New history textbooks to teach 'correct democracy'

[kotsak]

[Halion]

Propaganda based on indoctrination and false nationalism without any tangible relationship to "democracy".

"Thainess" is simply used to perpetrate a national condition that this nation is special and as such does not have to conform with global standards of social behavior.

Used all most exclusively as a get out of jail card with regard to deviant and anti social behavior.

[scorecard]

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I am sure the history books will explain why coups and military junta are Okay in Thailand.

And perhaps the book will explain that some 'political parties' are nothing more than open & obvious gangs of salaried thieves who have without conscience and without morals tried to alter laws at 3.00 am when the good Thai people were all asleep.

[smedly]

I see nothing wrong with this, it will/should help remove the twisted concept that the reds have been trying to program into young children, democracy is not just about winning an election and does not mean that winning an election gives a party total power to do as they like, they must work within the boundaries of the law and constitution and not try to change it if it doesn't suit them

It should also be made that certain bills and changes require a minimum of at least 2/3 of the house approval to be passed - that would remove abuse by any one party with a polarised agenda that results in division throughout the country

[ginjag]

Red controlled villages come to mind. Democracy gone mad---Shin style.

[Local Drunk]

"There has to be a drastic change in the way history is taught," Kamol said, "It shouldn't focus only on the details of what happened, but also focus on creating a sense of Thainess and patriotism for the children."

That's not history.

History is all about the details cause and effect. Looking at what happened, why it happened and the consequences.

It is, or should be about the truth (not always done I know).

This approach is nothing but indoctrination.

I doubt that there are any two of us on this forum who would actually define democracy the same way; and most of us are from nations that are considered democratic in nature. We could agree on certain principles but after that it becomes an open ended quagmire based on every influence the world has thrown at us since the beginning of mankind.

I truly hate the word democracy, because in reality it's nothing but a principle of chaos.

Teaching students to think for themselves rather than giving a right or wrong answer according to a text book would be a better choice. Problem is the teachers and the system itself don't understand this concept. It's always going to be about test scores here.

Having said that... I can't wait to see the textbook.

[TheCruncher]

I regret that my boy still is of the age that education is obligatory, otherwise I would pull him from school right now and then.

[mrtoad]

I guess it will be a diagram of how a feudal society works, backed up with other propaganda stating how all great things invented are Thai.

[loongdavid]

Any derogatory pictures and/or text aimed squarely at farangs shows just how isolated Thailand has been, and still is, from the rest of the world and the 21st century. Multiculturalism in any of its guises is here to stay, like it or not.

[Lupatria]

This will come from the Ministry of Propaganda not the Ministry of Education.

It won't be a ' warts and all ' telling because there are no warts and even if there are, there aren't !

Is the message received Loud and Clear ?

It is well known that more than 70% of Thai teachers failed to pass the student’s tests on their own subject. And now they are in charge to teach ‘Correct Democracy’? So, who is going to teach the teachers- a ‘correct Junta’?

Also, isn’t the term ‘Correct Democracy’ already a joke? My understanding is the term correct can not be attributed to terms like ‘respect’ - ‘friendship’ - ‘faith’ and ‘love’ and surprisingly for some: Democracy.

[visionchaser45]

"Well, kiddies; it's like this; it ain't what it is because it is what it ain't, understand?"

[Acharn]

Seems perfectly normal to me. Phibulsongkhram had a propaganda guy who tried to convince Thais to wear shoes and kiss their wives goodbye in the morning when they went off to work (actually, he was copying the Japanese for that part). Heck, King Rama VI prohibited the teaching of economics in Thailand because the first Thai economist wrote that there are poor people here.

[chooka]

They've decided now, these generals of the Thai dictatorship, to teach proper and "correct" democracy.

text books on how to stage a coup and over through a government. Democracy, why not just teach them what happens when a government is elected and how to vote them out next time if you are not happy.

[JOC]

Don't know why, but I got to think of this guy:

[JOC]

New textbook:

[2fishin2]

Ya know sometines no wait all the time, there arent words to describe the kind of kindergarden politics that take place in this country. I cant wait until the day comes....

[ginjag]

Don't know why, but I got to think of this guy:

Kim-Jong-Un-7.jpg

Yes I thought of him when I lived in a Shin style red controlled village.

You apologists wanting democracy---Shin style----or is it any style as long as your elected.

