New Thai history textbook seen as inflammatory, not neutral

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EDUCATION
New history textbook seen as inflammatory, not neutral
Chularat Saengpassa
The Nation



Academic says it could aggravate the political divide

BANGKOK: -- A NEW THAI history book has stirred up experts from various institutions who have found many flaws, some of which could aggravate the political divide.

"I believe a main objective of this book is to promote reconciliation. But I think this book may provide grounds for some people to attack the current government," Sunait Chutintaranond, a history lecturer at Chulalongkorn University, said last week.

The book, launched at the 43rd National Book Fair, says the Thai |Rak Thai Party implemented pop-ulist policies and Thaksin Shinawatra engaged in election fraud, he said.

"Then, the book goes on to say the Abhisit Vejjajiva-led government focused on transparency when implementing its policies, some of them being populist," he said.

Such information could trigger another round of conflict among people with different political ideas, Sunait said.

The 2014 coup, after all, took place at the height of the country's colour-coded and polarised politics, with Thaksin apparently heading one side, he said.

"Why should you publish such a book at a time when it may widen the rift in society?" he said.

It took the Culture Ministry about two months to publish this book in response to an order from Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, the general who led the 2014 coup.

"We have published 13,000 copies under the budget of a little over Bt1 million. We planned to give most of these copies to provincial cultural offices for free.

"But we have also prepared some for commercial distribution," said Boonteun Srivorapot, an adviser to the ministry's Literature and History Office.

This book was selling well at the book fair, he said.

"Buyers had to queue up for a chance to win one of the 20 copies signed by the prime minister," he said.

Pipad Krajaejun, a history professor at Thammasat, said the book appeared to lack a neutral political tone.

"Without neutrality, some parts of the contents can't be right," he said.

After reading the book, he posted on Facebook: "I feel like I wasted my time", plus a long list of its alleged flaws.

Not only did he question the part on what had happened in Thai politics, he also pointed out that the book continued to focus on bloody wars and neighbouring states in the old days.

Such a presentation would definitely influence readers' perception towards Thailand's neighbours and may not bode well for the Asean Economic Community, he wrote.

Pipad later told The Nation he expected the Culture Ministry to do better.

"If you're going to discuss a political conflict in the country's history, present facts from all sides, both the winners and the losers, so that readers can get well-rounded information and learn a lesson," he said.

Further discussions should be held to lay down proper guidelines on how to write practical history books.

For example, textbooks for primary students might have to be memory-based but the ones for secondary students might focus on facts and analytical thinking.

Thai history should be divided into three periods - Early Rattanakosin, Contemporary Rattanakosin (King Rama IV's reign and 1932) and Post-1932.

Thailand changed its administrative regime from an absolute monarchy to constitutional monarchy in 1932.

Thailand also needed a history book on its internal conflicts.

"Don't just mention Thai soldiers fighting against troops from other countries. Let's discuss internal conflicts too.

"Let's address the yellow-shirt protest, |the red-shirt protest and the protest by the People's Democratic Reform Committee," he said.

Sunait suggested the current government had no need to rush to reach a conclu-sion on still unfolding political developments, as people sometimes need time to clearly see or understand what has actually transpired.

"You can wait till things settle down first," he said.

Though speaking separately, the two historians agreed that there were better ways to write such a book.

Besides thorny issues over Thailand's own political conflicts, they also raised questions about long-gone political chapters.

"This book clearly excludes many groups of people. It has not mentioned many states that were thriving in the Ayutthaya and Sukhothai periods," Pipad said.

Anan Chuchote, director general of the Fine Arts Department, defended the preparation of this book, saying it was designed as an analytical version.

"We intended to relate the country's history in chronological order," he said.

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/New-history-textbook-seen-as-inflammatory-not-neut-30272066.html


-- The Nation 2015-11-02

[noitom]

Preposterous

[Somtamnication]

Is the farang, who built Thailand's navy back in the late 1880s in it?

[ChrisY1]

History textbooks for political purposes............going backwards each step they take.

[NongKhaiKid]

Will there be a 2nd edition lauding the achievements of the PM as ' saviour of the nation ' ?

This will of course require several volumes to cover the subject.

Edited November 1, 2015 by NongKhaiKid

[MilesofSmiles]

God forbid someone have a difference of opinions.

[jaltsc]

"Why should you publish such a book at a time when it may widen the rift in society?"

Because education is supposed to encourage people to think and if they disagree with what is written, then they should offer a counter theory/argument based on researched facts, not on long held political beliefs or emotions.

[ezzra]

Just for equal Librium, why not let every one print their own history books and see which one is the

most liked, Oh yes, and make sure it comes in a form of an App, coz now days, if it's not

an App kids are not interested, otherwise, it's just a waste of paper...

