Reviving free-tablet project urged as Thai education must adapt to digital age

[Bluespunk]

@jayboy

You said

There are dozens of such reports confirming the Democrats copying of TRT policies in healthcare, minimum wage, infrastructure.

Incidentally what you call Shinawatra policies were endorsed by the Thai people in a resounding election victory.

Now the Junta is copying those policies too.

If you show some evidence of having done basic homework I can continue the dialogue.Otherwise Sayonara.

Me

Healthcare? Minimum wage? Infrastructure?

You mean the same issues that every government across the world, democratic and authoritarian, right wing and left wing, secular and religious have concerned themselves with over the last century or so?

That's a fairly broad interpretation of plagiarising.

Also while PT undoubtably did win an election they did not get a majority of votes cast. That still counts as a clear and legitimate victory with the absolute right to form a govt. However, it is far from resounding.

Edited April 8, 2015 by Bluespunk

[jayboy]

Must be a real bitch sifting through policies from a government you ousted to reinstate what you canned.

This is adobes representative recommending this, not the govt.

Are you suggesting adobe are now responsible for deciding govt policy and are doing so by reviving the complete failures of PT?

Why not? The Democrats copied most of the populist policies - not that it did them much good.As the Junta continues to destroy and sabotage Thailand's future,I wouldn't be surprised if they resorted to similar desperate measures.

What Shinawatra clan policies did the Democrat government copy.. Name one!

Don't be so ignorant or if that can't be avoided don't bother posting.The Democrat Party election programme in 2012 blatantly copied Thai Rak Thai's so called populist policies.It's not up for debate.

Whose ignorant! Your the the one that failed to answer the extremely simple question!

Again for the hard of reading.

What Shinawatra clan policies did the Democrat government copy?. Name one!

Difficult to have a dialogue with someone so comically ignorant.Did you note that you are alone in your idiocy.

http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/03/us-thailand-election-idUSTRE76013T20110703

There are dozens of such reports confirming the Democrats copying of TRT policies in healthcare, minimum wage, infrastructure.

Incidentally what you call Shinawatra policies were endorsed by the Thai people in a resounding election victory.

Now the Junta is copying those policies too.

If you show some evidence of having done basic homework I can continue the dialogue.Otherwise Sayonara.

Healthcare? Minimum wage? Infrastructure?

You mean the same issues that every government across the world, democratic and authoritarian, right wing and left wing, secular and religious have concerned themselves with over the last century or so?

That's a fairly broad interpretation of plagiarising.

Helpful hint.When you have dug yourself into a hole don't dig yourself in deeper.

Do some homework.You are trying to argue the unarguable.The Democrats copied the TRT populist platform in the mistaken hope the Thai people would give them a chance.

If you are in your simple minded way suggesting that all governments adopt populist policies, one wonders why the opponents of electoral democracy in Thailand so often invoke them as a problem.

[Bluespunk]

@jayboy

You said

Helpful hint.When you have dug yourself into a hole don't dig yourself in deeper.

Do some homework.You are trying to argue the unarguable.The Democrats copied the TRT populist platform in the mistaken hope the Thai people would give them a chance.

If you are in your simple minded way suggesting that all governments adopt populist policies, one wonders why the opponents of electoral democracy in Thailand so often invoke them as a problem.

Me

No what I am suggesting, without childish insults, is that you have mentioned policy issues that are the concern if all governments and parties hoping to form a government.

Not populist policies but genuine issues such as the minimum wage (pre dates PT I understand, they raised it. They did not introduce it. One of their few moves I applauded)

Healthcare is always an election issue (well appears to be these days) everywhere. Also predates PT.

Infrastructure. Name me one party not concerned about this issue. Again the issue predates PT.

You do realise these were policies that political parties and govts had to deal with before the PT govt came about?

What you have consistently failed to do is give specific examples.

P.S. thanks for the hint on digging holes. If I ever have cause to dig one I'll keep it on mind.

Or pass the advice on if I see anyone else digging one for themselves.

Edited April 8, 2015 by Bluespunk

[willyumiii]

Although I am not against student having technology to aid them in learning, I am against giving students tablets in Thailand. Unless they can make a tablet that blocks all social media and chats it is a waste of funding. I have seen how thai students who received tablets last year utilize them in the classroom. 99% of the kids only opened them to talk with friends or look at vdos in YouTube. Using them for learning was not on their agenda. This is not to say they can't be used in this manner. The Thai kids were just more interested in social than learning. If they want Thai kids to have technology they need to find another way that ensures the kids will use it constructively.

Good comment, but invalid .

Today, even the children in primary school in Thailand have their own smart phones and can access social media when ever they like without any school issued "tablets.

[jayboy]

@jayboy

You said

Helpful hint.When you have dug yourself into a hole don't dig yourself in deeper.