[Jimbo2014]

I managed to obtain a copy "Democracy is a form of government where upon people are ruled by an elite few but get to wear different colors and riot once every four years". Its always the children's books that get "revised" first.

[mrtoad]

Don't know why, but I got to think of this guy:

Kim-Jong-Un-7.jpg

I can think of another one, but it would get me banned.

[northernjohn]

Nothing better than a non elected gov. To tell you what democracy is.

it is indeed sad to say that is the truth. Can you imagine what the PTP version would be. Remember they had their military arm set up schools on Democracy and ship the graduates off to Bangkok in 2010 to promote a coup.

Best to get a non biased view.

This is just further proof that the government is trying to reunify the people.

[thaiguzzi]

Insular. Xenaphobic. Racist. Elitist. Not only history, but geography are not taught at all well over here. Kids don't know where anywhere outside SE Asia is. They don't know about WW II or the Vietnam war, or genocide in Cambodia. Seriously sad state of affairs. One of the many reasons i'm thinking of going back to the UK after 11 wonderful years here, is for my 9 year old son. I've got to the point i want him growing up as an English boy with a Thai mother, rather than a Thai boy with a Felang dad.

[northernjohn]

I think the democracy that the Greeks had did not allow women to vote. Also, Ancient Greece had a whole load of slaves, and they weren't allowed to vote as well. So Greece was a place that most of the adults in society did not have the right to vote.

If everybody in Ancient Greece had the right to vote, what would have happened ?

Actually, teaching patriotism to children. Well, this ia actually important. Any nation is surely built on patriotism and pride for the nation, on nationalism. Without this, well, what is the point of being a nation ? You might as well not be a nation.

Well said.

Teaching Patriotism involves teaching reality. Some thing the school system has been ignoring. Also many posters are ignoring and some out right opposed to it.

[northernjohn]

Insular. Xenaphobic. Racist. Elitist. Not only history, but geography are not taught at all well over here. Kids don't know where anywhere outside SE Asia is. They don't know about WW II or the Vietnam war, or genocide in Cambodia. Seriously sad state of affairs. One of the many reasons i'm thinking of going back to the UK after 11 wonderful years here, is for my 9 year old son. I've got to the point i want him growing up as an English boy with a Thai mother, rather than a Thai boy with a Felang dad.

Well I am old now so I can't say much on what they teach in schools in the west now. Even my kids are getting on in years.

When I was in school they didn't teach much about the East. Just that it was there. As for history they taught nothing. I applaud your decision to take your son back to the cold Brittan for an education. But I doubt he will learn much of the East in his history. Certainly learn about the evil of Hitler. I have several friends with plans to return home strictly for the reason to give their kids a better education.

Let us hope that Thailand is finally on the road to a real education. The signs look good. So far.

[SjaakNL2013]

All history books, films, etc always show only that part that the one in power want to show.

[brucec64]

This is an example of what they will be taught:

http://www.khaosodenglish.com/detail.php?newsid=1413698448&section=11&typecate=06

Nevertheless, Gen. Prayuth said he informed other foreign delegates at the summit in Milan that despite the current restrictions on free speech and the lack of an elected government, Thailand is still a functioning democracy.

"I stressed to them that we still have democracy, because we don't ban everything," Gen. Prayuth explained. "We only ban issues that affect national security."

[Tuskfish]

Australia is no different - when I went to school I was taught there used to be Aboriginal people who wore loin clothes made from leaves who danced around the fire following a false religion

Patriotism is the last refuge of the scoundrel

[DennisF]

You could not make it up.

An illegally mounted coup that installs a dictator and then rewrites history books with an explanation of democracy.

FUBAR

[klauskunkel]

"Therefore, I want all the teachers and school administrators to promote correct democracy for the kids."

...and make sure they memorize it, understanding is not a requisite.

[ginjag]

You could not make it up.

An illegally mounted coup that installs a dictator and then rewrites history books with an explanation of democracy.

FUBAR

Another dictator running the country from Dubai, using his sister as a pawn. Red Shin style. Your style democracy, YES because they were voted in so it must mean TRUE democracy.

The top man here blessed the intervention, cannot be that wrong.

[ginjag]

"Therefore, I want all the teachers and school administrators to promote correct democracy for the kids."

...and make sure they memorize it, understanding is not a requisite.

Reading TVF we have about 20 differing forms of democracy, many shouting for the REAL one to step forward.