Most university students and personnel prefer Thai academic calendar to ASEAN calendar

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Most university students and personnel prefer Thai academic calendar to ASEAN calendar



BANGKOK: -- Over 85 percent of higher education personnel want Thai universities to stick to the traditional academic dates instead of adopting the ASEAN calendar dates, according an opinion survey conducted by the Coordinating Centre for Public Higher Education Staff (CHES).

CHES secretary-general Dr Veerachai Putthawong said the centre sent questionnaires to its members asking how they think about the proposed adoption of ASEAN academic calendar for harmonization of higher education system during April 14-15.

Altogether 8,002 questionnaires were answered and returned to the centre. The result is as follows: 7,091 or 88.6 percent want the Thai academic calendar whose end of the second semester starts in March and ends in May compared to ASEAN’s May-July; 911 or 11.4 percent want to adopt the ASEAN calendar dates.

Of all the 8,002 respondents, 63.1 percent of them are students, 17.7 percent are lecturers; 8.1 percent are alumni, 3.1 percent are general affairs staff, 3.6 percent are parents and 4 percent are former staff and others.

The reasons cited by the respondents for their choice of the Thai academic calendar range from hot weather, Thai culture, opportunity loss in job application to loss of opportunities in exchange programme for lecturers and opportunity loss in career tests for some graduates such as nursing graduates.

Source: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/content/159795

-- Thai PBS 2016-04-18

[Thechook]

You can always leave ASEAN if it doesn't suit the Thai way.

[thesetat2013]

Why change what is perfect already. You know nobody does it better.

[NongKhaiKid]

Is this the start of ASEAN issues that LoS won't agree with and since Thailand is ASEAN's ' hub ' the rest would be well advised to fall in line.

[Laughing Gravy]

Why change what is perfect already. You know nobody does it better.

I love sarcasm. Yes and that's why the Thai are number one at education, in, well Thailand.

[LannaGuy]

we all know Thais cannot improve upon perfection and those darned academics in ASEAN just don't understand 'Thainess' so time for some AAA (Asean Attitude Adjustment)

[ogb]

Most Thai universities already changed to the ASEAN academic calendar a few years ago and are now realizing what a disaster that move was.

I know I wouldn't want my children trying to study & sit exams during this heatwave, or being confined to Thailand's north during the worst of the hazardous smoke pollution season.

The sooner those universities revert to the traditional academic year the better - it would be refreshing to see sanity prevail in the education system (for once:)

[SABloke]

''Thai culture'' was one of the reasons cited...what the <deleted> How???

[schondie]

I'm quite surprised that many people are being negative on here about the Thais wanting to keep their academic year. To me it makes sense as they cannot change the dates of Songkran, a week off work for many. Also April is usually he hottest month and many schools don't have air con in all the classrooms so everybody would suffer.

What if someone suggested westerners changed their term dates and only had Christmas Day and Boxing Day off? I can't see how keeping the academic year the same will upset the ASEAN apple cart. Then again I'm negative about the whole ASEAN concept as I just can't see it ever working as planned due to countries not wanting to lose sovereignty in many areas.

[skildpadden]

Don't take this as Thai bashing, but if they want to be part of the community they have to play with the other kids and not hold their breath until they get what they want.

The reasons cited by the respondents for their choice of the Thai academic calendar range from:

• hot weather (well isn't it hot elsewhere in ASEAN, or is it a speical Thai heat?)
• Thai culture, (yep ASEAN cannot compete with Thainess)
• opportunity loss in job application (isn't job hiring going on all year round?)
• to loss of opportunities in exchange programme for lecturers (well those lecturers need to anyway adopt to the ASEAN, US or European schedules, as they don't use the Thai system)
• and opportunity loss in career tests for some graduates such as nursing graduates. (but if it's the same system all over Thailand - and similar to ASEAN if the nurses want to work in ASEAN - how can anyone then be disadvantaged as things like the career tests of course also need to adopt according to the new schedule?)