Do some homework.You are trying to argue the unarguable.The Democrats copied the TRT populist platform in the mistaken hope the Thai people would give them a chance.

If you are in your simple minded way suggesting that all governments adopt populist policies, one wonders why the opponents of electoral democracy in Thailand so often invoke them as a problem.

Me

No what I am suggesting, without childish insults, is that you have mentioned policy issues that are the concern if all governments and parties hoping to form a government.

Not populist policies but genuine issues such as the minimum wage (pre dates PT I understand, they raised it. They did not introduce it. One of their few moves I applauded)

Healthcare is always an election issue (well appears to be these days) everywhere. Also predates PT.

Infrastructure. Name me one party not concerned about this issue. Again the issue predates PT.

You do realise these were policies that political parties and govts had to deal with before the PT govt came about?

What you have consistently failed to do is give specific examples.

P.S. thanks for the hint on digging holes. If I ever have cause to dig one I'll keep it on mind.

Or pass the advice on if I see anyone else digging one for themselves.

I'm guessing by your muddled thought processes you may not have had much rigorous analytical experience.Suffice it to say there is an important distinction between an issue and a specific electoral programme.It is the different responses to the general issues that denotes the differences between political parties.

Thaksin saw the electoral opportunity, promoted pro poor policies and triumphed at the polls.The Democrats thereafter copied many of the Thaksin influenced populist policies and except for those determined to be boneheaded nobody disputes this.

[Bluespunk]

Again with insults? Is that how you get out of the hole then?

I'm still awaiting specific examples as you now appear just to be repeating your previous points.

Healthcare, minimum wage and infrastructure are part and parcel of all party programmes.

TRT diid not introduce any of these ideas into politics in Thailand.

Edited April 8, 2015 by Bluespunk

[jayboy]

Again with insults? Is that how you get out of the hole then?

I'm still awaiting specific examples as you now appear just to be repeating your previous points.

Healthcare, minimum wage and infrastructure are part and parcel of all party programmes.

TRT diid not introduce any of these ideas into politics in Thailand.

You confirm my earlier diagnosis.Your points were answered in my previous post.

[Bluespunk]

Again with insults? Is that how you get out of the hole then?

I'm still awaiting specific examples as you now appear just to be repeating your previous points.

Healthcare, minimum wage and infrastructure are part and parcel of all party programmes.

TRT diid not introduce any of these ideas into politics in Thailand.

You confirm my earlier diagnosis.Your points were answered in my previous post.

What diagnosis?

And no they weren't.

[JustThisOnePostOnly]

Thailand, if you buy your children any of the conventional tablets on sale today you are essentially putting them in straightjackets.

None of these devices allow a child to write software that can run on that device. Your children will be virtually doomed to always have to play games written by other people, for if they should ever choose to write their own, they face--in addition to the already steep barrier of having to learn English to do so--having to obtain a relatively recent desktop or laptop computer in addition to the tablet and then obtaining the development tools and documentation necessary before they can even consider starting to learn how to write software.

The far superior alternative is to outfit your kids with netbooks. And note there are available today netbooks that come in a so-called 2-in-1 configuration, where it can act both as a netbook and as a tablet, e.g. the Asus Transformer Book T100 (what a great device!)

A netbook can run a real operating system like GNU/Linux (though most seem to come with Windows installed). A netbook with GNU/Linux installed on it gives your children unlimited possibilities; they have their choice of dozens if not hundreds of programming languages, and not just toy languages, but workhorses like c/c++, python, scheme, and lua, languages that professionals in the industry use themselves. And most GNU/Linux installations either come with many of these languages pre-installed, or make it simple to install them later (and for free!)

Even Windows is superior to Android or iOS--the operating systems that are forced on the vast majority of tablet consumers--as Windows at least provides a limited opportunity to install and use different programming languages.

It's a cruel hoax to give a child one of today's tablets and then claim to have opened a door into the "digital age". The more apt analogy is that, by giving your child a tablet, you've set a trap that once sprung locks the kid into a lifetime of dependence on others to satisfy their information technology needs.

Yes, the tablets are sexy, but if it doesn't have a keyboard, your kids ain't learning how to code.

It is hard to imagine a decision you can make for the future of Thailand that is laden with greater consequence.

[Expat Brad]

Tablets will not work NOTHING will work until the unofficial "0" fail is dealt with. Except for the few students that actually wish to learn there is no incentive for many as they will pass anyway. It's a joke. In Thailand education is basically free for 15 years meaning that if a student was to repeat a year that then would extend the cost to the government hence the immense pressure placed on both the schools & the teachers to pass them. IMO if a student fails & has to repeat a year then the last years cost (15 year) should be born by the students parents.That would pressure them to pass or have their axx kicked by Mum & Dad. Regarding the pressure placed on the teachers I had failed 36 students out of 670 & I was told that those failures COULD have a very negative impact for my contract renewal......fix it !!!