the Southerners, the well-off and middle-class from the poor, the city dwellers from the rural, and the Monarchists from the Republicans. His selfish, personal goals were achieved by the old maxim of 'divide and conquer'. I never saw such divisions until Thaksin fled the country and formed the UDD. What he did is terrible for Thailand and Thai people. A personality cult must never again exist in Thailand and education is the key to preventing another Thaksin.

The points you make about the importance of teaching history are true. But whose version history will be taught? The juntas, the royalists, the democrats or perhaps yours, with your distorted view of Thaksin. Thaksin was far from blameless but he was just one cog in the bizarre mess that is Thai politics. To single him out is to distort Thai history. Anyway, history is written by the victors so we know what will be taught in the classrooms of Thailand.

[Seastallion]

Geology? Surely the article meant geography. And it would certainly be a good thing for Thais to learn some basic geography....that the world is big with hundreds of other countries, some of them bigger and more beautiful than Thailand, for example. Or that Germany does not share a border with New Zealand. Or that Burma is West, Viet Nam is East, and Singapore is South of Thailand. And no, you can't drive from America to Australia; there is a thing called the Pacific Ocean that prevents driving....oh, and that Pacific Ocean, it has thousands of islands inhabited by another sort of kon dam that do not come from Africa. Who knew?

[Tokay]

Citizens duties?????

What?

I know of four current ones:

1) Love the King.

2) Obey and don't question elders or those of higher social standing.

3) Anytime you see a foreigner being attacked by another Thai, run as fast as you can to get a few hits in yourself. Extra points if you use a weapon.

4) Double, triple, and quadruple anything you sell to foreigners.

[rametindallas]

At US high schools, the subjects are state and US history and Civics. Civics teaches that democracy comes with responsibilities as well as freedoms/rights; something sorely lacking in Thailand today. The ignorant jerks who posted before me have their noses out of joint because they are pissed that their hero, Thaksin, is de-clawed and they will denigrate anything done by the NCPO.

"Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it" - Edmund Burke. Teaching history allows citizens to learn from previous generations' mistakes e.g. thinking populist policies are sustainable a' la Greece. Knowing the history of one's province and nation can lead to understanding of how the system, in place today, came to be and can, also, become a point of pride at what was done right. Teaching civics makes better citizens when those citizens learn that the success of the entire country depends on everyone working together for the common good. Dr. Thaksin did his best to divide North and Northeast from the Southerners, the well-off and middle-class from the poor, the city dwellers from the rural, and the Monarchists from the Republicans. His selfish, personal goals were achieved by the old maxim of 'divide and conquer'. I never saw such divisions until Thaksin fled the country and formed the UDD. What he did is terrible for Thailand and Thai people. A personality cult must never again exist in Thailand and education is the key to preventing another Thaksin.

The points you make about the importance of teaching history are true. But whose version history will be taught? The juntas, the royalists, the democrats or perhaps yours, with your distorted view of Thaksin. Thaksin was far from blameless but he was just one cog in the bizarre mess that is Thai politics. To single him out is to distort Thai history. Anyway, history is written by the victors so we know what will be taught in the classrooms of Thailand.

Go ahead, name ONE Thai political leader who has had bigger successes enriching himself and created more divisions in Thai society than Dr. Thaksin during the last 65 years (living memory). I've studied Thai history and there was no single individual, civilian or military who enriched himself more and caused more divisions in society. He made himself a cult figure. Thaksin was not a cog, he was the engine. I noticed you didn't refute even one accusation I made re: Thaksin. Stop being a Thaksin apologist; it makes you look either ignorant or immoral. I didn't single Dr. Thaksin out, either, as I also mentioned the string of populist governments that drove modern Greece to bankruptcy. In any classroom history book, the evils are often softened or glossed over, e.g. Richard Nixon. JFK was a philanderer, while in the White House, but that fact isn't in any classroom history books. No school history book in Thailand would ever be as blunt as I, so you can stop worrying about how Dr. Thaksin will be portrayed in future Thai history books. Historians, on he other hand, will be able to know all the dirty details because things get reported now. When the NCPO finishes uncovering all the corruption of Dr. Thaksin's last puppet government (PTP), his reputation, even among the rural poor of the Northeast, will be diminished even further. Too many ignorant people still believe that only one man can save Thailand; that 'cult of personality' must be ended for democracy to bloom. Of course, all those details won't be discussed in any great detail in any Thai history book because of 'krieng jai' (unwillingness to offend).

