OPINION

Literacy hurdles

Re: "Education woes aren't about funding", (Opinion, March 13).

Thunhavich Thitiratsakuls' piece on the need for reform of the education system in Thailand misses an important point. PISA scores trending south since 2012 must alarm policymakers and start a soul-searching. As a one-issue pony, can I again draw attention to the reasons why two in five Thai students are functionally illiterate at 15? And this score is not caused by problems with teacher workload, core curriculum or efficiency issues. It's the complexity of the Thai language.

Children speak fluently before starting school but struggle to learn to read and write. Thai has 44 symbols to sound 21 initial and six final consonants. Vowels are even more complex. The ancient Pali and Sanskrit origins of this complexity are irrelevant now, and a need for 1942-style reform has become more pressing. If the Lao language can be reformed, why can't the Thai language?

My point is that many Thai kids find it hard to read and tend to give up and hide their illiteracy. This impacts their ability to learn and many facets of their future by creating behavioural issues. They are more likely to leave school early, become pregnant as a teen, be unemployed, have poorer health and be incarcerated. Literacy problems start early and impose a dire consequence over an individual's lifetime, and collectively over Thai society and its economy.

No talks needed

Re: "Beach road reopens after public outcry", (BP, March 12).

Assuming this to be a public road (and beach) indeed, it begs the question as to why there should be any negotions with the development company regarding public access at all.

Ordering the fence demolition would suffice. Thus, the (Thai or foreign?) company has nothing to demand from the provincial authorities (or taxpayers) in exchange for public access.

Water woes

Re: "Wrong targets" & "TAT eyes B24.4bn from Songkran", (Business, March 13).

I agree wholeheartedly with Eric Bahrt.

He is so right in what he says about hooligans getting drunk and then wasting copious amounts of water soaking others. To make Songkran longer is only an excuse ro generate more money.

I will head for the northeastern Isaan region throughout Songkran where there are two days only for the water festival.

Reality check

Re: "Even Photoshop can't erase royals' latest PR blunder", (Commentary, March 13).

Will someone please explain to me the brouhaha over the reportedly "doctored" image of Catherine, Princess of Wales, and her children?

The fact is, most images presented daily in all media rarely represent any kind of "reality".

Don't we well understand by now that virtually all images in advertising are altered and enhanced to achieve a specific "impact," a designed "reaction" from their audience?

These days, perhaps it is best to follow the advice offered in Norman Whitfield and Barrett Strong's I Heard It Through The Grapevine, "People say, 'Believe half of what you see son, and none of what you hear."

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