Education still limping, says Prajin

Deputy Prime Minister Prajin Juntong admits the quality of Thai

education is unsatisfactory, and listed some reforms on

 Wednesday that he insisted will help. (Bangkok Post file photo)

The quality of Thailand's education remains unsatisfactory,

 Deputy Prime Minister Prajin Juntong admits.

 Speaking at the presentation of the government's one-year

achievements Wednesday, ACM Prajin said the standard of

education remains low, as reflected by the 46th ranking worldwide

 which it received from the World Economic Forum (WEF).

 Thailand's university education was also ranked 8th among

the 10 Asean member countries, added ACM Prajin.

 ACM Prajin said the low quality of Thailand's education was

 caused by several factors such as quality of teachers and

an education system that did not encourage students to

 practice analytical skills.

The government also found Thai students spent too much time

 inside classrooms -- up to 86% of their entire schooling period.

Only 14% of that period involved out-of-class activities.

The Education Ministry rolled out a pilot project to cut school

hours to 70% of total schooling time and encourage students

 to attend optional activities outside class.

"This year, we have launched the project in 3,300 schools

 nationwide. We expect to expand it to 14,000 schools next year

 before it is fully introduced in 30,000 schools across the country

 in 2018," he said.

Aside from education, ACM Prajin said the government will

spend more on research and development, increasing its share

of GDP from 0.48% to 1% in 2018.

 The government will also encourage schools to recruit more

 research personnel -- 11-12 per 10,000 population, up from

 eight researchers per 10,000 people now.

On the transport outlook, Transport Minister Arkhom
Termpittayapaisith said the ministry the ministry is proposing
construction of 10 electric rail routes in Bangkok and several
 railway developments.

The government's transport investments are based on prospects
over the next 30 to 50 years.

"We expect that funds invested in infrastructure development
 will raise GDP by the middle of next year and will help the
 economy for at least a decade," added Mr Arkhom.


News,Politics,Bangkok Post,24 December2015.

 

Agree that education of Thailand still unsatisfly.

The children must learn more from experience outside

classroom rather than only from alphabet in the book.

 

Sincerely Yours.

 

PM pens new song for support

 

The prime minister has released his new single Because You are

 Thailand, a follow-up to his 2014 first smash hit,

Returning Happiness to Thailand. (Photo by Thanarak Khunton)

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha has launched his new song

in what is seen as a bid to seek public support for his

 government's work following growing pressure from critics

at home and abroad.

Titled Because You are Thailand, the song was played and

listened to by reporters at Government House Tuesday during

the weekly cabinet meeting.

 The song was also released to the public through various

channels Tuesday, including YouTube.

The new song was released on the eve of the government's
 presentation Wednesday of its one-year performance to tell
 the public what it has achieved during its one year in office.

 Gen Prayut said he had written the song as a personal New Year
 present for the public.

The lyrics are intended to ask all Thais to help the government's
efforts to steer the country forward.

A part of the song can be roughly translated to:

I have only two hands and breathe alone.

There may not be enough power to make a dream come true.

But if we join hands and breathe together,

the day we hope for will not be far away

 

The prime minister said the "I" in the lyrics does not only mean
 himself, but also members of the media. "Everyone must unite
 in the same breath to take the country forward,"  he said,
stressing that the public must participate in building the
 country's future.

 He also said he has released his new song on the eve of the
 presentation of the one-year performance review, hoping
for the public's understanding of the government's hard work.

 The new song is the second by Gen Prayut after he led the
military in seizing power from the Yingluck Shinawatra
government in May of last year.

 His first song titled Returning Happiness to Thailand was written
 one month after the coup.

Through the song, Gen Prayut explained his reasons for staging
 the coup and asked for time to tackle the problems besetting
 the nation before returning democracy to the country.

 Gen Prayut comes from a musical family. His daughters enjoyed
 brief fame in Thailand as a pop duo called BADZ.

NOTE: Early Wednesday, government IT closed this YouTube
 link to the song. Check back for updates.

In the meantime, Bangkok Post correspondent Wassana Nanuman
 recorded the song when it was played at Tuesday's press
conference and has posted it on her Facebook page.

เพราะเธอคือประเทศไทย

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C8mi5uSvkK0

 

News,Politics,Bangkok Post,23 December 2015.

 

As the song say the country belong to everyone so

we should cooperate to with the government to help

make the better Thailand.

 

Thank you Gen Prayut and the government team who devote

themselves do for the benefit of the country.

 

Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to all.

Wish you and yours all the best.

 

Sincerely Yours.

 

Security personnel face cut

Military officers were on duty to inspect a scene in Narathiwat's

Reuso district after a bomb threat on Monday.