[chainarong]

It seems that the education department is taking over the roll of parents with the introduction of citizens duties , this should be the domain of parents, children should be brought up to be seen not heard , we all know this is B/S, but there-in lies a problem , children are being heard and for or the wrong reasons, everywhere in the world ,not only in Thailand, respect and curtsy, has been replaced by indifference and what's new on face/book.

[jaltsc]

"Citizen's duties will be taught along other three topics - religion, economics and geology..."

How about the topic of being a responsible parent and supporting the children one is responsible for bringing into this world? If men aren't willing to take on the duty of being responsible for their own families, why would one expect them to be responsible citizens? One cannot change the present situation by changing course curriculum. It is the prevailing mindset which needs to be addressed.

Maybe when the following headline appears in Thai newspapers, there will be hope of citizens taking more responsibility for every aspect of the country's well being:

"More dads demand equal custody rights"

http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/06/14/fathers-day-divorce-custody-partner-husbands-wives/10225085/

Edited June 15, 2014 by jaltsc

[UbonRatch]

It really is no surprise the education system/curriculums are in such a mess, when you have crack-pots like these running the show.

History and Religious Studies should be stand alone subjects, not mixed into Social Studies and Citizen Duties (Wut?)....

Although Religion has always been considered a 'doss' subject, and a relaxing 50 minutes, it still conveys morals and 'duties' to be undertaken as just ways of living.

New books in September, after just making the decision. Wow! A lot of thought and psychological development processes will be put into those books then! Not!

Poor show!!

[UbonRatch]

"Citizen's duties will be taught along other three topics - religion, economics and geology..."

Aye.... the latter being the study of rocks. That's highly <deleted>ing useful.

[noitom]

They should subtract hours and substitute quality and information. For example, Thais don't comprehend the meaning of "individual freedom" and freedom of choice. That would be a good start.

[Saan]

At US high schools, the subjects are state and US history and Civics. Civics teaches that democracy comes with responsibilities as well as freedoms/rights; something sorely lacking in Thailand today. The ignorant jerks who posted before me have their noses out of joint because they are pissed that their hero, Thaksin, is de-clawed and they will denigrate anything done by the NCPO.

"Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it" - Edmund Burke. Teaching history allows citizens to learn from previous generations' mistakes e.g. thinking populist policies are sustainable a' la Greece. Knowing the history of one's province and nation can lead to understanding of how the system, in place today, came to be and can, also, become a point of pride at what was done right. Teaching civics makes better citizens when those citizens learn that the success of the entire country depends on everyone working together for the common good. Dr. Thaksin did his best to divide North and Northeast from the Southerners, the well-off and middle-class from the poor, the city dwellers from the rural, and the Monarchists from the Republicans. His selfish, personal goals were achieved by the old maxim of 'divide and conquer'. I never saw such divisions until Thaksin fled the country and formed the UDD. What he did is terrible for Thailand and Thai people. A personality cult must never again exist in Thailand and education is the key to preventing another Thaksin.

The points you make about the importance of teaching history are true. But whose version history will be taught? The juntas, the royalists, the democrats or perhaps yours, with your distorted view of Thaksin. Thaksin was far from blameless but he was just one cog in the bizarre mess that is Thai politics. To single him out is to distort Thai history. Anyway, history is written by the victors so we know what will be taught in the classrooms of Thailand.

