Development without Modernization

If I seem to have lost interest in my blog, it isn't so. It's just that as a foreigner, discretion is the better part of valor after witnessing how the Thai government ordered the "blunt hammer" of the Thai Army to shoot demonstrators. The subsequent handling of the government as shown by their ridiculous attempts at "reconciliation" has only ended in what may have been subconciously the Abhisit's government intention in the first place - to forget and deny. The Reds are a non-entity. The Reds are terrorists.

I am more and more convinced that in any society, the kind of education (indoctrination) will be an important indicator of its degree of democratization and determine the length of time it will take for the country to narrow that gap between the first and last scenario asserted by Abraham Lincoln: "You can fool all the people some of the time, and some of the people all the time, but you cannot fool all the people all the time."

By 2050, 40 years from now, when it is predicted that parts of Bangkok will suffer from innundation from the combination of a 100 year cycle rainfall, and high tides, I am convinced that Thai education system will advance very little. I hope to be proven wrong.
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http://www.nationmultimedia.com/home/2010/10/21/opinion/This-quick-fix-for-schools-is-failing-our-children-30140544.html

This quick fix for schools is failing our children
By The Nation, Published on October 21, 2010

Plan to declare English as second language in classroom ignores real problem: huge class sizes and outdated teaching methods

The debate on whether the Education Ministry should declare English as the second language in schools does not address the root cause of the problems in Thai schools. The real issue is the quality of teaching, not just of English but of all the subjects that students need to learn to be equipped for the future. Thai students already spend several hours on each subject per week in the classroom. What remains highly debatable, however, is whether schools give their students the quality time essential to learning.

The attempt to declare English as the second language in the classroom is an admirable thing and shows we are concerned over the low quality of learning. Knowledge of English undoubtedly broadens students' opportunities for learning. But it does not take a grand ambition to place English as the second language to solve the problem. Educators can tackle the issue effectively if they themselves are willing to learn and remain open-minded.


Every Thai student already studies English, but the average level of proficiency is highly questionable. Many teachers have not received training to improve their skills, or access to new knowledge. Some simply don't have the language skills to teach English. This means that many of our students are stuck with unqualified teachers day in, day out.


Although educators often claim they want to prepare students for the fast-changing world, most Thai schools still operate in the same way as their predecessors half a century ago. Typically, up to 50 students are crammed into one classroom and subjected to robotic learning by rote. Teaching methods have barely changed over the years. One change we can expect to see, though, is a drop in the quality of teachers, as their low pay means that teaching is no longer a coveted profession.


The authorities are scrambling for a quick fix. Instead of getting to the root of the problem, they prefer to announce a big-budget programme under a "sexy" title. But spending money alone will not guarantee satisfactory results. It is a shame that money is being lavished on education but producing nothing for our kids.


Rather than debating the terms of our English teaching, educators should take a direct route to improving learning by, first, focusing on limiting the class size for each subject. This puts the priority on ensuring every student receives sufficient attention from teachers. The method of learning by rote does not inspire students to excel at subjects for which they show aptitude. The current classroom environment fails when it comes to promoting either multidimensional learning or students' self-esteem. Students are often judged simply on their ability to memorise lessons, meaning that those with other talents can feel discouraged and left out.


Teachers should also receive constant training, because we owe it to our students to provide them with the best possible schooling. Improvements could also be made if public schools drew more on the resources of progressive or international schools, which are more up to date with techniques.


Meanwhile, an open-minded attitude is essential among teachers and school principals; learning is a never-ending process. Efforts to get retiree native English-speakers to assist in Thai schools have been unsuccessful largely because of the cold reception from teachers who are more concerned about their turf and ego than their students. These teachers should be sacked.


Teaching our children to become good "global citizens" should also be on the agenda. For instance, they should be taught about conserving energy and the impact they can have on the environment. But responsibility and citizenship are not sufficiently addressed. Instead, youngsters only hear adults asking for their rights but refusing to be accountable.


And most importantly, students should be given belief in their capacity and ability. Rather than promoting youngsters' self-actualisation, schools tend to punish students who don't perform well in the robotic model of learning. Meaningful knowledge is sidelined in favour of teaching students to fit into a mould by achieving good grades.


Thai students need to learn more about their geography and history to see how this physical and cultural background has shaped them. This will then enable them to understand themselves better. In contrast, currently they are usually forced merely to memorise information without learning how to think with it.

The day I became a Red Shirt

Since I have never attended any public demonstration of either yellow PAD or red shirts throughout the political turmoil that has descended on Bangkok’s political scene starting from the 2006 coup, I decided to witness the passing of the red caravan today, Saturday, March 20th, 2010. My interest was piqued not only by the unpopular status of the red shirts (the underdogs) as portrayed by the Bangkok Press but also that the Governor of Bangkok, M.R. Sukhumbhand Paribatra, in his infinite wisdom (the M.R. does not stand for Mister, but an honorific title that indicates close consanguinity to royal blood lines) had advised city residents to stay at home Saturday as red-shirt demonstrators are to march through the capital (The Nation, March 19, 2010). I’ve asked myself, is the Governor anti-Red or anti-business or both? Imagine voluntarily staying at home on a Saturday?

