Showing 21 - 30 of 37
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.
#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.
Covid-19 Terminology
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 10/04/2020
» Are you a covidiot or a covidient? You can probably guess the meaning of both portmanteaus. The former is used to describe people who disregard social distancing and other rules regarding the Covid-19 pandemic that have been put in place while the latter is the opposite and comprises of "Covid-19" and "obedient". Hope you're all the latter.
Get out of students' hair
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 27/11/2020
» Earlier this week, the debate over student hairstyle rules returned after Veera Khaengkasikarn, deputy permanent-secretary for education, uttered perhaps the most perplexing statement ever said in 2020 during an interview in Tham Throng Throng Kab Jomquan on Thairath TV.
Before we go to the moon...
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 18/12/2020
» On Monday, Anek Laothamatas, the minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation, revealed that, by the middle of next month, a plan to send a spacecraft into the moon's orbit in seven years from now will be announced. According to him, Thailand will be the fifth Asian country to achieve this extraterrestrial feat, following China, Japan, South Korea and India. Khun Anek added that taxpayers' money will be used to yield tangible results rather than just more research and teaching, at the launch of a project to crowdfund locally-made vaccines against Covid-19 led by Chulalongkorn University.
We cannot lose control of technology
Oped, Vitit Muntarbhorn, Published on 19/01/2022
» The advent of Covid-19 has accentuated digitalisation and its close linkage with automation, algorithms, and artificial intelligence ("the three A's"). The Asian region interfaces closely with this phenomenon, especially because it is the most populous continent. It is also a region with a large number of non-democracies and semi-democracies. This panorama invites care to prevent misuse of those three As.
What's in a (soi) name?
Guru, Pornchai Sereemongkonpol, Published on 24/06/2022
» At the front of practically every soi in Bangkok, you'll notice a pole with a blue sign with white letters at the top proclaiming its name. However, if you look closer you may find many sois in Thailand can brighten your day with their curious names. Here are a few for your entertainment.
Making sure net-zero pledges really count
Oped, Published on 28/09/2022
» Walking down a Toronto street recently I saw an ad touting a fossil-fuel company's net-zero credentials. But to see such belief-straining claims, I would not even need to leave my house.
Could the study of humanities be automated?
Oped, Published on 29/09/2022
» There has been much hand-wringing about the crisis of the humanities, and recent breakthroughs in artificial intelligence (AI) have added to the angst. It is not only truck drivers whose jobs are threatened by automation. Now, they are demonstrating proficiency in the tasks that occupy humanities professors when they are not giving lectures: namely, writing papers and submitting them for publication in academic journals.
How tyrants use tech to spy on us all
News, Published on 08/02/2023
» Parmy Olson: You're the co-authors of a new book, Pegasus: How a Spy In Your Pocket Threatens the End of Privacy, Dignity, and Democracy, which tells the story of Pegasus, a powerful spyware developed by the Israeli cybersecurity firm NSO Group. In recent years, a range of governments around the world purchased this technology, allowing them to gain remote-control access to people's mobile phones without their knowledge. In 2020, a secret source leaked a list to your team of investigative journalists in Paris that contained 50,000 phone numbers that NSO Group's clients wanted to spy on. Among the names on the list were French president Emmanuel Macron, the Saudi dissident Jamal Khashoggi and a raft of journalists, including your own colleagues.