Edited November 1, 2015 by ezzra

[Laughing Gravy]

"Why should you publish such a book at a time when it may widen the rift in society?"

Because education is supposed to encourage people to think and if they disagree with what is written, then they should offer a counter theory/argument based on researched facts, not on long held political beliefs or emotions.

Yes I agree but people are not allowed to think for themselves or express their views when you have draconian laws against free thinking and attitude adjustment when the thought goes against the current governments point of view.

[clockman]

Most Thais, do not read. They just play with there electronics. Thats why no seats in Thai book shops.

[oneday]

As they say, the victors are the ones who write the history books. What a cliche this illegal government is turning out to be.

[worgeordie]

Whats it called "The little red book"

regards Worgeordie

[khunsiam]

Is the farang, who built Thailand's navy back in the late 1880s in it?

Probably not because the Thai navy was nowhere when battling the french when they entered the mae nam Chao Praya in 1893 with a few gunboats and reached the Grand Palace in no time and threathened to open fire, the Thai gave in very quickly.

[SoFarAndNear]

I thought Taksin has been removed from every history book? Or only school books?

[AdamRich]

Is there a such thing as a neutral HIS Story book?

[NongKhaiKid]

Just for equal Librium, why not let every one print their own history books and see which one is the

most liked, Oh yes, and make sure it comes in a form of an App, coz now days, if it's not

an App kids are not interested, otherwise, it's just a waste of paper...

Might work on paper if produced in Ko-mic book form, Recent history certainly falls into the comic category.

[diehard60]

I thought the idea of a History book was to show and present the History of a place. I would not think it would make any difference if it talked about the politics of any country as that is just a small part of History.

[ggt]

History is written by the victorious...and is likely to show the victors in a positive light...slightly biased reporting...I'm thinking...

But fear not...as is the case in many instances...it is re-written at a later date once the present day power brokers are removed from power...

And then begins the cycle of propaganda all over again...especially in a country with a history of an uncompromising political divide...

[Emster23]

Orwell said more or less "Those who control the present control the past. Those who control the past control the future". You could look it up except for that book is banned....

[AlQaholic]

Any serious history book would not include recent history, especially political such, as politics are always divisive, otherwise it wouldn't be called politics.

Any history book published after 1932 can go straight to the round archive, nothing in them comes anywhere close to the truth.

[Assurancetourix]

Whats it called "The little red book"

regards Worgeordie

Maybe a bad translation of My Kampf ?

Who knows ?

Edited November 2, 2015 by Assurancetourix

[Hawk]

More stupity! Reconciliation, never. Neutrality, never! Honesty, never!

[thesetat2013]

"Why should you publish such a book at a time when it may widen the rift in society?"

Because education is supposed to encourage people to think and if they disagree with what is written, then they should offer a counter theory/argument based on researched facts, not on long held political beliefs or emotions.

Yes I agree but people are not allowed to think for themselves or express their views when you have draconian laws against free thinking and attitude adjustment when the thought goes against the current governments point of view.

Students have not been allowed those things for a very long time also. So dont blame it all on the current political situation.

[HooHaa]

i think we have just received a small window into Prayut's soul.

Many have tried to rewrite history in the past, but fair few have actually sold autographed copies of their version.

[lucky11]

"Why should you publish such a book at a time when it may widen the rift in society?"

Because education is supposed to encourage people to think and if they disagree with what is written, then they should offer a counter theory/argument based on researched facts, not on long held political beliefs or emotions.

Yes I agree but people are not allowed to think for themselves or express their views when you have draconian laws against free thinking and attitude adjustment when the thought goes against the current governments point of view.

"Draconian laws against free thinking"

Crikey!!, I didn't realise that they had designed technology to monitor your thought patterns. I shall try to control what I'm thinking about in the future.

[mikemac]

Most Thais, do not read. They just play with there electronics. Thats why no seats in Thai book shops.

Sorry cm, but I disagree. Because every time I have ever been to a Thai bookshop the floors are covered in Thai kids laying around reading books.

[soalbundy]

Will there be a 2nd edition lauding the achievements of the PM as ' saviour of the nation ' ?

This will of course require several volumes to cover the subject.

Somebody already did something like that, it's called 'Mein Kampf'

[TheKnave]

Is there a such thing as a neutral HIS Story book?

Maybe not, but there is such a thing as a neutered White-Knight poster...

Why not exclude your gender-biased pseudo-feminist effluent from topics about Thai matters?

Edited November 2, 2015 by TheKnave

[godden]

Is the farang, who built Thailand's navy back in the late 1880s in it?

Is the falang who mapped Thailands borders in it.

[elgordo38]

Whats it called "The little red book"

regards Worgeordie

Maybe a bad translation of My Kampf ?

Who knows ?

No you got it wrong its Mein Coup

Edited November 2, 2015 by elgordo38