Thais advised to learn more about Asean countries

[laobali]

Thai people should be encouraged to learn about the world.

That's more or less what the ambassador said, referring to ASEAN, but how or by whom?

[ginjag]

Best to start simply by getting them to know where Thailand is first.

Very few could point Thailand out on a blank map, try it for yourselves.

Once they know where they are and have some idea of its size....

...then other countries can be introduced one by one, until all ASEAN members are covered.

Might take a while

The concept of map reading is alien to most Thais. Try and get directions from one.

Try explaining the whereabouts of a place not far off, " to the traffic lights, turn right, straight on and at a gold shop turn left and the place is 50 meters on the left" IT WILL DO THEIR HEAD IN...............no vision.

[thailiketoo]

How can you expect Thai people to understand their neighbours when so many understand so little about their own country. This is not the fault of the individuals, it's the result of being a third world country slowly emerging into the real world. As an ex university lecturer I have seem first hand the complete lack of knowledge of many of the country students regarding Thailand, many students haven't ventured more than a days travel from their home base, have never been the Bangkok, Chiang Mai etc. and many have no desire to go there anyway.

Edited to add: That's if they could afford such a trip.

Bangkok to Chiang Mai by bus 300- 400 baht.

[cracker1]

Can I suggest that the Thai Government, through their offices all over the country ,start using there Television sets that are consistently showing "Thai Sop Opera's" to educate their staff and customers about ASEAN and perhaps the English language. Perhaps to entertain a little they could also show some Thai history and nature programs as well ?

[laobali]

When the classroom globes are all blacked over except the country of Thailand, there can be no hope at all for the future.

I have visited or worked in 300 classrooms in Thailand and never seen one with the globe blacked out.

But they may as well be. Who would ever dare to ask why? Asking questions is not encouraged.

[thailiketoo]

When the classroom globes are all blacked over except the country of Thailand, there can be no hope at all for the future.

I have visited or worked in 300 classrooms in Thailand and never seen one with the globe blacked out.

But they may as well be. Who would ever dare to ask why? Asking questions is not encouraged.

Spend some time in a Thai classroom. No problem asking why. That is an inaccurate stereotype.

Good Thai teachers encourage asking questions bad Thai teachers don't. The standards of literacy in Thailand are much higher than say, Detroit.

[wabothai]

start with thinking equality.

[Hawk]

Thai people should be encouraged to learn about the world.

That's more or less what the ambassador said, referring to ASEAN, but how or by whom?

I will do an hour TV show everyday if they pay me.

[Artisi]

How can you expect Thai people to understand their neighbours when so many understand so little about their own country. This is not the fault of the individuals, it's the result of being a third world country slowly emerging into the real world. As an ex university lecturer I have seem first hand the complete lack of knowledge of many of the country students regarding Thailand, many students haven't ventured more than a days travel from their home base, have never been the Bangkok, Chiang Mai etc. and many have no desire to go there anyway.

Edited to add: That's if they could afford such a trip.

Bangkok to Chiang Mai by bus 300- 400 baht.

Not much is it, when you can afford it?

But bear in mind, many of the rural kids are at university only because their parents have hocked the farm to the eye-balls - and Bht 400 is Bht 400, for some this could well be half their weekly allowance to feed themselves.

[KhnomKhnom]

Thai do not seem to understand that they are nearly WEST Germany about to be united with EAST Germany. Thailand is the well developed, mostly modern nation surrounded by those of lesser development. On one side is a nasty situation of decades of severe repression, on another a lost land still devastated by war, and another a place run by a strong-man dictator type, and near by is communism--of some form--and the alien behaving Muslim states.

And then there is Singapore?

It would be so helpful to read a scholarly estimate of the effect of oncoming ASEAN agreements on Thailand. Do Thai have a sense of what is about to hit them? I would like to read that.

[Lupatria]

Wow, now it is official: Thailand has neighbors! We don't exactly know where but the first step is made.