I started taking pictures at 10:30AM as I arrived at the Phayathai intersection in Petchburi Road. I noticed that no one was allowed to use the overpass (by what looked like Red security personnel) and the Red convoy used both sides of the Petchburi Road intersection. The flow at the intersection was controlled by the time interval of the traffic lights enforced by a few policemen, as a result of which, the heavy volume of the persistent and noisy red convoy caused crossing traffic along Phayathai Road from both Siam Square and Victory Monument to back up. However, the flow of reds was going quite smoothly with all kinds of vehicles from SUVs bearing Bangkok plates, countless motorcycles, assorted pickups, rented taxis, provincial rot tu, to an occasional but out of place tuktuk.

Contrary to nagging feelings that I was putting myself needlessly in danger (as a foreigner) amidst the “mob” of red shirts who recently committed the shocking blood pouring protest in front of the government and PM houses, a sensation made worse by the enervating vapours emanating from the heat island effect of downtown Bangkok – instead, I was swept by the cathartic experience of witnessing the so called carabaos (khwai), unspohisticated and brainless rural people, the poor and neglected people of this country assert their rights to protest, to be different, disagree with the present government legitimacy and insist on its dissolution. As only Thais are capable of, this was not a sullen crowd, rather a crowd patiently demonstrating to Bangkokians that they were here and willing to sacrifice to camp out in the scorching heat of the nation's capital, its seat of power, to make their voices and discontents heard whether city folks like us welcome them or not. But also more importantly, in that unique Thai celebratory way of “sanuk”, not getting too caught up with the seriousness of intentions or implications of their actions. Horns from a variety of vehicles plus plastic horns (reminiscent of birthday parties or new year's celebrations) were blown in a staccato beat to the cadence of “ook pai” - about the only thing I could make out. I pitied those who were riding at the back of open pickups and trucks, directly exposed to the merciless sun of summer. But they didn’t look dejected or discouraged. Some were dancing unself-consciously gay to the music blared by loudspeakers from trucks and pickups, and shaking vigorously the clappers shaped in the form of white and red hearts or feet as if in a puny way, they could imitate the trumpets of Joshua's Israelite army and bring down the walls of Jericho - the government of Abhisit Vejajiva with the resonant maddeningly cricket-like sounds of these innocuous plastic clappers. I noticed a crowd of bystanders cheering them up, responding with the same clappers to signal their support and encouragement, while others waved their welcome or gave the “thumbs up” gesture.

Tears fell involuntarily – perhaps in a mixture of pity, the underdogs fighting the established wealthy elites and powerful in Bangkok, what chance do they have? And perhaps of hope too sent their way in silent testimony, that the injustices that they have laid bare and the demands for social justice claimed and social wrongs redressed from the uneven development produced by the headlong rush of Thailand and its controlling elites to take advantage of globalization. That at long last, in their own small way, the reds are protesting this monster we call “globalization”.

I should make it clear that seeing through this catharsis, the red cause is wrought with a lot of confusion and contradictions. It must clear itself from association with Mr. Taksin, which in this case is only a means to an end, as a galvanizing issue. But beyond that, it is for the reds to correct the political process in this country with its extreme urban bias that lives off the surplus and the sweat equity of the agricultural sector. Although it may appear that this magnificent convoy of red protest is a masterful strategy to counter the anti-red Thai press by showing Bangkokians first hand the depth of the discontent and anger through sheer numbers, had been subsidized by powers that be who want to manipulate it for their own purposes, I doubt if many red shirts have been completely seduced by the same old patronage tactics. Not in the heat of summer, not when there is no chance of winning, when they are not fighting in their own territory but in the dazzling capital where the inhabitants look down on them as less than human. I am sure that many of them see the complex issue of social change as inextricably tied up to the ebbing influence, power and significance of the monarchy in this day and age and the absence of countervailing democratic institutions that will improve their life chances. One of the nagging problems, as the recent Economist article notes (http://www.economist.com/displaystory.cfm?story_id=15718981) is precisely the absence of discussion that would allay the deep anxieties of a people long brainwashed by the ideology of indigenous power elites bent on its preservation (no matter how anachronistic), that at least could have prepared the people of eventualities by considering the alternatives. I observed only one vehicle that displayed the photo of HM the King on its window. In terms of symbolism, the Thai flag amidst red banners were much more in common, something that I found truly amazing in a country that without a monarchy is still unthinkable to many.

Tired, exhausted and probably carcinogized by the exhaust of a thousand polluting vehicles, now backed up predictably to a standstill as the convoy head winded its way probably to the traffic choked streets of Lardprao road, I took my last photo at 12:26 PM. Looking in the direction of Yommarat intersection, I would have guessed the tail end of the convoy was at least still another fantastic kilometer away.

Godspeed red shirts!