Go ahead, name ONE Thai political leader who has had bigger successes enriching himself and created more divisions in Thai society than Dr. Thaksin during the last 65 years (living memory). I've studied Thai history and there was no single individual, civilian or military who enriched himself more and caused more divisions in society. He made himself a cult figure. Thaksin was not a cog, he was the engine. I noticed you didn't refute even one accusation I made re: Thaksin. Stop being a Thaksin apologist; it makes you look either ignorant or immoral. I didn't single Dr. Thaksin out, either, as I also mentioned the string of populist governments that drove modern Greece to bankruptcy. In any classroom history book, the evils are often softened or glossed over, e.g. Richard Nixon. JFK was a philanderer, while in the White House, but that fact isn't in any classroom history books. No school history book in Thailand would ever be as blunt as I, so you can stop worrying about how Dr. Thaksin will be portrayed in future Thai history books. Historians, on he other hand, will be able to know all the dirty details because things get reported now. When the NCPO finishes uncovering all the corruption of Dr. Thaksin's last puppet government (PTP), his reputation, even among the rural poor of the Northeast, will be diminished even further. Too many ignorant people still believe that only one man can save Thailand; that 'cult of personality' must be ended for democracy to bloom. Of course, all those details won't be discussed in any great detail in any Thai history book because of 'krieng jai' (unwillingness to offend).

The bitter hatred that you demonstrate for Thaksin when espoused by Thais is part of the problem. That is why I suggested moving on and looking for a solution. A new way. Ranting about the evils of Thaksin is not going to solve anything, it is divisive.

[cloudhopper]

History when taught well teaches children how to think for themselves. When taught badly, for e.g. just a list of dates and a narrow view of events from the past as gove in the UK wants it taught, it is useless at best and indoctrination at worst.

I can't stand Gove either but at least history in UK schools will still bear at least a passing resemblance to what actually happened... (hopefully). I can't agree with Rametindallas above at all, I'm afraid. It's better to teach no history at all rather than a history which is more or less pure propaganda.

Really - how do you know what actually happened?

In the USA in the 60's we were taught about heroic Christian settlers battling heathen savages and concepts like "manifest destiny" and "we owe the national debt to ourselves", all while being forced to pledge our allegiance to a nation "under God".

It's the same BS in every country.

[FangFerang]

"history could not be taught on its own"

That speaks several volumes.

[cmsally]

Until anything can be taught with the freedom to ask questions and have a truthful and diverse discussion you are wasting your time.

[fab4]

Go ahead, name ONE Thai political leader who has had bigger successes enriching himself and created more divisions in Thai society than Dr. Thaksin during the last 65 years (living memory). I've studied Thai history and there was no single individual, civilian or military who enriched himself more and caused more divisions in society. He made himself a cult figure. Thaksin was not a cog, he was the engine. I noticed you didn't refute even one accusation I made re: Thaksin. Stop being a Thaksin apologist; it makes you look either ignorant or immoral. I didn't single Dr. Thaksin out, either, as I also mentioned the string of populist governments that drove modern Greece to bankruptcy. In any classroom history book, the evils are often softened or glossed over, e.g. Richard Nixon. JFK was a philanderer, while in the White House, but that fact isn't in any classroom history books. No school history book in Thailand would ever be as blunt as I, so you can stop worrying about how Dr. Thaksin will be portrayed in future Thai history books. Historians, on he other hand, will be able to know all the dirty details because things get reported now. When the NCPO finishes uncovering all the corruption of Dr. Thaksin's last puppet government (PTP), his reputation, even among the rural poor of the Northeast, will be diminished even further. Too many ignorant people still believe that only one man can save Thailand; that 'cult of personality' must be ended for democracy to bloom. Of course, all those details won't be discussed in any great detail in any Thai history book because of 'krieng jai' (unwillingness to offend).

You've studied Thai history, have you? Ever heard of Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat?

