Thammasat University raises awareness of economic disparity

[webfact]

Thammasat University raises awareness of economic disparity

BANGKOK, 12 November 2014 (NNT) – Thammasat University has urged the government and related agencies to urgently resolve economic inequality.

The Thammasat Economics Association (TEA) held a seminar investigating Thailand’s economic direction in 2015 with a focus on the subject of overcoming economic disparity in Thailand. Participants included academics, businesspersons, experts and representatives from state agencies. The seminar, entitled 'Economic Disparity: Capital, Persons, Land', was to compile suggestions for use in national reform.

Kanok Wongtra-ngan, former professor of political science at Chulalongkorn University, said disparities in the education sector leads to disparities in social status and economy. He said a disparity in education persists because the people directly in charge do not understand the true solution to the problem, thinking education reforms must start from teachers and end with the teachers.

In his opinion, the solution should start with the teachers and end with the students. Teachers must change the way they teach, and students should be in the end, able to understand the learning process. The system which produces teachers must be completely revamped. Populist policies in the aspect of education should also be terminated.

Mr. Kanok noted that there is currently no need for theory-based suggestions; only ideas that can really be implemented in classrooms are needed.


-- NNT 2014-11-12

[RustBucket]

Oh No!

What do you mean?.... Thailand isn't going to be the 'financial hub' of ASEAN eclipsing Malaysia and Singapore?

Damn, I really believed that earlier report... What a let down.

[Commerce]

"Participants included academics, businesspersons, experts and representatives from state agencies. The seminar, entitled 'Economic Disparity: Capital, Persons, Land', was to compile suggestions for use in national reform." - so in effect there were no experts there, or at least honest ones.

"In his opinion, the solution should start with the teachers and end with the students. Teachers must change the way they teach, and students should be in the end, able to understand the learning process. The system which produces teachers must be completely revamped. Populist policies in the aspect of education should also be terminated.

Mr. Kanok noted that there is currently no need for theory-based suggestions; only ideas that can really be implemented in classrooms are needed."

SOME EXPERT he is! When should children be held responsible for the learning process? What ideas that can be implemented in the classroom - the use of sticks and corporal pinishment from P1 up?

Not!

[jaltsc]

" Teachers must change the way they teach, and students should be in the end, able to understand the learning process. The system which produces teachers must be completely revamped. Populist policies in the aspect of education should also be terminated."

Won't happen unless Thailand is invaded, conquered by a country which values true education, and is forced to give up its culture for that of the invading force's .

Proof lies within the article. You need a university professor to point out that there are gross disparities within Thailand?

[Ozziepat]

Only [closet] marxists/socialists/communists (m/s/c) believe disparities are inherently bad. Other, well-meaning people fall into the trap of unquestioningly accepting disparity=bad as a premise and happily getting caught up in convoluted arguments about how to eliminate it. M/s/c, however, already know the "right" answer: Big government must take more stuff from that group of bad people and give it to that other group of good people aka victims. Thoughtful folks might want to consider disparities as effects and examine actual root causes before developing solutions, if any are truly needed. M/s/c will object, because they "know" all the [evil] causes also. You'll recognize them: capitalism, free markets, equality of opportunity, personal ambition, wealth creation, limited government... This is a very old popular fiction the left trots out at every opportunity.

[yellowboat]

Yes, education greatly needs an overhaul. Also the country needs to inspire entrepreneurship and not lock others out certain industry in favor of the chosen few.

[falangjim]

"Participants included academics, businesspersons, experts and representatives from state agencies. The seminar, entitled 'Economic Disparity: Capital, Persons, Land', was to compile suggestions for use in national reform." - so in effect there were no experts there, or at least honest ones.

"In his opinion, the solution should start with the teachers and end with the students. Teachers must change the way they teach, and students should be in the end, able to understand the learning process. The system which produces teachers must be completely revamped. Populist policies in the aspect of education should also be terminated.

Mr. Kanok noted that there is currently no need for theory-based suggestions; only ideas that can really be implemented in classrooms are needed."

SOME EXPERT he is! When should children be held responsible for the learning process? What ideas that can be implemented in the classroom - the use of sticks and corporal pinishment from P1 up?

Not!

I think he means students should be held more responsible for their learning, which is a reasonable suggestion. Like you, he's probably tired of the didactic way in which Thai teachers lecture, filling the heads of their students with information while never getting them to think about the process for themselves. In essence, he's asking the culture to change which is highly unlikely. Teachers here will always be the wise sages and the students mere receptacles--albeit polite receptacles because, as you mentioned, the beatings. Little automatons who learn how to cow-tow for the rest of their lives; this is the way here. It really is an uphill battle, and I empathize with your frustration. I'd classify Thailand's education system as low-quality/low equity. Social background will predict educational performance, not necessarily what the school does.

[smileydude]

Sure some people are born into poverty and have less opportunity to lift themselves out of it but as long as you've got your health and determination there really isn't a solid excuse that you have to remain in a state of hopelessness.

Hopelessness is what often causes the have-nots to remain where they are today.

Those who are able to lift themselves out of poverty do so by sheer determination on their own part not because of some government policies or handouts.

Problem is a lot of the have's have implemented discrete mechanisms that ensure they stay rich e.g energy lobbyists, corporate tax breaks, monopolies, etc.

The countries that have the lowest Gini coefficients are those that have systems of checks and balances that make sure no group or individuals have an unfair advantage. These systems emanate from a culture of absolute zero tolerance for corruption and entitlement.

Nevertheless the have-nots must also become the do-somethings instead of waiting for handouts from the government subsidies or falling back on social security because you've spent your money on booze, gambling or lottery tickets hoping for that big break.

No one is born equal and we have to make do with what we are born with and climb up from there.

[Dap]

"Thammasat University raises awareness of economic disparity"

Like no one's noticed

Edited November 12, 2014 by Dap

[cgphuket]

Then they got into there red plate Benze's and drove back to their gated mansions....

[Thai at Heart]

The world has been moaning about the gini coefficient in thailand for years.

[bangon04]

"Thammasat University has urged the government and related agencies to urgently resolve economic inequality."

Quite right - many Thammasat students really wanted to go to Chula but they were either not rich enough or without family connections to get in....

It really is a problem that needs fixing urgently.

[samjaidee]

There's clearly no point in Thammasat University urging the government and related agencies to urgently resolve economic inequality unless they have at least one idea to help.

A completely pointless article.