 (Photo by Waedao Harai)

Security manpower in the deep South will be cut by almost

 1,500 personnel next year, the Internal Security Operations

 Command (Isoc) says.

The scale-back, approved yesterday by the Isoc committee

chaired by Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwon,

will apply to key units of the Isoc Region 4 Forward Command.

The number of soldiers, police and defence volunteers will

decrease by 1,443 to 69,295, Isoc spokesman Maj Gen Banpot

Poonpian said after the committee meeting.

He indicated the personnel reduction will not affect the authorities'

 ability to suppress security threats and protect local residents against

acts of violence in the southernmost provinces.

 After the reduction, there will be 31,000 soldiers, 18,000 police

 officers and 9,600 defence volunteers left, he said, adding

the personnel reduction plan for next year will be forwarded

 to Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha for approval.

 

A security source said defence volunteers will fill the gap

where security authorities are withdrawn.

The soldiers, police and security volunteers have played

a key role in tackling unrest since the violence flared up in 2004.

 A security presence has been maintained in Pattani, Yala and

 Narathiwat as well as four Songkhla districts of Thepha,

Na Thawi, Chana and Saba Yoi.

The status of the four districts as well as Pattani's Mae Laen

district as security protection areas will be maintained until

 Nov 30 next year, according to Maj Gen Banpot.

Meanwhile, in Narathiwat, three trains were delayed for

two hours after a hand grenade was thrown at a traffic police

 booth at Rueso railway station yesterday morning but failed

to explode, police said.

 

Rueso stationmaster Mongkol Klanarong told police a passing

 motorcyclist hurled the grenade at the booth.

 

News,Security,Bangkok Post, 22 December 2015.

 

In fact it is not about the quatity,it about the quality,moral

and how brave the authorities devote for their duty to make

peace happen in the area.

 

Sincerely Yours.

Truth is best, Mom Oui tells regime

Sacked economy czar MR Pridiyathorn Devakula placed a

 garland on the statue of Puey Ungphakorn Sunday.

 (Photo by Wichan Charoenkiatpakul)

Former deputy premier MR Pridiyathorn Devakula urged

 the government Sunday to reveal the "truth" about the

 country's economic situation.

Speaking at a ceremony marking the 100th anniversary of

 reformer Puey Ungphakorn's birthday in Chai Nat's Nong

Mamong district, MR Pridiyathorn, also known as Mom Oui,

 said the government had to tell the truth about Thailand's

current financial state to help the country get through the

current economic hardship.

 He added the government should not make unrealistic promises

 as it would cause people to lose faith.

 "The government hopes to impress people. But if it can't keep

its promises, people will be disappointed. So, the government

 has to provide a simpler explanation to the public to encourage

 them to help address the country's problems together," said

MR Pridiyathorn.


He said, however, the government was on the right track

in boosting investment by putting funds into the agricultural

 sector as it would help alleviate farmers' distress.

He added that the government should also accelerate its work

on economic stimulus projects.

MR Pridiyathorn said Puey's measures to help tackle economic

issues in remote areas was a good model as agriculture is the

backbone of the country's economy.

 Puey, a former economist and member of the Seri Thai

 (Free Thai) movement during World War II, was a role model

 for the public as he promoted cooperation between the public

 and private sectors to help enhance the livelihoods of people

in rural areas.

Puey was a pioneer in launching integrated rural development

which covered development of careers, education and public

health to create a self-reliant community, MR Pridiyathorn added.

 Meanwhile, Boonsom Akkarathammakul, assistant to

 Thammasat University's rector for alumni affairs,

said Puey encouraged students to work with people in remote

 areas so they could experience the problems they faced.

News,Politics,Bangkok Post, 21 December 2015.

 

Agree with Mom Oui,that the government should tell

the truth so that people can prepare themselves to meet,

get along and adjust to the real situation.

 

In my believe, the economic team must fight hard

to stimulate economic growth and hope they can do

their best to lead to GDP growth.

 

Sincerely Yours.

 

Thailand, China officially launch train project

A model of the operations control centre is displayed at a

 ceremony held on Saturday to officially launch the

 Thai-Chinese train project at Chiang Rak Noi station in

 Bang Pa-in district of Ayutthaya.

(Photo By Chanat Katanyu)

AYUTTHAYA — Thailand and China on Saturday officially

 launched their joint railway project even though construction

 will not start until May next year at the earliest.

 The launch ceremony was a face-saving gesture intended to

live up to pledges by both countries that work would begin

 this year.

 

 However, a disagreement over shareholding and financing of

the venture has put it behind schedule.

