Do Thai Students Know How to Think?

[Inspire]

Do Thai Students Know How to Think?

Orlando Barton

 

 

Many expats in Thailand feel the need to pontificate on just about any subject that involves Thai people. It seems the longer one has been fortunate enough to live in this wonderful country, the more one has to say about its native population. We talk about the way they drive, the things they eat, the corruption of their public officials and how intelligent (or not) we think they are. Some of these opinions are based on observation and thoughtful consideration of social variance. Most of them are just people repeating crap they heard.

 

One of the most common piles of steaming misinformation I hear over and over again is that Thai students can’t think their way out of a wet paper bag. Many is the time some bleary eyed barstool sociologist has explained to me, “Ya see, the Thai school system is based on rote learning. They’re just taught to write down what they see on the blackboard and regurgitate it back to the teacher. They don’t have any critical thinking or problem solving skills. They are afraid to voice an opinion for fear of insulting the teacher.” I’ve heard it from literally dozens of crusty old expats who consider themselves experts on all things Thai; Thai kids can’t think.

 

Full story: http://www.inspirepattaya.com/lifestyle/thai-students-know-think/

 

 

-- © Copyright Inspire Pattaya 2017-05-07

[NCC1701A]

my last Thai girlfriend out smarted me.

 

what would i have done with 7300 baht anyway?

 

 

 

[steven100]

Thai uni students are fine ....   they know how to think, don't worry about that.

Do Thai Students Know How to Think?

Do Aussie Students Know How to Think?

Do UK ...  ?

Do USA ...  ?

 

same ... same ...  but different ..

[yellowboat]

Sometimes being bright in Thailand is a curse if you work in a large organization.  People will think if they are encouraged to do so, but are they encouraged to try new things or risk failure ? 

[ksamuiguy]

No!

[Saan]

Mr Barton is lucky as his students must be the creme de la creme. Not many of the young Thais I know are  analytical, the exceptions are mainly those that go to international schools. As for their English skills, I'll leave Mr Barton to explain their failure in that area.

[ikke]

"I’ve heard it from literally dozens of crusty old expats "

 

That, Orlando is what Thai pontificate about foreigners ........

 

And NO, they can not think, or most of them not, and I am not a crusty old expat, but an employer who employs over 200 people of which 15 uni degrees ... so i have a bit experience and have to say NO, if they come strait from uni, they can't think....

[TEFLKrabi]

All theses issues such as lack of critical thinking skills and the abundance and acceptance of plagiarism are not just Thai problems. Where we work in northern Iraq it's maybe an even bigger problem. In fact, I'd go as far as to say it's a problem in most of the world where the students are lectured not taught.

[thailand49]

I'm a Expat, but don't consider myself a expert, just my observation and experience living here for over 10 years.  For years I seen what was being said but kept it to myself, as I became more involved into the culture I noticed it more, then when my son became older I noticed all the things or crap as he calls it start to take hold. 

Now my opinion is in regard to Thai government schools or semi schools but must follow the government mandate teaching. Every article I have read written by Thai's themselves have criticized their own government regarding their own education system and it must change. Today, they have been part of the Asean Community, and one of the major requirement is learning English, but yet after years they are so far behind it isn't funny.

[fdch]

i can only speak for what i see daily: student 1 thai boy(23) plays games on computer untill 1 am drinking whiskey sleeps untill noon goes to school max 3 h every day (mums comment :"" he likes whiskey")

student 2 thai boy (25) studies guitar (will take him 6 years) no gaming no drinking  making awfull  guitar noise all day sleeps 12 hour goes to school not even 3 hours per day makes some extra baht  playing in bars(good for him)

student no 3 thai girl 5 year old very bright speaks great english  I WILL NEVER SEND THIS GEM TO ANY THAI SCHOOL!!!!  international only thai education will not ruin this brain ever!!!

[bbbbooboo]

Ummm....not to state the obvious....I suggest the intent of "education" in Thailand is to produce students that don't think or (god forbid) they will start asking (embarrassing) questions

[cruisemonkey]

Considering all Thai drivers were once (or may still be... in elementary school) students, the answer is -

Obviously not!

Edited May 7, 2017 by cruisemonkey

[janpharma]

The answer is "no" until the contrary has been proven...

[Brunolem]

Bbbbooboo nailed it...thinking students could ask unwelcome questions...

 

A few years ago, the Bangkok Post posted, then quickly withdrew, the results of IQ tests performed within the high school, and university, populations.

 

The results, whatever they may mean, were not so good...high school: 86, university: 94

 

That's way below the level required to think, at least in a smart way...

