PM happy as Thais read more

[webfact]

PM happy as Thais read more

BANGKOK, 11 April 2016 (NNT) - Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-ocha has voiced his satisfaction with a growing interest in reading among Thai people.

According to government spokesperson Maj Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd, a recent survey by the National Statistical Office of Thailand (NSO) and the Thailand Knowledge (TK) Park has found that Thai people on average spent 66 minutes per day on reading in 2015.

Kids aged under six now have more time read. Teenagers are the keenest on reading, spending as long as 94 minutes per day doing so. Children and working age people both spend around 60 minutes per day with their reading material..

The findings indicate a significant improvement in Thai people’s reading habits compared to 2013, at which time Thai people spent only 37 minutes per day on reading.

Maj Gen Sansern said Gen Prayut had asked the Ministries of Public Health, and Social Development and Human Security as well as relevant agencies to encourage parents to instill an interest in reading in children, by starting to read books to their little ones after the sixth month of pregnancy.


-- NNT 2016-04-11

[Johnniey]

Call me naive but after 30 years living here, I find this totally unbelievable, especially the bit about teenagers reading for over an hour and a half a day, unless that includes Facebook.

[dcnx]

Perhaps better at playing video games and hitting the LIKE on Facebook, but I would have to see real data showing the PM's claim before I believe it.

[Smiley Face]

Teenagers are the keenest on reading, spending as long as 94 minutes per day doing so.

Great! Start handing out driving manuals!

[jerojero]

Sure. Reading texts from friends have surely soared in number among the population.

[sirineou]

The article does not say that they read more, just that it takes them now longer to read

It might just be an indication of declining reading skills

[ezzra]

I'm yet to see a Thai youngster that his hands and eyes are not glued to some electronic device or two,

if this is what the PM refers to as ' reading' than let's go with that....

Edited April 10, 2016 by ezzra

[simon43]

Maj Gen Sansern said Gen Prayut had asked the Ministries of Public Health, and Social Development and Human Security as well as relevant agencies to encourage parents to instill an interest in reading in children, by starting to read books to their little ones after the sixth month of pregnancy.

I don't understand that statement. Is he saying that pregnant women should read aloud to their unborn kids after the 6th month of pregnancy?

I know that playing soothing music to the unborn child might be beneficial, but I have never heard that reading aloud to the unborn child will instill an interest in reading...

Edited April 10, 2016 by simon43

[NongKhaiKid]

The sales of comics increasing or does the PM mean the public eagerly scour every word he speaks ?

Same as reading comics I suppose.

[kannot]

comic books dont count

[ace]

Doubleplusgood

[jamesbrock]

Yep...

[mesterm]

Too bad they're not on TV. Lots of stuff to read here.

[maoro2013]

Why do kids under 6 now have more time to read?

I think older kids at government schools should have more time to read with their reduced school hours.

[tuanku]

Maj Gen Sansern said Gen Prayut had asked the Ministries of Public Health, and Social Development and Human Security as well as relevant agencies to encourage parents to instill an interest in reading in children, by starting to read books to their little ones after the sixth month of pregnancy.

I don't understand that statement. Is he saying that pregnant women should read aloud to their unborn kids after the 6th month of pregnancy?

I know that playing soothing music to the unborn child might be beneficial, but I have never heard that reading aloud to the unborn child will instill an interest in reading...

could be a translation error, but with this PM one never knows

[Balance]

Just what are Thai children reading? Nothing that is not on facebook or LINE that I see. The Thai plup romance novels are popular and many of my wife's friends read them. But here is the rub. Very few Thais in my wife's circle read anything in English or any other western European language. One might have an argument that runs, "so what." I would make my argument that by not reading in English Thais have very limited access to the rest of the world and to knowledge about things that are important. This translates into a very big disadvantage for individuals and the country as a whole.

The response that you hear is Thais have no interest in the rest of the world and to some extent on the surface that is probably true. But there is a chicken and egg problem: Thailand, writ large, has a big stake in solving it. I have this conversation with my wife often when we are discussing something and a question comes up and I say something that does not fit with her understanding. Arguing with her gets me nowhere, so I have taken to challenging her to use the internet, especially when the issue might be found in Thai. It took a while, but she has come around and now she will look some things up.

Of course, the elephant in the room is that the current power structure has very little interest in seeing Thais becoming more informed about everyday issues and questions effecting their lives.

[djayz]

I don't believe this data. Unless, of course, the interviewees included the time they spend "reading" comments on facebook and line messages.

[manhood]

Well i know Gen. Prayut loves to believe the statistics that are "produced" from the different agencies and after he take that to give moral advice to the people of Thailand such as a wise father: but too bad he isn't wise at all!

[mesterm]

Yep...

Read the headline on an article, click like on Facebook, and yes I read a lot.

[Lupatria]

I asked my glass bowl for tomorrows news, it says:

"PM unhappy because more Thais read stuff he wants to be indexed"

[taony]

That's only the waiting time at three traffic lights in Bangkok. Surely they could read more

[Rayk]

I have no doubt teenagers read 94 minutes a day. After all how else are going to understand their Facebook and Line messages. Nice try Mr Pm.

[JohnDodd]

Yep...

Truly terrifying, the cyber-zombie has arrived,the new humanoid.I was at the dentist recently, and while waiting for the drug to take affect I asked the Dentist what he knew of the สถานบันคุ้มครองเงินฝาก.(bank deposit protection) he had never heard of it. Anyone interested, in August the amount that is covered will be reduced from 25 million Baht to 1 million Baht,when I enquired about this in Kasikorn I was told this is because..ครบกำหนด...end of that particular scheme, I told them this is not a reason..มูลเหต....but an excuse...ข้อแก้ตัว.....something in the wind for a reduction that size.

[Caveat Emptor]

What happens when he decides people are reading material that isn't officially approved ?

Another reason for controlling the Internet, social media etc ?

[Bob12345]

Quote: "Teenagers are the keenest on reading, spending as long as 94 minutes per day doing so."

To compare this number I looked up how much time a day, on average, teenager spend reading in my home country (the Netherlands).

A direct comparison is difficult as definitions differ, but the Dutch Statistical Agency (CBS) has an overview for people aged 12-24 (report from 2001).

Dutch "youths" spend about 12 minutes a day on average on reading.

That makes me extremely skeptical that Thai teenagers spend 94 minutes a day reading.

When I look around in my family (my wife's side) I know nobody who reads.

I simply never see anybody, in the whole family, reading. I do not see books lying around, and the only newspapers I ever see are old ones used to clean up the pee of the dogs.

One exception: little brother (now 18 years old) reads Thai comics when he is on the toilet, but I have never "seen" him doing that as he keeps the doors closed.

[gandalf12]

Maybe I am out of touch but reading Facebook, Line or Hi5 is not exactly hat I would call reading

[thhMan]

If it was a Survey, then should could we also assume that people answered the question with a lie as well... to save face?

[HooHaa]

one wonders if he is so happy that people read why he is expending such effort on reducing content.

[eliotness]

I know western countries have "classic literature", also Arabic and Indian literature have classics, has anyone any knowledge of similar literature in Thai ? Genuine question people as if so maybe I should buy some for my young Thai relations, but yes, they all use facebook or similar !!!

[gandalf12]

one wonders if he is so happy that people read why he is expending such effort on reducing content.

Because then you can guide them to the correct reading matter and have less potential diversions

Edited April 11, 2016 by gandalf12