Perhaps someone inside the university system can shed some more light on this?

[tuanku]

If Thailand were to attract students from other countries into the famous and prestigious Thai Universities then this might be deemed as parochial and short sighted.

http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2015#sorting=rank+region=+country=131+faculty=+stars=false+search=

[only Chula and Mahidol rank in the top 300 worldwide at no. 253 and 295 respectively]

However as any decent student from the ASEAN region would probably rather take up a lifelong career as a road sweeper than attend a Thai university it is unlikely to have much impact.

[dcpo]

Most Thai universities already changed to the ASEAN academic calendar a few years ago and are now realizing what a disaster that move was. I know I wouldn't want my children trying to study & sit exams during this heatwave, or being confined to Thailand's north during the worst of the hazardous smoke pollution season. The sooner those universities revert to the traditional academic year the better - it would be refreshing to see sanity prevail in the education system (for once:)

The heat is fine. University classrooms have AC work continues in the hot season, even in Thailand. The main problem is the massive disruption that the numerous public holidays cause in the run up to final exams. It's not an insurmountable problem but it is annoying.

[dcpo]

If Thailand were to attract students from other countries into the famous and prestigious Thai Universities then this might be deemed as parochial and short sighted.

http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2015#sorting=rank+region=+country=131+faculty=+stars=false+search=

[only Chula and Mahidol rank in the top 300 worldwide at no. 253 and 295 respectively]

However as any decent student from the ASEAN region would probably rather take up a lifelong career as a road sweeper than attend a Thai university it is unlikely to have much impact.

Rubbish. Do you even know which countries are in ASEAN? Thai universities are much better than those of most of the other countries.

[ogb]

Most Thai universities already changed to the ASEAN academic calendar a few years ago and are now realizing what a disaster that move was. I know I wouldn't want my children trying to study &amp; sit exams during this heatwave, or being confined to Thailand's north during the worst of the hazardous smoke pollution season. The sooner those universities revert to the traditional academic year the better - it would be refreshing to see sanity prevail in the education system (for once:)

The heat is fine. University classrooms have AC work continues in the hot season, even in Thailand. The main problem is the massive disruption that the numerous public holidays cause in the run up to final exams. It's not an insurmountable problem but it is annoying.

Should anyone care about the waste of energy? Edited April 18, 2016 by ogb

[tuanku]

If Thailand were to attract students from other countries into the famous and prestigious Thai Universities then this might be deemed as parochial and short sighted.

http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2015#sorting=rank+region=+country=131+faculty=+stars=false+search=

[only Chula and Mahidol rank in the top 300 worldwide at no. 253 and 295 respectively]

However as any decent student from the ASEAN region would probably rather take up a lifelong career as a road sweeper than attend a Thai university it is unlikely to have much impact.

Rubbish. Do you even know which countries are in ASEAN? Thai universities are much better than those of most of the other countries.

Singapore 12th and 13th ranked.

Malaysia has 5 Universities ranked higher than Thailand's best including University Malaysia at 149

Decent students from other ASEAN countries [including Thailand] will be heading for 1st world universities where they can get a worthwhile, well regarded education in a climate of free speech and expression. They will NOT be joining courses in Thai Universities where a Thai degree in the outside world is considered likely to have been bought rather than earned, and therefore not worth the paper it is printed on.

[dcpo]

Singapore 12th and 13th ranked.

Malaysia has 5 Universities ranked higher than Thailand's best including University Malaysia at 149

Decent students from other ASEAN countries [including Thailand] will be heading for 1st world universities where they can get a worthwhile, well regarded education in a climate of free speech and expression. They will NOT be joining courses in Thai Universities where a Thai degree in the outside world is considered likely to have been bought rather than earned, and therefore not worth the paper it is printed on.