[thailiketoo]

How can you expect Thai people to understand their neighbours when so many understand so little about their own country. This is not the fault of the individuals, it's the result of being a third world country slowly emerging into the real world. As an ex university lecturer I have seem first hand the complete lack of knowledge of many of the country students regarding Thailand, many students haven't ventured more than a days travel from their home base, have never been the Bangkok, Chiang Mai etc. and many have no desire to go there anyway.

Edited to add: That's if they could afford such a trip.

Bangkok to Chiang Mai by bus 300- 400 baht.

Not much is it, when you can afford it?

But bear in mind, many of the rural kids are at university only because their parents have hocked the farm to the eye-balls - and Bht 400 is Bht 400, for some this could well be half their weekly allowance to feed themselves.

I just got back from MacDonald's and Starbucks in a small Southern Thai town, watching all of the Uni girls plug Galaxy tablets into the free outlets as they ate 100 baht French fries with 100 baht desserts and 100 baht coffee.

Did you leave Thailand a long time ago?

[thailiketoo]

Wow, now it is official: Thailand has neighbors! We don't exactly know where but the first step is made.

Thais are taught about their neighbors and are very well aware of them. That's where they get all of the negative stereotypes from. Ask any Thai about Burmese or Khmer's. Lao and Thai are close to the same language and they all know that. There are many towns in Thailand where Khmer is also spoken like Surin and the surrounding countryside.

[Jim walker]

So who was not paying attention during Geography lessons at school Republic of the Union of Myanmar was run down with a Military Junta taking over from 1962 until 2011 [ a warning to all ] but now the Junta is more or less gone it becomes a reasonably good place to invest our hard earned money.

[spidermike007]

Education, research, geography, world history, geopolitics, and the curiosity required to embrace these areas, is a beautiful thing. It benefits all nations, and all people. The generations of politicians that inflicted a nationalist agenda on Thailand, to further their small minded agendas, were tiny men, with tiny hearts, and were completely lacking in vision and wisdom. The disservice they did to their countrymen is being felt to this day. And the fact that the elite want to deny quality education to the masses is not helping anything. Yes, this guy is right. But, where do you start? What percentage of Thai teachers could find Bulgaria on a map? How about Burkina Faso? How do you get Thais to start reading? To pick up books? To do real research, without an agenda. Only to expand their minds? Where do you start?

[vogie]

I can't remember ever seeing a Thai read a book.

I have, but there are none so blind as those who will not see

[laobali]

Thai do not seem to understand that they are nearly WEST Germany about to be united with EAST Germany. Thailand is the well developed, mostly modern nation surrounded by those of lesser development. On one side is a nasty situation of decades of severe repression, on another a lost land still devastated by war, and another a place run by a strong-man dictator type, and near by is communism--of some form--and the alien behaving Muslim states.

And then there is Singapore?

It would be so helpful to read a scholarly estimate of the effect of oncoming ASEAN agreements on Thailand. Do Thai have a sense of what is about to hit them? I would like to read that.

Agreed. I don't know what the effects are likely to be either, but I suspect change will be gradual, like most things in the region. Years, maybe.

[Oziex1]

They can start buy unearthing their faces from their smartphones and tablets first.

Everyone around the world is doing this now, some can still learn and in spite of these toys realise there is an outside world.

[thailiketoo]

The OP says Thais should learn about, "Asean security community." What is that?

My interpretation would be you all better ally yourselves with America or China is going t take your water and islands but I suspect that won't happen and the ASEAN will find out the hard way about the nice Chinese neighbors.

[belg]

do one hour of world news instead of those daily prayers & praises

[trainman34014]

How can you expect Thai people to understand their neighbours when so many understand so little about their own country. This is not the fault of the individuals, it's the result of being a third world country slowly emerging into the real world. As an ex university lecturer I have seem first hand the complete lack of knowledge of many of the country students regarding Thailand, many students haven't ventured more than a days travel from their home base, have never been the Bangkok, Chiang Mai etc. and many have no desire to go there anyway.

Edited to add: That's if they could afford such a trip.

