Showing 1-10 of 21 results
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Thai tongue twisters
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 29/07/2022
» Happy National Thai Language Day! July 29 has been designated by the Cabinet as Thailand's National Thai Language Day since 1999. Although it isn't a day off, we should take some time off to appreciate how rich and beautiful the Thai language is. And to celebrate Thailand's mother tongue, here are a few Thai tongue twisters to practise with friends for some guaranteed fun, from noob to god level.
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Uniquely Thai Logic
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 17/01/2020
» A school in Pathum Thani was recently exposed for having the controversial policy of gauging the loudness of students singing the national anthem. They were so serious about it that they divided the students into three categories, based on how loud they are: green, yellow and red. If a student is given green, then they pass. Yellow means they have to sing it twice. Red means they have to sing it thrice. WTF, you ask? This idea is supposed to measure how much students love Thailand. The louder they sing, the more patriotic they are. Simple logic. Of course, the school scrapped this unnecessary practice after receiving overwhelmingly negative feedback from the public. Simple logic, too.
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Subject(s) (That) Matter
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 24/01/2020
» Two things that recently happened made me wonder about the definition of education in Thailand. First, a uni professor in Phitsanulok drafted a new course called "My Beloved Country" but the board rejected it, saying its purpose isn't in line with that of a general education course. The professor said his subject encourages students to "understand and appreciate their own values, as well as values of others, society, culture and nature". It sounds fine and dandy until you see his list of 18 guest lecturers consisting of controversial figures, some of whom are seen as aligning themselves with the government. So, if you disagree with them, would you be considered disloyal to Thailand or something? Second, Bangkok Governor Aswin Kwanmuang ordered all schools under BMA to have their students sing the royal anthem after they sing the national anthem before classes every morning to remind them of Thailand's three pillars -- nation, religion and monarchy -- which I humbly think the kids are reminded of plenty already.
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#ForbiddenPoll
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 02/02/2018
» Earlier this week, the National Institute of Development Administration (NIDA) Poll Director Dr Arnond Sakworawich, who had been in his job for only two weeks, resigned after his rector asked him not to publish the results of a nationwide survey that his team did on Deputy PM Prawit Wongsuwon's ongoing watchgate. Bangkok Post reported that NIDA president deemed the poll unfair and untimely. Arnond cited lack of respect and academic freedom as his main reasons to quit. Kudos to him for doing this as he is actually pro-regime.
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#BehindTheHashtags
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 06/03/2020
» Many student protests that were partly set off by the dissolution of Future Forward Party over the past two weeks has also ushered in new hashtags into the lexicon of Thai social media. At the time of writing, it has been reported that there are 28 hashtags associated with campus protests. Some are humourous while others carry strong political stances and sharp gibes. Whether you agree with these students who've chosen to make their voices heard, it's better to get used to their protest hashtags as more student flashmobs are on their way (but many speculate that the designation of Covid-19 as a dangerous communicable disease may be used as a tool to suppress them). Not to mention, an online campaign calling for people to wear black on Fridays as a symbol to oppose dictatorship began last Friday.
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555 Headlines
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 29/11/2019
» Looking at your newsfeed can give you a sense of doom and gloom these days. Venice faces its worst flood in 50 years. Koala becomes "functionally extinct" because of the (at the time of writing) ongoing bushfires in Australia. Another Thai factory was shut down and workers were laid off en masse. If you need a break from bad news like I do, you're in luck. Here are three funny headlines -- unintentionally or not -- to lift up your mood.
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Travel Struggles Thais Can Relate To
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 01/11/2019
» If you're fortunate enough to travel on a regular basis, you may start to pick up on little quirks that come with it. While I don't consider myself consumed by wanderlust, I would like to think that I've travelled enough to be able to share a few amusing quirks and struggles I discovered along the way. For your entertainment (and in some cases, our common commiseration), here are travel titbits Thai can relate to.
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Double Fun with Tinglish
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 19/08/2022
» As a Thai who writes in English for a living, I'm a bit of a language nerd who's naturally inclined to spot Tinglish in everyday life.
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Draconian School Rules
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 13/05/2022
» As if Thai schools aren't being known to be dictatorial enough, reportedly a school in Surin has taken it up a notch with excessive rules to supposedly promote patriotism for Thailand's three pilars: Nation, Religion and Monarchy.
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Don't Shoot Down A Child's Dream
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 19/03/2021
» What do you want to be when you grow up?
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