ASSIGNMENT 2: ARTICLE ANALYSIS

[Cyrus Yazdanpanah]

https://thediplomat.com/2023/05/cambodia-and-thailands-cultural-rivalry-has-serious-implications/
The article outlines the many cultural similarities that Thailand and Cambodia both share, for instance the prevalence of the Buddhist religion, cultural activities such as kickboxing (or Muay Thai) and various cultural traditions. In spite of these cultural similarities, there has been a great deal of tension recently between the two countries over the origins of different aspects of their cultural heritage, with both sides claiming ownership. This issue became particularly apparent in the run-up to the Southeast Asian Games, being held in Cambodia.
These tensions have in the past boiled over into violence between the two states, for instance rioting in 2003 over the origins of Angkor Wat, or the dispute over the Preah Vihear temple in 2008; this temple lies near the Thailand-Cambodia border, and so was a particularly charged issue. As someone travelling in Thailand and southeast Asia more broadly, I find it fascinating to read more in depth about how some of the apparent cultural similarities between different countries have disputed origins, and it is important to bear this in mind when discussing these traditions with locals to avoid potentially causing offence.

[Cyrus Yazdanpanah]

Hi- this is an interesting article as it reflects an issue in all democracies across the world, which is a lack of participation by younger generations in elections. It is encouraging that so many young people in Thailand have registered themselves to vote in these elections, and it could be worth investigating further to understand how they were encouraged to do so, in order to replicate this in other democracies.

[Ashley Forde]

As a prospective teacher traveling to Thailand, it is essential to be aware of the struggles and inequalities within the Thai education system. The article highlights two key issues: the low academic performance of schools and the inequalities present, particularly in rural areas. It emphasizes the need for innovative teaching approaches and equitable access to resources to ensure all students receive quality education. Being mindful of these challenges, teachers can strive to provide the best possible education and advocate for change in the system.

[Lauren Evans]

Article: https://www.nationthailand.com/more/pr-news/40028972
The article highlights an exciting development within the education system in Thailand. United Overseas Bank Thailand (UOB) in partnership with Thailand Collaboration for Education (TCFE) have launched a new educational programme in the pursuit of improving the lives of disadvantaged students. My Digital Space (MDS), provides students living in the remote areas of Thailand with new digital tools and online educational services. President and Chief Executive Officer of UOB Thailand, Tan Choon Hin, highlights the importance of readily available education to all students, and identifies it as a “key element of quality of life”.

Although 99.18% of Thai schools provide internet access, there is still a long road ahead as recent studies show an average of 17 students share one computer. With MDS, two essential components have been introduced to schools – computer rooms and digital curriculum in the key subjects of Science, Mathematics and English. It is important to note that MDS will also provide online training to allow teachers to adapt their styles of teaching and develop their skills in technology. Science teacher Tadsanee Prawjuntug praises MDS for providing an engaging system which will ultimately improve students’ proficiency and performance. As a future English teacher in Thailand, the launch of a new programme to provide opportunities for disadvantaged students is an exciting development for the future of education. I believe that quality education is a basic human right and plays an important role in the development of positive relationships and connections. My motivation and desire to teach stems from my belief that education is a direct route to peace, and the launch of My Digital Space is a huge step in the right direction.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 10 months ago by Lauren Evans.

[Florence Crew]

https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC8857899/
The impact of COVID-19 and control measures on public health in Thailand, 2020
This article details the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic and interventions in Thailand, specifically focussing on public health, suicidal behaviour, socioeconomics, and road accidents. I chose to summarise It because, as someone who has just finished a biomedical sciences degree, I am particularly interested in diseases and their effects on public health and overall wellbeing. Positive and negative effects are found comparing the pre-pandemic and pandemic periods. A significant decrease in viral respiratory and gastrointestinal tract infections was found due to the improved personal hygiene practises, social distancing measures and facials coverings that became commonplace during the pandemic. There was also a reduction in a viral disease called dengue and a decrease in road accidents due to less alcohol trading during the reschedules Songkran festival.
As someone travelling to Thailand this article highlights the importance of maintaining high levels of personal hygiene and adhering to local regulations/restrictions. The article also details the mental health challenges faced during the pandemic. It’s important for travellers to be aware of any potential impact on mental well-being and know how to seek support if necessary. Overall this articles offers valuable insight into the effects of the pandemic and offers guidance for individuals to navigate the “new normal” lifestyle while travelling the country.

[Florence Crew]

This is a really interesting article you chose to summarise, I had not considered before how the pandemic might effect issues such as animal welfare. I think you summarised all of the points well. The treatment of animals is something I will definitely keep in mind when choosing to visit or not visit/support zoos/sanctuaries in Thailand that may not have the best ethical standards and animal welfare. I agree that education to the public about animal welfare is vital and that laws/legislations need to be tightened to help prevent abuse.