Yup; i live in a village six miles South of CM, which is surrounded by numerous other rural village's. Large numbers of the locals have never been to Bangkok and several have never even been into the center of CM. Many villagers work seven days a week to make enough to support their families and never, ever take a holiday to go anywhere, even if they could afford to.

Basically poor Thai's are very insular and have little interest in anything else but their 'own little world '. Most have never even heard of Asean and have zero knowledge of what it is likely to mean.

[Pundi6446]

In other words, get out of the 3rd world quagmire they are in, and start living in the 21st century.

[Local Drunk]

Start with finding Thailand on a world map...

[Oziex1]

In other words, get out of the 3rd world quagmire they are in, and start living in the 21st century.

Do the dirt poor farmers rely give a damn about the rest of the world, why should they.

We know what's required education and real leadership at the national level. Leadership to bring all Thai people into the 21st century.

[Emster23]

Can I suggest that the Thai Government, through their offices all over the country ,start using there Television sets that are consistently showing "Thai Sop Opera's" to educate their staff and customers about ASEAN and perhaps the English language. Perhaps to entertain a little they could also show some Thai history and nature programs as well ?

They would have to do it on all channels like they do with the program about Royal family. Otherwise alternative show would have through the roof ratings.

[thailiketoo]

How can you expect Thai people to understand their neighbours when so many understand so little about their own country. This is not the fault of the individuals, it's the result of being a third world country slowly emerging into the real world. As an ex university lecturer I have seem first hand the complete lack of knowledge of many of the country students regarding Thailand, many students haven't ventured more than a days travel from their home base, have never been the Bangkok, Chiang Mai etc. and many have no desire to go there anyway.

Edited to add: That's if they could afford such a trip.

Yup; i live in a village six miles South of CM, which is surrounded by numerous other rural village's. Large numbers of the locals have never been to Bangkok and several have never even been into the center of CM. Many villagers work seven days a week to make enough to support their families and never, ever take a holiday to go anywhere, even if they could afford to.

Basically poor Thai's are very insular and have little interest in anything else but their 'own little world '. Most have never even heard of Asean and have zero knowledge of what it is likely to mean.

How many Thais live in Bangkok? Is there a larger city in Thailand that I don't know about? How can you say Thais are insular and have little interest in anything else? Have you forgotten where the red shirts came from? I think you should say that the few Thais that you know as opposed to generalizing about most Thais.

[thailiketoo]

Start with finding Thailand on a world map...

Who do you think does not know where Thailand is on a world map?

[city]

Every other day somebody rolls out a statement about ASEAN which tells me that come 2015 Thailand will not fully enter ASEAN , for a reason not yet known......"but look we tried to be ready".

[rametindallas]

I can't remember ever seeing a Thai read a book.

Me, either, but there are a lot of book stores and I do see Thais in there, so some Thais must read books.

[rametindallas]

I'm farang and would also like to learn more about ASEAN, but that doesn't seem possible. They have a web site, but that is useless. I emailed them with my questions, but have not had a reply in about 2 weeks.

For example:

1. Will Cambodians be able to come into the contry legally to work when ASEAN applies?

2. Will we be able to drive a car over the borders into ASEAN countries?

3. Will the buses be able to drive from Bangkok directly to locations in ASEAN counties (like Sieam Reap) without having to change vehicles? (Of course after doing immigration and customs control.)

4. Will it be like the EU where one can go into one country and then travel around in any ASEAN countries seamlessly?

5. All you ever read about is how Thais generally don't speak as good English as peoples of other ASEAN countries. That seems to be the main topic about ASEAN. Can we move beyond that? What other implications are there?

ASEAN was formed 8 August 1967 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ASEAN

Maybe you are referring to ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) (same link)

• single market and production base
• highly competitive economic region
• region of equitable economic development
• region fully integrated into the global economy

Since 2007, the ASEAN countries gradually lower their import duties among them and targeted will be zero for most of the import duties at 2015.^[66]

Since 2011, AEC has agreed to strengthen the position and increase the competitive edges of small and medium enterprises (SME) in the ASEAN region.^[67]

Edited July 28, 2014 by rametindallas