By what ranking? Not according to THE, or any other I could find online. Of course Singapore has better universities. SG is an advanced economy with advanced economy prices. Decent students may not have the money or desire to go jetting off to another country aged 18. You can use Thai degrees to get jobs in and out of Thailand, and to get places on graduate courses in 1st world universities. Try doing that without a degree. You don't know what you're talking about. Where did you buy your degree?

[BritManToo]

Most Thai universities already changed to the ASEAN academic calendar a few years ago and are now realizing what a disaster that move was. I know I wouldn't want my children trying to study & sit exams during this heatwave, or being confined to Thailand's north during the worst of the hazardous smoke pollution season. The sooner those universities revert to the traditional academic year the better - it would be refreshing to see sanity prevail in the education system (for once:)

It was only last year the universities changed.

This year the schools have changed, no summer holiday for year 6.

[BritManToo]

The heat is fine. University classrooms have AC work continues in the hot season, even in Thailand.

CMRU doesn't have air-con in the class rooms. It's sweltering at the moment.

[tuanku]

Singapore 12th and 13th ranked.

Malaysia has 5 Universities ranked higher than Thailand's best including University Malaysia at 149

Decent students from other ASEAN countries [including Thailand] will be heading for 1st world universities where they can get a worthwhile, well regarded education in a climate of free speech and expression. They will NOT be joining courses in Thai Universities where a Thai degree in the outside world is considered likely to have been bought rather than earned, and therefore not worth the paper it is printed on.

By what ranking? Not according to THE, or any other I could find online. Of course Singapore has better universities. SG is an advanced economy with advanced economy prices. Decent students may not have the money or desire to go jetting off to another country aged 18. You can use Thai degrees to get jobs in and out of Thailand, and to get places on graduate courses in 1st world universities. Try doing that without a degree. You don't know what you're talking about. Where did you buy your degree?

http://www.topuniversities.com/university-rankings/world-university-rankings/2015#sorting=rank+region=+country=97+faculty=+stars=false+search=

Please educate yourself a little with this article before coming back with more foolish questions about my degree (not from a Thai University although I have taught in thai educational institutions and do know something about what I am saying.

http://kyotoreview.org/yav/dysfunctional-thai-academia/

I suspect from your prickly responses that you are in some way connected with a Thai University. I wonder where your's ranks? Doubtful it is in the top 500 worldwide and probable its lowly status is fully justified.)

[ogb]

 

Most Thai universities already changed to the ASEAN academic calendar a few years ago and are now realizing what a disaster that move was. I know I wouldn't want my children trying to study & sit exams during this heatwave, or being confined to Thailand's north during the worst of the hazardous smoke pollution season. The sooner those universities revert to the traditional academic year the better - it would be refreshing to see sanity prevail in the education system (for once:)

It was only last year the universities changed.

This year the schools have changed, no summer holiday for year 6.

For many universities it was the year before that, and last year (2015) they were already calling for it to be changed back to the traditional thai calendar.

[harrry]

https://www.timeshighereducation.com/sites/default/files/wur-2015-2016-top-universities-by-region-large-v2.jpg

[skildpadden]

The Times Higher Education World University Rankings include 4 ASEAN countries Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand. They list Singaporean and Malaysian schools before Chulalongkorn (listed #82 in Asia) and Mahidol (listed #91 in Asia). The best in Indonesia (University of Indonesia) is listed between 601-800 in the world, but not given an Asian ranking for some reason.

Another list is QS University Rankings which include more ASEAN countries than Times:

1 NUS (Singapore)
4 Nanyng (Singapore)
29 University of Malaysia
44 Mahidol
49 University Sains Malaysia
53 Chulalongkorn
61 UTM (Malaysia)
66 UPM (Malaysia)
70 University of Phillippines
79 University of Indonesia
118 University of Brunei
191 Vietnam National University, Hanoi

[Krataiboy]

QUOTE Most Thai universities already changed to the ASEAN academic calendar a few years ago and are now realizing what a disaster that move was. I know I wouldn't want my children trying to study & sit exams during this heatwave, or being confined to Thailand's north during the worst of the hazardous smoke pollution season. The sooner those universities revert to the traditional academic year the better - it would be refreshing to see sanity prevail in the education system (for once.) UNQUOTE

Thailand is no hotter than Singapore or Malaysia. Why not divert some of the bloated education budget - one of the biggest, per capita, in the world - to air-conditioning university lecture rooms?