[Lauren Evans]

Hi Emily,
I really enjoyed your chosen article, and it’s fascinating to learn that there is so much history behind the sport of Muay Thai. The martial art has so many layers in terms of its cultural background, and how it was born out of the need for defence. Since the sport is still so highly regarded throughout Thailand today, it is interesting to see how it continues to build healthy relationships and friendships as people learn together and compete against one another. Also, the respect for their teachers (and respect from their teachers) is a real positive reflection on the level of appreciation the Thai people hold for one another.

I think the real soul of Thailand is shown through the hard work and determination fighters have to dedicate themselves to when training. As the martial art is the national sport of Thailand, I think Muay Thai is a true cultural reflection on the dedication and spirit of the Land of Smiles.

[Mandeep Sekhon]

Article: https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-64369279

This article details how, following the COVID-19 pandemic, Thailand’s tourism figures have increased to 11.81m in 2022 compared to only 400,000 in 2021. However, this is still substantially lower than previous years – such as the record 39.8m tourists visiting Thailand in 2019. Reasons for the volatile level of tourism are due to the long-lasting impacts of the global pandemic. International travel bans, vaccination proof, and rising unemployment have all contributed towards falling tourism figures.

Tourism accounts for a large percentage of Thailand’s GDP – in 2019, the sector contributed approximately 11.5% of national income. However, in 2021, this percentage shrunk to 1%. Consequently, the country is significantly reliant upon the value added from the industry in order to generate national revenue – and thus, economic growth within Thailand.

A new target has been set to increase tourist numbers to 80m by 2027. In doing so, Thailand hopes to raise the value added from tourism to 5 trillion baht (approximately £112.6 billion). Whether this can be achieved is contingent upon the country’s ability to bounce back from the global recession and increase international tourism. As a student visiting Thailand to volunteer in a local school for two months, I believe programmes such as my own may form part of the solution to this concern. By offering young people the opportunity to travel and learn about such a rich and exciting country, there is a greater chance that tourists will find it easier to enter Thailand, leading to rising tourist figures. In turn, this may also benefit the local economy through the services young people have provide through volunteering and consumption of local goods and services produced domestically.

[Mandeep Sekhon]

Hi Cyrus,

I really enjoyed reading the article you decided to share! It is interesting how despite sharing so much in common, Thailand and Cambodia unfortunately face conflict over cultural heritage. What surprised me most were the incidents of riots and disputes – clearly this is a very salient issue for both sides and one that should not be brushed over by anyone, including visitors to either country.

As you said, it is absolutely vital to be aware of such sensitivities when travelling to Thailand in order to avoid upsetting or offending locals. So reading up about this beforehand has helped me become more aware of current social and political issues within Thailand, which I previously did not know of.

[Caitlin Bray]

https://www.frontiersin.org/articles/10.3389/feduc.2022.905445/full

“Educational reforms amid COVID-19 in Thailand” begins by highlighting the difficulty that COVID-19 has caused globally, but especially in Thailand, harming the education of the students, by “impacting the overall quality of the education system”. This article explored the experiences of law students in Thailand using a multiple method study to analyse several different factors that affect their intellect. Their findings report that factors such as internet availability, accessibility to own gadgets, online resources, government, social media, and classrooms, have had a significant impact on the education system in Thailand.
Thailand has experienced substantial growth in the past few decades, but much of this was halted with the recent pandemic. For education especially, the rapid online shift which had to take place resulted in the diminishing quality of education, due to the lack of experience of teachers, students, and parents, and the constant pressure many in the field faced. Additionally, while the Thai constitution provides for the rights and development of the Thai population, many important factors were neglected during the pandemic among the youth and within education. While the Thai education laws within the constitution defines education as the right of all Thai people, these laws have become redundant due to the pandemic and the fact that non-equipped students are not able to receive their right to education. While administrative guidelines do provide for quality education, implementation is lacking at local levels. This has resulted in Thailand’s ranking of 59th out of 137 countries under the global competitiveness index by the world economic forum declining since 2020. The constant shift between in-person, online, and hybrid lessons may be one factor which has diminished the enthusiasm of Thai students towards their education.
This study used a multiple method study, with data being collected through survey questionnaires and interviews, which provided the real experiences, and attitudes of stakeholders towards the education sector. Participants revealed that factors such as internet availability, gadget access, online resources, government, social media, and hybrid classrooms have had a significant impact on the education of Thai law students. Therefore, while the education system is robust, there is a need for educational reforms and revisions at the local level of governance in Thailand. There should be a special focus on digital advancements and ensuring the reach of technologies so that all can receive an uninterrupted education. This article made several recommendations for the local and national level legal framework in Thailand, which they argue should be implemented, following their research and discovery of several loopholes in the legal framework in Thailand.
– The government should amend the sections related to primary, secondary, and higher education in the constitution and policies
– The local level of governance should be strengthened to implement the laws of the land
– The awareness campaigns and training of stakeholders such as students, teachers, and parents to enhance the educational teaching and learning in Thailand
– Creation of public-private partnership at the local level for adequate policy implications
– Implementation of digital technologies at universities in collaboration with local government

As someone entering Thailand to teach and experience the education system over there, it was interesting to learn about the effect of the recent pandemic on students education, what can be done to improve the experiences of students in education, and what higher level administrative factors may present as barriers.

