OPINION

We've failed the children

I fully back Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha when he says that analytical thinking is critical to Thailand's development and competitiveness.

Why, then, have our kids been consistently failing nationwide exams designed to measure analytical thinking? I suggest the following points.

Our leaders ask the wrong questions. For example, faced with poor nationwide National Institute of Educational Testing Service (Niets) results for M6 students, especially in rural areas, Education Minister Dapong Ratanasuwan orders Deputy Education Minister Teerakiat Jareonsettasin to analyse the Niets exams, saying, "[The exam] should not be too difficult because students in provincial areas are not familiar with this kind of exam." My dear general, if our marksmen aren't shooting accurately, do you make the target larger -- or do you find ways to have them shoot more on-target? You should find how to teach provincial students to think more analytically -- not make the tests easier.

We punish students for asking questions. For example, when a student suggested to PM Prayut that they should be taught the rationale for each of the latter's "12 values", not just memorise them, the lad was frogmarched to the police station.

We punish those who have opinions contrary to our own. For example, we've been told, "you can think, but don't express your thoughts" (Deputy PM Prawit); students peacefully flashing the Hunger Games salute have been "invited" for "attitude adjustments", the junta forbids peaceful, inclusive debate on issues of the day.

We insist on teaching what to think and not how to think.

It's not the kids who fail, it's we adults who have failed them. Shame on us.

Re: "90-day reporting grief", (PostBag, Feb 10).

Periodically letters of this sort appear in the PostBag column​ moaning about the 90-day notice filing. While it may be inconvenient, and the reasoning behind it questionable, it is still the law of the land and it is our responsibility to file the form. As to the online filing system it is currently only working with Internet Explorer so if you are using another browser it won't work.

As to your trips to Chaeng Watthana they can easily be avoided by making a trip to your local post office two weeks prior to your filing date. The cost would be that of a registered letter and a 10-baht stamp. The procedure is quite simple and can be found on the Immigration Department website at: http://bangkok.immigration.go.th/en/base.php?page=90days. I have been using this system for years and have never had a problem in getting my signed form back in time. Try it, you'll like it! 

An elderly tourist at my hotel left his wallet in the taxi. Cleverly he remembered the registration number which is on the passenger doors and was simply "E" and a four-digit number. But the police in charge said the "E" is a foreign letter and cannot be used because in Thailand a number plate needs two and pointed to the single "E" and said "This is one, Thailand need two!"

The information on the passenger doors are surely meant to be used by passengers. The Latin letter is meant for foreign passengers. The tourist is considering giving up the case as he feels that is what police want him to do. Is this how justice works in Thailand?

The tourist is not sure about the colour of the taxi but I suppose there is only one taxi-car in Bangkok with the registration number he provided. So what does he do? If he translates the "E" to Thai, who does he call to get in touch with the taxi driver?

And why does not modern Thailand have a lost and found office providing service both for passengers and honest taxi drivers? Stop messing with tourists and clean up in the system, now!