OPINION

Hazing over

Re: "University to end hazing abuses," (BP, June 9).

I applaud the decision of the Khon Kaen University student body to end the dreadful and dangerous hazing activities associated with the seniority system called SOTUS.

I have witnessed this demeaning, insulting and cruel activity whilst working at several top universities in this country.

When I tried to intervene to stop this torture and confronted the crazed senior students, they turned on me in a very nasty, threatening way.

Deeply upset, I informed the management of my displeasure and worry. The senior managers shrugged and dismissed my complaint outright, pointing to tradition and duty. I told them that if such mediaeval, dehumanising procedures were ever attempted at any UK university all the perpetrators would be expelled, probably lynched by other students and staff, and the management supporting it sacked. I explained to the management how my alma matter, Lancaster University, creme de la creme in the UK, welcomed the freshers, with fanfare, dignity, respect, care, and even love.

Shrug and derogatory remarks again!

After asking the junior students, the freshers, why they willingly succumb to this idiotic ritual, all of them expressed the same sentiment as the senior managers. Only in private did some freshers admit that they hate the whole system, but were afraid to rebel, yet would dearly wish it to stop. I must stress that these were the creme de la creme institutions.

Stop it did not and in my 22 years here I have seen so many deaths and injuries among the innocent freshers.

Finally, the Khon Kaen students themselves -- not their management -- stopped this charade. Let's hope that all students in all Thai universities will come to the same conclusion.

Stop the SOTUS!

Well done Khon Kaen students. Respect to you!

Title fight

Re: "Gender assumption," (PostBag, May 24).

Sally E Goldin in her letter complains about when the Head Researcher of a study, Orathai Sangpetch, is referred to as "Ms", instead of Associate Professor, while her male counterpart is called "Professor".

Ms Goldin maintains that Ms Sangpetch deserves to be called by her academic title in scholarly research, just as her male counterpart is.

This is all a mere matter of semantics so far as I'm concerned. Perhaps it could be that the person who cited the study which the American lady discusses felt that the male had to be called by his official title, since he is a full professor, while things are not so clear for Orathai Sangpetch, since she is not a full-fledged professor yet.

Anyways, instead of calling the previously mentioned person an Associate Professor, I've got a better idea: how about we call the man "Sir", or "Mr", instead of doctor or professor.

Instead of women professors deserving to be called by their title, I would prefer that both men and women forgo the official scholarly titles and act like normal individuals. If they are so smart, they don't need to resort to insisting on being called doctor or professor.

Those who insist on so doing are basically admitting that they are no better than others; they need to be called by their official titles to prove their worth.

Satellite campus

Re: "Govt says info sharing key to Thai space industry," (BP, June 6).

The Bangkok Post reported that Settapong Malisuwan, on the subcommittee for economy and security, said that Thailand's space industry is being held back by lack of technology availability for students.

One tool which is available now is the OpenDragon software, created with support from King Mongkut's University Thonburi. OpenDragon is a good tool for teaching and research, using space data from both Nasa and Gistda satellites. The software is free from www.open-dragon.org.

The goal of the OpenDragon Project is to provide high-quality, commercial-grade, free remote sensing image processing software to schools and universities and includes both Thai and English interfaces.

Founder, KMUTT Geospatial and Innovation Center

Men of letters

Re: "Management expectations," (PostBag, June 5) and "Vits trump jabs," (PostBag, June 2).

Is Michael Setter making a determined effort to topple Eric Bahrt.

With a flurry of letters of late, he appears to be mounting a special epistolary operation designed to irritate even more readers than the irrepressible Mr Bahrt. He's peppered us with all his usual pernicious pronouncements about vaccines and masks, has tried to float a new conspiracy theory about monkeypox, and now cobbles together some random statistics (with gross exaggerations about Covid side-effects) to suggest we abandon vaccination altogether.

As an indication that he will take no prisoners in this attempt to unseat the incumbent, he has gone head to head with Mr Bahrt by trouncing Eric's vegan diet with an audacious claim that vitamin supplements are a better cure for Covid.

This could be a long and boring contest. The least PostBag can do if it insists on publishing the tosh that Bahrt and Setter purvey is to update us regularly on the number of complaints received about each of the parties, with a view to conferring the title of Pest in Chief on one or the other in, say, three months' time.

Immune response

About 40 years ago I had pneumonia and was an outpatient. My doctor didn't tell me to wear a face mask or to self-isolate. Back then people understood that there are many diseases and viruses in the world and we simply can't shut down entire economies and drive 160 million people into poverty every time the media and the WHO find a new virus to exploit.

As for people who have weakened immune systems it is their responsibility, not ours, to take precautions. More importantly they should change their lifestyles so they can avoid the health problems that enable Covid to be lethal.

For example, while it's a lie that Covid is an epidemic of the unvaccinated, it is indeed an epidemic of the obese and overweight people. If they want to ridicule my vegan diet that's their choice. But then they have no right to completely disrupt my life when they become sick. Taking responsibility for your health is the greatest "medicine" in the world.

Sinking funds

Re: "PM, opposition clash on budget," (BP, June 1) and "Dropouts up as subsidy funding lags," (BP, May 30).

Thailand's quality of education has been dropping steadily under Prayut's watch -- and he wants to reduce funding in this year's budget?

Education needs more money -- not less. Many students have dropped out due to lack of funds from Covid, and must be rescued. Millions have lost two full years from Covid-19 that need to be made up.

The poor quality of our graduates shows that the mindset of teachers needs to be reversed, so that they teach our youth how to think -- not what to think. Teacher qualifications need boosting, so all teachers will have majored in the subjects taught.

PM Prayut, you took great care to send your daughters to one of our best schools -- Sathit Chula, they twitted -- rather than a nearby Klong Toey slum school. Other parents love their children no less than you, and they deserve no less.

Boost school funding!

System fail

Re: "Let's focus on students," (Opinion, June 3).

What is so hard about devising an education system that delivers schooling in an egalitarian manner in the 21st century?

Templates to accomplish this exist in many countries so the government does not have to re-invent the wheel.

The current programme based on subsidies is biased towards the wealthy students and based on greed and profiteering. Once the learning process is capitalised and made into a marketable commodity, all of the negatives about consumerism come into play and the students are the losers.

In my country, the government supplies schools that cover specific areas. Students go to the nearest school. Transportation is provided for free. Books and materials are free. Meals are free if the student is economically disadvantaged; breakfast is even provided as well as take-home meals if needed. After-school programmes are available too.

If educating the younger generations is demanded for the success of the country, then this should be treated as a major priority and beyond the normal political squabbling and positioning. Until the education system is defended fiscally with the same political fervour as purchasing submarines and jets, Thailand's youth will be failed and stymied intellectually.

It is well past time to get education in order and serve the youth with integrity -- and to give the mission of learning full support and attention.

High traffic alert

Re: "Addiction fear mars law change," (BP, June 9).

Addiction fear? What is utterly terrifying is the appalling prospect of thousands of Thai motorists and "motosais" legally high on weed and the uptick in road carnage, which is bad enough already. This doesn't bear thinking about.

Behind the curb

Re: "Weed caution still needed," (BP, June 9).

The Bangkok Post says about cannabis: "The authorities must make proactive use of all existing legal mechanisms to help curb the use of these substances for recreational purpose, such as ensuring they are not mixed with alcohol, otherwise abused, or sold to minors."

If only it showed the same zeal to "curb" the use of alcohol for "recreational purpose", given that it alone kills an estimated three million a year and causes millions of other injuries, not to mention long-term psychological damage.

Weed is extremely safe in comparison.