Showing 1 - 10 of 11
A silly syllabus
Oped, Postbag, Published on 04/11/2020
» Former Education Minister Somsak Prissananantakul favours providing students with a better understanding of history (BP, Nov 3), so long as a process known as chamra prawattisat be undertaken, in which academics with differing opinions come together to agree on a standard interpretation. This proposal sums up much of what is wrong with Thai education, and perhaps Thai culture as well. Why have a standard interpretation of history? So it can be crammed down students' throats for later regurgitation on command? History is like a photograph. It captures events from a specific angle, with a specific depth of field, and perhaps through various filters. Why not expose students to multiple interpretations and let them, through discussion, identify the biases in each and, in the process, develop critical thinking skills?
A step forward
News, Postbag, Published on 11/04/2019
» Re: "FM's outburst", (BP, April 10). I could understand Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai's outburst at the diplomatic saga which took place at Pathumwan police station where 12 diplomats from the EU, UN and Western embassies were present to observe the sedition proceedings against Thanathorn Juangroongruangkit, Future Forward Party leader. But I have two observations:
Set in stone
News, Postbag, Published on 05/01/2019
» Re: "Government admits election delay", (BP, Jan 4).
Pilots in a pickle
News, Postbag, Published on 25/10/2018
» Re: "THAI union leader slams pilots' lack of 'the right spirit'", (Online, Oct 22).
Cops have licence to print money
News, Postbag, Published on 24/06/2018
» I believe the Royal Thai Police (RTP) in Chiang Mai and other areas have been handed a golden money-making opportunity.
Biblical timekeeping
News, Postbag, Published on 15/02/2018
» In his Feb 12 column, Khun Veera Prateepchaikul said: "Poaching probe shows signs of slippage. Forty-eight days! Why so long for a case which is not complicated at all?"
A paragon of virtues
News, Postbag, Published on 31/12/2017
» As Pliny the Younger noted, "Example [is] the surest method of instruction."
Army is the suspect
News, Postbag, Published on 27/11/2017
» The army should stop insisting it can impartially investigate the death of army cadet Pakapong "Moei" Tanyakan on campus, for "The louder he talked of his honour, the faster we counted our spoons" (Ralph Waldo Emerson).
Kindness goes long way
News, Postbag, Published on 13/07/2017
» Re: "A helping hand for our wasted food," (Commentary, July 12).
Whingeing old bag
News, Postbag, Published on 26/11/2016
» In the 1970s we had several correspondents of the "US Army (Ret'd)" ilk, bemoaning the failure of Thailand's governments and administrations in conducting the nation's affairs on the admirable lines of Rainbow Gulch or Redneck Springs. Possessed of almost universal expertise, they were very, very boring.