[Caitlin Bray]

Hi Lauren,
I really liked your summary of this article and believe that you make some great points. As someone who wants to go into teaching myself, it is really interesting to learn about some of the barriers which still stand in the way of students receiving quality education and instruction, but also positive to see that changes are beginning to be made at a larger scale. I also really like how the programme acknowledges the need to support and train up teachers as well, who often times are left overwhelmed with the rapid technological advancements in education, and are unsure how to best utilise these resources.

[Joelle Foster]

Referencing the article: https://thediplomat.com/2022/09/can-marriage-equality-become-a-reality-in-thailand/
‘Can marriage equality become a reality in Thailand?’
I chose this article initially expecting it to be about heterosexual gender equality within marriage and the fact it’s still very traditional in terms of the role of a woman and a man. But I found this article intriguing too and relevant to the way western societies are in comparison to less modern countries like Thailand. The topic is important for someone travelling to Thailand as many people are now coming out or feeling liberalised in their home countries and Thailand will likely be their home away from home for a while so it’s important they feel comfortable and knowledgable on the current status of LGBT rights.
The article initially talks of the conservative nature of Thailand that remains, despite their claims and attempts to be more diverse and accepting. This has therefore impacted the lack of laws there are protecting those in the LGBT community. Protests have led to laws which now permit anyone of any sexuality to marry and have a family. There has been further attention to the definitions of terms used to describe non heterosexual partnerships so that legislation actually reflects the governments claims of change. Essentially, the government are more superficially accepting like displaying rainbow flags in Bangkok, but are purposefully slow to change laws to actually make non heterosexual marriage’s permissible. Perhaps due to the deep down bias towards not believing homosexual partnerships are required of the same rights of heterosexual relationships.

• This reply was modified 2 years, 10 months ago by Joelle Foster.

[Joseph McGuinn]

The article you’ve chosen is interesting and displays insightful information on the pre-pandemic and post-pandemic tourism levels. I too agree that there is a sense of satisfaction when being a customer to local businesses after the economically damaging COVID-19. pandemic. My take on the disparity between previous and current tourism rates is one which is not of exceptional concern. I believe the article, to some extent, follows the narrative that the tourism rates have drastically plummeted leading to result in an alarming crisis. Also, provided the article was published in January 2023, it does not therefore represent the current figures, for example, tourism rates of this summer. As expected, there would be another increase in tourism rates this summer. However, if the article displayed these figures, and was published instead this summer, rather than January, the narrative of the article would have to be amended significantly. Additionally, the depletion in tourism rates, particularly in 2021 is perfectly normal due to factors highlighted such as travel bans and vaccination status. I acknowledge that the post-pandemic tourism rates are not on par with the extremely high tourism rates of 2019, for example. However, that in itself was a truly exceptional figure and although it was achieved it is not realistic to label it as the new benchmark, or the new norm, for tourism rates per annum. Overall, it’s a very concise and insightful article however, it does not provide enough balanced perspective into the figures, instead, it aims to create a scaremongering sense of panic towards the at all but “normal” tourism rates.

[Osa Osifo]

Just four pupils left: how the sea rose up on a Thai village
theguardian.com/environment/2023/jul/01/just-four-pupils-left-how-the-sea-rose-up-on-a-thai-village

This article is about the impact of the climate crisis and rising sea levels on a specific Thai village called Ban Khun Samut Chin, just 10km away from Bangkok. This town has experienced the worst shoreline retreat in the entirity of Thailand, with up to 2km of coastline retreating in the last 70 years. Due to the erosion, the economic livelihoods of families have been destroyed, leading to many of them having to migrate to other towns. This has led to only 4 children still remaining in the local school, with some having to walk for up to an hour to reach school.

Up to 20% of the Thai population live in coastal areas such as these, meaning that the government should take preventative measures in order to combat these issues as soon as possible. Although coastline erosion happens slowly, the effects compound over time, meaning that eventually the effects will be great everywhere. This story is very relevant to my time in Thailand, since I will be teaching in a school, and can educate children about the climate crisis and what they can do to overcome it.

[Osa Osifo]

Hi Lauren,
The article you chose is quite interesting because it highlights the different ways that education can be improved using digital infrastructure and capabilities. I was surprised to hear about the almost 100% rate of Thai schools with internet access, as I thought that some of the more populous poorer regions in the North would struggle to access the internet. As a future English teacher as well, I am also interested in the opportunities that these developments give disadvantaged children and the potential for the educational programme to enhance education quality in Thailand

• This reply was modified 2 years, 10 months ago by Osa Osifo.

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