[Stradavarius37]

<script type='text/javascript'>window.mod_pagespeed_start = Number(new Date());</script>

At US high schools, the subjects are state and US history and Civics. Civics teaches that democracy comes with responsibilities as well as freedoms/rights; something sorely lacking in Thailand today. The ignorant jerks who posted before me have their noses out of joint because they are pissed that their hero, Thaksin, is de-clawed and they will denigrate anything done by the NCPO.

"Those who don't know history are doomed to repeat it" - Edmund Burke. Teaching history allows citizens to learn from previous generations' mistakes e.g. thinking populist policies are sustainable a' la Greece. Knowing the history of one's province and nation can lead to understanding of how the system, in place today, came to be and can, also, become a point of pride at what was done right. Teaching civics makes better citizens when those citizens learn that the success of the entire country depends on everyone working together for the common good. Dr. Thaksin did his best to divide North and Northeast from the Southerners, the well-off and middle-class from the poor, the city dwellers from the rural, and the Monarchists from the Republicans. His selfish, personal goals were achieved by the old maxim of 'divide and conquer'. I never saw such divisions until Thaksin fled the country and formed the UDD. What he did is terrible for Thailand and Thai people. A personality cult must never again exist in Thailand and education is the key to preventing another Thaksin.

The points you make about the importance of teaching history are true. But whose version history will be taught? The juntas, the royalists, the democrats or perhaps yours, with your distorted view of Thaksin. Thaksin was far from blameless but he was just one cog in the bizarre mess that is Thai politics. To single him out is to distort Thai history. Anyway, history is written by the victors so we know what will be taught in the classrooms of Thailand.

Your reducing Thaksin's role and influence after the fact to make him less culpable is also revisionist history - pot, kettle, black.

[Robby nz]

Was wondering what sort of history will be taught in red schools ?

[cmsally]

Go ahead, name ONE Thai political leader who has had bigger successes enriching himself and created more divisions in Thai society than Dr. Thaksin during the last 65 years (living memory). I've studied Thai history and there was no single individual, civilian or military who enriched himself more and caused more divisions in society. He made himself a cult figure. Thaksin was not a cog, he was the engine. I noticed you didn't refute even one accusation I made re: Thaksin. Stop being a Thaksin apologist; it makes you look either ignorant or immoral. I didn't single Dr. Thaksin out, either, as I also mentioned the string of populist governments that drove modern Greece to bankruptcy. In any classroom history book, the evils are often softened or glossed over, e.g. Richard Nixon. JFK was a philanderer, while in the White House, but that fact isn't in any classroom history books. No school history book in Thailand would ever be as blunt as I, so you can stop worrying about how Dr. Thaksin will be portrayed in future Thai history books. Historians, on he other hand, will be able to know all the dirty details because things get reported now. When the NCPO finishes uncovering all the corruption of Dr. Thaksin's last puppet government (PTP), his reputation, even among the rural poor of the Northeast, will be diminished even further. Too many ignorant people still believe that only one man can save Thailand; that 'cult of personality' must be ended for democracy to bloom. Of course, all those details won't be discussed in any great detail in any Thai history book because of 'krieng jai' (unwillingness to offend).

You've studied Thai history, have you? Ever heard of Field Marshal Sarit Thanarat?

Some of the parallels to Sarit at the moment are eerily too close for comfort. The fact that this can happen now and even partially be accepted shows a massive failure with regards the education system and civil society as a whole.

[Thaddeus]

"Citizen's duties will be taught along other three topics - religion, economics and geology..."

Aye.... the latter being the study of rocks. That's highly <deleted>ing useful.

I'm pretty sure that they meant Geography.

I've asked several Thai teachers of P and M level about the subject of Geology ((ธรณี วิทยา (tor-rá-nee wít-tá-yaa)).... most knew about it, none had seen it on a curriculum.

It's a little bit more than just studying rocks btw.

[willem1946]

Please let this country make his own mistakes, I bet in your country they have learn from that too, however if I read all the stories here I have my doubts.