Rogue farmers who pollute the atmosphere and cause deaths and injury by burning stubble should be prosecuted and heavily fined.

Any more excuses for Thailand being too lazy to change?

Edited April 18, 2016 by Krataiboy

[Mudcrab]

QUOTE Most Thai universities already changed to the ASEAN academic calendar a few years ago and are now realizing what a disaster that move was. I know I wouldn't want my children trying to study & sit exams during this heatwave, or being confined to Thailand's north during the worst of the hazardous smoke pollution season. The sooner those universities revert to the traditional academic year the better - it would be refreshing to see sanity prevail in the education system (for once.) UNQUOTE

Thailand is no hotter than Singapore or Malaysia. Why not divert some of the bloated education budget - one of the biggest, per capita, in the world - to air-conditioning university lecture rooms?

Rogue farmers who pollute the atmosphere and cause deaths and injury by burning stubble should be prosecuted and heavily fined.

Any more excuses for Thailand being too lazy to change?

Rogue farmers is a bit of a stretch old mate.

Burning off releases pretty well the same amount of CO2 that the plants absorb during the growth phase so they are close to carbon neutral.

Sure there is the "pollution" inevitable in farm production, diesel etc....but what do you really want....starve in the dark in a grass hut??

[ogb]

 

QUOTE Most Thai universities already changed to the ASEAN academic calendar a few years ago and are now realizing what a disaster that move was. I know I wouldn't want my children trying to study & sit exams during this heatwave, or being confined to Thailand's north during the worst of the hazardous smoke pollution season. The sooner those universities revert to the traditional academic year the better - it would be refreshing to see sanity prevail in the education system (for once.) UNQUOTE

Thailand is no hotter than Singapore or Malaysia. Why not divert some of the bloated education budget - one of the biggest, per capita, in the world - to air-conditioning university lecture rooms?

Rogue farmers who pollute the atmosphere and cause deaths and injury by burning stubble should be prosecuted and heavily fined.

Any more excuses for Thailand being too lazy to change?

Thai universities have already changed to the ASEAN academic year, this is at least the second year after the change.

It has proven to be a failure, none of the claimed benefits have arisen but students & staff are having to endure extreme heat, extreme smoke pollution, and a holiday interrupted semester.

The current push is to change it back to how it was, and I doubt the failure to change back is caused by laziness, more likely some higher up stick in the mud cannot admit it was a mistake to change in the first place.

The only way I can see the burning stopping is when the majority of the community find it unacceptable to live in such pollution (but what usually happens is the outrage dies down once the rains come, the burning & smoke is forgotten.....until the next year, and so the cycle repeats.........)

[taony]

I'm quite surprised that many people are being negative on here about the Thais wanting to keep their academic year. To me it makes sense as they cannot change the dates of Songkran, a week off work for many. Also April is usually he hottest month and many schools don't have air con in all the classrooms so everybody would suffer.

What if someone suggested westerners changed their term dates and only had Christmas Day and Boxing Day off? I can't see how keeping the academic year the same will upset the ASEAN apple cart. Then again I'm negative about the whole ASEAN concept as I just can't see it ever working as planned due to countries not wanting to lose sovereignty in many areas.

That's always how its been where I'm from. Spent many Christmases and new year holidays studying for exams. Winter break is in January.

[mike324]

I think the major complaint is that not all unversitities changd to the new system, it is based on the choice by the headmaster / of school department head, some opposed the change and have not gone with the new dates.. I believe some students go on more than half a year after highschool doing nothing before their unversity starts. This is the main reason why people want to go back to the older system. It has caused a major distruption for students.