Deputy Prime Minister Prajin Juntong and Chinese State

Councillor Wang Yong led the ceremony at Chiang Rak Noi

station in Bang Pa-in district of this central province as a symbol

 of their commitment to the 530- billion- baht scheme.

They promised no turning back on the project although negotiators

of the two countries remain apart on several issues including loan

conditions offered by Beijing.

 Chiang Rai Noi is slated to be used as an operations control

centre for the train to be jointly invested by the two countries.

 China also handed over some heavy equipment to Thailand

 at the event.

Thailand and China have agreed to build two medium-speed

lines on the 1.435-metre gauge from Nong Khai to Map Ta Phut

in Rayong via Kaeng Koi district in Saraburi and another route

 from Kaeng Koi to Bangkok.

Transport Minister Arkhom Termpittayapaisith said May 2016

 construction start date remained unchanged despite their

differences. The work is expected to take about four years.

 The two countries have still not settled on their respective stakes

 in the joint venture, the investment cost and the interest rate

 on a loan from China.

Beijing wants to charge 2.5% interest while Thailand wants a

 rate no higher than 2%. Mr Arkom repeated on Saturday that

China had promised the best it could offer to Thailand.

 Since becoming deputy prime minister in charge of economic

 policy, Somkid Jatusripitak has put the Finance Ministry

 in charge of negotiations with China, taking over from

 the Transport Ministry.


News, General,Bangkok Post, 19 December 2015.

 

Glad to hear the progress of the train project between

China and Thailand.

 

Hope all route and the condition make for optimization of

the benefit of people in the two country.

 

Sincerely Yours.

 

 

Thailand, Cambodia plan more border crossings, rail link

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and Cambodian Premier
 Hun Sen smile while taking questions from reporters after
a joint cabinet meeting at Government House on Saturday.
(Photo by Thiti Wannamontha)

Thailand and Cambodia agreed on Saturday to open more
 border checkpoints and expressed hope that their capitals
 would be connected by train by next year.

The two countries will open two new checkpoints between

 Sa Kaeo and Banteay Meanchey provinces but the opening

date has not been set. The locations will be at Nong Ian-Stung

 Bot and Ban Pa Rai-O'Neang, said a statement released after

 a joint cabinet meeting at Government House.

 The new checkpoints will ease congestion at the

 Aranyaprathet-Poipet crossing, the main tourism and trade

 connection between the two countries.

The checkpoint between Nong Ian and Stung Bot is expected
 to be upgraded first as it was named by Prime Minister Prayut
 Chan-o-cha and Cambodian Premier Hun Sen in their joint
news conference.

 

A bridge needs to be built across a waterway at Ban Nong Ian,

 also in Aranyaprathet district. Gen Prayut said the construction

could be completed next year.

 The Thai cabinet on Tuesday approved a loan of 928 million

 baht to Cambodia to help fund the improvements. The loan

has a preferential interest rate of 2% and a repayment term

is 25 years, with a 10-year grace period..

 The two countries also will restore their rail connection and

 plan a rail link between the two capitals next year.

"Train service between Bangkok and Phnom Penh would start

operation by the end of 2016," the statement said.

The track between Ban Khlong Luek in Aranyaprathet and

 Poipet in Cambodia has been out of service since the Khmer

 Rouge took control of Cambodia 40 years ago.

 Previously, the countries had been connected  by rail from

Aranyaprathet and Sisophon. The State Railway of Thailand

 is now rehabilitating the tracks from Aranyaprathet to the

 border. Gen Prayut said the railway would be reconnected

 by mid-2016.

The two leaders also pledged to promote their special economic

 zones at the border between Aranyaprathet and Banteay

Meanchey, and between Trat and Koh Kong.

 Hun Sen was in Bangkok for his first official visit in 12 years,

which also marked the 65th anniversary of diplomatic ties.

The two countries agreed on Friday to bolster trade and

 investment. His two-day visit ended on Saturday.

 

News,General,Bangkok Post, 19 December 2015.

 

This is very good news indeed ,there is cooperation between

The Prayut  government and Hun Sen.

 

Hope this news  is the sing that support from and Phnom Penh

to Taksin at any case will end.

 

Sincerely Yours.

Thailand, Cambodia plan to triple bilateral trade

 

 

Visiting Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, front left, walks

 with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha at Government House

 on Friday. (Photo by Thiti Wannamontha)

Thailand and Cambodia agreed on Friday to triple the value of

 bilateral trade and develop their partnership for mutual benefit.

Agreement was reached at talks between the delegations

 of Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and visiting

 Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen at Government House

on Friday.

 Deputy government spokesman Werachon Sukondhapatipak

 said afterwards that the two sides agreed to triple bilateral trade

over five years from about US$5 billion at present.

