If it ain't broke why fix it?

Making sure everyone knows their place is key to keeping the whole thing wobbling along.

Without a strict, understood hierarchy the whole thing might fall apart.

Thai universities don't work, the quality of education is very poor....

Not according to an article here on TVF several months ago about one of the prestigious Thai universities ranking very high in the top 5 of the world or something like that!!

I don't think any Thai Uni has made it into a world top 100 let alone the top 5.

Here's the most recent world rankings.

https://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2014/world-ranking#/sort/0/direction/asc

Edit. Thailand at 50 in Asia.

https://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2014/regional-ranking#/sort/0/direction/asc

And if a few universities are good: what about the 1000s of not so good universities...every kindergarten can call itself university in Thailand

Not much different than North American universities when pledging a fraternity.

Bizarrely, given that the US is oft touted as Thailand's most vocal critic, I've come across many similarities between Thailand and the US. Ultra patriotic, ignorance of other cultures, geography etc. I'm truly not having a go at our American cousins, but the similarities cannot be denied.

20% of your American cousins are either naturalized immigrants or American-born offspring. This tends to liberalize the whole of American society in a fashion unidentifiable in Thailand.

so I'm still wondering about the implied link between university hazing and a lack of democracy in Thailand...

If it ain't broke why fix it?

Making sure everyone knows their place is key to keeping the whole thing wobbling along.

Without a strict, understood hierarchy the whole thing might fall apart.

Thai universities don't work, the quality of education is very poor....

Not according to an article here on TVF several months ago about one of the prestigious Thai universities ranking very high in the top 5 of the world or something like that!!

I don't think any Thai Uni has made it into a world top 100 let alone the top 5.

Here's the most recent world rankings.

https://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2014/world-ranking#/sort/0/direction/asc

Edit. Thailand at 50 in Asia.

https://www.timeshighereducation.co.uk/world-university-rankings/2014/regional-ranking#/sort/0/direction/asc

yes i was wondering where he got that from...

Not much different than North American universities when pledging a fraternity.

in 1965 maybe.

Fraternities are optional, the hazing here, whether it be at universities, schools, voke, military... is universal, institutionalized and all about reinforcing the hierarchy, and maintaining the social contract whereby everyone knows their place, and never, ever questions authority out of reverence to the ones above you.

Without this structured reinforcement all heck would break loose. People would start asking questions, and that just can't be done.

And fraternities of the kind prevalent at US universities are exactly the kind of organisations you want to be comparing yourself UP to. They're bad enough, any university's better off without them polluting the social scene, but that's generally at party time only, it's not an influence 24/7 throughout the students' social life.