[MorristheRunt]

The future of a country in my opinion is represented by its youth, in the case of Thailand, the future is worryingly scary.

 

[ianf]

This is a cultural problem. Yes, most Thai people know how to think but thinking for yourself is discouraged by the very nature of the culture here. It starts off in the family: The father is the undisputed head of the family, what he says goes, what he tells you to do, you do. He may be an oaf and his reasoning skills may be deficient, but he is your father, so obey and don't answer back. School: This hierarchical attitude is continued in schools: learn by rote, don't question, don't think. There is no creative thinking or any encouragement to do independent research. There is no failure and therefore no success. Teachers are not allowed to fail the kids and this in itself discourages creative thinking and leaping out of the box! Work: The same attitude is carried forward to the work culture and in any case by the time you are at work then you've been pretty much brainwashed. So your manager/director comes up with stupid ill-thought schemes and you can't question, improve and so on. You simply carry out the instruction. Ask any counter staff, for example, a question that demands a decision or decisive thinking and you'll see what happens! And this attitude is carried right up the hierarchy so anyone who is in a higher position than you, or has more money than you has the power and cannot be questioned. So if you ever ask yourself why some road design is so stupid, or a government decision beggars belief, then look no further than this explanation. Until this attitude changes then nothing will change for the better in Thailand.

[ThaiWai]

After reviewing the GF's 12 year olds grades recently it became apparent he was doing ABSOLUTELY NOTHING in class all day. Between his grades and behavior a decision was made to send him to boarding school.  On multiple occasions, the GF went to the school to retrieve necessary documents for the transfer to the new school unsuccessfully.  As it turns out, the school staff does ABSOLUTELY NOTHING all day also.

[Olik]

Thai Students do not Know How to Think?  What an overstatement! Why? 

 

1. They talk about farang teacher before and after class. Don't they use their thinking faculty? 

 

2. They shun the hard way, but prefer the easier way. Don't they use the power of leveraging? 

 

3. They use their ladies to capture the foreigners to spend their money in the kingdom. Isn't it smart thinking than hard thinking? 

 

4. Many Thai ladies outsmart their farang bfs. Isn't it smart thinking than hard thinking? 

 

Thais just don't think the western way (hard thinking); they think the Thai way (the easy and smart way). 

Edited May 7, 2017 by Olik

[realviking48]

What made me most surprised of all is the ..lack of curiosity ..

hardy anyone I ask... did know where .. north, west, south east.. the sun comes up  in the morning.. or where going down... the most surpised me, nobody did not want to know. got angry.. ask me.. why they should know??.. they told me straight.. they NOT wanted to know..

[212Roger]

No.  But American students don't know how to think either; they are told "what to think."

[Global Guy]

So, my generalization is just that. A trend of behaviors I observed in the 16 years I've lived and traveled to Thailand. I'm sure you terak isn't like this though.

 

I know this topic pretty well. In 2003-2004 I worked at a pretty large private school. I noticed that the students didn't have any decision making skills (critical thinking). I also noticed it pretty much anywhere I went in Thailand. Thais were stuck in certain mental scripts (cognitive schema) and once they activated a script, they could not deviate from it even if variables in their situation changed.

 

I tried to teach critical thinking on two occasions. Both times, the next day or so I was called into the office and told to stop it. They said to me:

 

"You write on the board and they say it out loud.

"You read from a book and they repeat it out loud.

"You say something to them and they repeat it out loud."

 

"Nothing more."

 

I compare their thinking ability to puppies and Teletubbies. You cannot expect much more than that. Impulsive with blinders on. Look at how they drive. They're in the far right lane and see a left turn they almost missed, you know they will cut the wheel and cut over four lanes without looking.

 

How many times do you see motorbikes come from a side street and not stop and roll right into traffic. They expect you to move for them. A death wish.

 

So, no, they are NOT taught to think and all they focus on is their immediate goal in front of their nose. There is no one else on the planet at that point. Like a puppy when it sees a ball roll onto a freeway. It doesn't stop and look, it just runs out to get the ball.

 

[Keesters]

They think, but are not encouraged to speak what they think.

 

 

[bazza73]

A considerable number of them seem to be able to con experienced, Western-educated men out of their life savings, so it would appear so.

[anotheruser]

The average 5th grade Thai student could probably write an article as well thought out yet better intentioned. 

[Saan]

On 5/8/2017 at 6:53 AM, 212Roger said:

No.  But American students don't know how to think either; they are told "what to think."

Same with their parents. The last US presidential election was an IQ test and more than half the country failed to reach triple digits.

[bill59]

These days I'm more worried about the kids in my own country on that front! Thinking is a lost art among young America!


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