 This would be achieved through the development of connecting

 economic zones in Thailand's Sa Kaeo province and adjacent 

 Banteay Meanchey province of Cambodia, customs facilitation,

 and road and railway connections.

The two governments also agreed to encourage businesses to

 invest in each other's country, Maj Gen Werachon said.

 Prime Minister Prayut proposed they jointly introduce tour

 packages to promote their tourist destinations. Thailand,

Cambodia and Vietnam were jointly promoting marine tourist

 destinations, the deputy government spokesman said.

The two governments agreed to cooperate in solving illegal

 labour and human trafficking problems by speeding up the

registration of Cambodian workers in Thailand so that they

 would be protected by Thai law.

 In the area of medicine, the Thai prime minister offered

 training for Cambodian health personnel and scholarships

 for Cambodian medical students.

 Regarding energy, Thailand asked Cambodia to share its

 water to ensure power security, while Cambodia expressed

 gratitude towards Thailand for supplying electricity to parts

 of Cambodia where there were no local transmission lines.

To celebrate the 65th anniversary of Thai-Cambodian

 diplomatic relations, the two countries will organise

 a friendly football match and Hun Sen proposed that

 it be televised live.

Gen Prayut appreciated the positive ties and promised to

 enhance the bilateral partnership for the sake of interdependence

and mutual benefit, Maj Gen Werachon said.

News,General,Bangkok Post,18 December 2015.

 

As Cambodia is Thailand close neighborhood country,

with long relationship for 65 years,all the agreement

 made,including triple bilateral trade is the good news for

 both country.

 

Sincerely Yours.

Somkid: Stimulus measures, investments to carry economy

Deputy Prime Minister Somkid Jatusripitak (standing, left)

welcomes Chinese State Councilor Wang Yong (standing, right)

 at Government House on Wednesday as the two opened a

Thai-Chinese Joint Committee on Economic Cooperation meeting.

 (Photo by Thiti Wannamontha)

The economy will expand by 4% next year on the back of new

stimulus measures and infrastructure projects, Deputy Prime

 Minister Somkid Jatusripitak said on Thursday.

The minister said the economy had moved out of its slump

 and into expansion mode, driven by new government initiatives

 to stimulate growth, including investment in infrastructure.

He projected gross domestic product to be between 2.9% and 3%

 this year and increase to 3.5-4% in 2016.

Mr Somkid said economic fundamentals remained strong, with high

foreign reserves of UScopy57 billion, short-term foreign debt

of only $55 billion and an unemployment rate of just 0.9%.

"Although this year's growth will be slow, the government's

 accelerated spending and stimulus will lift the confidence of

 consumers and industrial sectors," he told the Thai-Chinese

Business Forum, jointly organised by the Board of Investment

 and Commerce Ministry.

He hoped for more investments from the Chinese government

 and investors, especially on rail lines, to tighten the two countries'

 economic ties.

 Their trade is expected to reach US$60 billion this year and

$70 billion next year.

 Thailand and China will hold a ground-breaking ceremony for

their joint rail project at Chiang Rak Noi station in Bang Pa-in

 district in Ayutthaya province on Saturday, although

construction will not begin yet, as negotiations have not

 been concluded. Loan conditions remain a key sticking point.

Thailand is bargaining with China to keep the rate under 2%.

Deputy Prime Minister Prajin Juntong and Chinese State

Councillor Wang Yong will chair the symbolic ceremony.

The Chinese visitor is on a visit to Thailand for a meeting of

the Joint Committee on Economic Cooperation at Government

 House with Mr Somkid.

 Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha told Mr Wang at Government

House that he hoped the talks on the train projects will be wrapped

 up soon.

The Bank of Thailand on Wednesday pegged its 2016 economic

 growth forecast at close to 3.7%. It will give new projections on

Dec 25.

Growth last year was just 0.9%, the weakest since flood-hit 2011.

Mr Somkid said the Federal Reserve's US interest rate increase

 was likely to have only a small impact on Thailand, and he was

 not concerned about capital outflows.

BoT governor Veerathai Santiprabhob told reporters on Thursday

 the Fed's move was expected and its tightening pace would be

gradual, so there "should not impact or create volatility in

 financial and capital markets".

He said given policy divergence among big central banks,

which would impact exchange rates, the business sector would

have to give importance to managing exchange-rate the business

 sector would have to give importance to managing exchange-rate

 risks and assets in the short-term.


Business,Business News,Bangkok Post, 17 December 2015.

 

Good news for Thai economic next year.

 

Hope Mr.Somkid can lead to stimulate all sections of Thai

 

economy not only joint venture but SME and medium size

 

business also.

Sincerely Yours.