ASSIGNMENT 2: ARTICLE ANALYSIS

[Michael Hawkey]

Hi Caitlin,
I really enjoyed reading your article summary, and I think you pointed out really interesting features of the research they conducted, especially relating to the availability of technology in providing suitable teaching on a sufficient scale in Thailand and the way this needs to be combined with local education laws to ensure that so many students are not deprived of their right to education. I agree, that as we enter Thailand to teach, it is very interesting to read about the impact of COVID-19 on education, and the way it has reshaped approaches to the organisation and provision of teaching, and it makes me wonder how the changes proposed by the article might affect our very specific programme, teaching a foreign language for a relatively short period of time in schools.

[Sophie Ingram]

The article “IUCN Thailand program organises the Nature Education Camp for students at Kaeng Krachan National Park” discusses the importance of education for youth surrounding Thailand’s environment, nature, and biodiversity.
The article highlights the education of minority ethnic groups, creating equal opportunity among the youth, and creating an understanding between children from cities and children from the forest, as stated: “These students possessed unique knowledge about the forests and wildlife conservation methods, which could be enhanced further and integrated with their indigenous worldview.” It is critical to give equal chances to all young people, regardless of ethnic background or location, to foster mutual understanding. Sharing information and experiences with young people from various backgrounds is a beautiful and helpful experience for everyone involved.
It also resulted in understanding its ability to be spread across other schools across Thailand to educate and make accessibility easy. “This activity is replicable and adaptive to the local context in other schools in the province. “Education is a fundamental right, and it is lovely to hear of the success of this programme in making it more accessible to people in the province. It is critical to investigate methods for replicating this programme in other schools and communities so that more individuals can benefit. With unshakable dedication and focused efforts, this programme will continue to thrive and transmit valuable information to multiple individuals in the future if successful. This is something I find inspirational and shows Thailand’s importance in educating its youth which I find admirable.

related article: https://www.iucn.org/story/202212/iucn-thailand-programme-organizes-nature-education-camp-students-kaeng-krachan

[Sophie Ingram]

hi Anh Lam
I enjoyed reading your summary surrounding your chosen article. absolutely agree with you on the necessity of careful tourism and the conservation of local animals. It’s disturbing to learn about the declining population of Rhesus Macaques monkeys at Thailand’s Tham Pha Mak Ho temple. I’m glad to hear that actions are being taken to deter poachers and stop the illegal monkey trade. It is vital that we all do our share to preserve Thailand’s natural beauty and biodiversity, and We must take responsibility, especially when travelling as guests, to protect and maintain Thailand’s natural environment.

[Isabel Horsler]

From this summary, it seems that the education system in Thailand is positive as it is exclusive of everyone and not discriminatory. Moreover, there is evidence of an attempt to improve the education system through the existence of administrative and organizational structures in place. It would be interesting to know how effective these initiatives are in managing the large population and more about the areas of education that the curriculum is focused on and whether these would help upskill the labor of Thailand. I also agree with you that having a solid understanding of the Thailand education system is vital for being a teacher in Thailand as it helps your understanding of how to teach.

[Fergus Chalmers]

“Global Supplies of Sugar, Rice at Risk From Looming Thai Drought”
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2023-07-03/drought-menacing-thailand-threatens-global-supply-of-sugar-rice

Thailand is bracing for below average rainfall this monsoon season due to the result of both climate change and the start of a new El Nino weather pattern in the region. This could lower rainfall by up to 10% this year. This is expected to worsen in following years which will greatly affect farming and agriculture in Thailand, a key sector in its economy.
This article looks at how the Thai government is planning to conserve water this season to curb long term droughts. One solution they have found is by restricting rice farmers to growing just one crop yield this season, however this may shake Thailand’s position as the worlds second largest exporter of rice. Sugar cane and rubber farms face similar restrictions which will limit production to conserve water.
The start of a new El Nino weather pattern comes at a bad time for Thailand as the government grapples with high inflation. Record high temperatures this year have caused an increase in demand for electricity by offices and homes for air-conditioning. Demand for water is also up as people try to stay cool in the abnormally hot weather.
As a tourist coming to stay in Thailand short-term over their monsoon season, I am adding to the pressure the country is currently feeling. I should consider how I personally can reduce my usage of power and water during my stay. Also as a teacher it is my responsibility to help educate younger generations in the importance of power conservation.

[Isabel Horsler]

This article provides a summary of the education system in Thailand and the problems that confront it. Education in Thailand is compulsory for the first nine years of basic education and free. In elementary school, classes are not more than 5 hours a day and the curriculum covers Thai language, maths, science, social students, physical education, art, occupation, technology and foreign languages. Secondary school starts at the age of 12. After grade 9, students can pursue upper-secondary education or more vocational programmes tailored to their career goals.

Thailand’s education system is affected by the political system and a rapidly ageing population. Thailand’s rapidly ageing population and low student demographic means there is a shortage of staff and labour. To overcome this, Thailand has attempted to stimulate immigration with the relaxation of visa rules and English foreign teacher programmes. In Thailand, the climate of political repression curtails academic freedom, as teachers are under surveillance. For instance, the military government arrested five academics attending an academic conference in Chiang Mai on charges that the conference violated the junta’s ban on political gatherings of more than 5 people.

This article relates to me because as I will be teaching in Thailand it is important to be aware of the basic structure of the school curriculum and the age groups. Moreover, it highlights the need to be aware of the political environment and any rules I may need to follow when teaching. This article is available at: https://wenr.wes.org/2018/02/education-in-thailand-2

[Katarzyna Postlethwaite]

https://edition.cnn.com/travel/article/maya-bay-thailand-recovery-c2e-spc-intl/index.html

The CNN article ‘Tourism killed Thailand’s most famous bay. Here’s how it was brought back to life’ explores the fate of Maya Bay, one of Thailand’s tourist hot-spots which closed for several years due to a wildlife rehabilitation program. According to the article, the bay had been on ‘the brink of ecological catastrophe’ and was therefore closed between 2018 and 2022. The bay gained recognition for being the location of the Hollywood blockbuster ‘The Beach’.

At its peak, the bay saw up to 8000 tourists per day resulting in a dramatic loss of marine life. This was caused by boats’ propellers and careless tourists destroying the precious reef. Furthermore, the immense amount of people, cramming onto a small piece of land took away the natural beauty and aesthetic of the place.

This article really made me think about the environmental impact of tourism. Naturally, when in Thailand, I plan on visiting paradise beaches that I have heard so much about, however I will do so whilst remaining conscious of my impact on the surrounding nature. It is important for tourists to treat places they visit with respect and consider the consequences of their behaviour. The more we look after our surrounding environment, the more benefits we will get to enjoy.

[Katarzyna Postlethwaite]

I found this article really encouraging. I believe many women can relate to it, as gender pay gaps and misrepresentation are still very prominent in certain parts of the world. The fact that Thai women are starting to take the lead and defy gender roles and stereotypes in the world of business fills be with a lot of hope and excitement for the future. There is no denying that a lot of work is yet to be done, such as in the world of politics, however Thailand seems to be heading in the right direction, promoting inclusivity and equality.

[Mafuza Islam]

https://asialink.unimelb.edu.au/insights/schools-out-thailands-education-and-skills-crisis
The Thai Prayuth administration is optimistic to improve the tertiary sector, with intent to shift from a currently agriculture-heavy sector to high technology industries, striving for Thai universities to be amongst the highest ranked. Despite these high aspirations, Thailand lags behind its Japanese, Australian, Malaysian and Singaporean counterparts including Education Attainment, GDP and base monthly salary.

It is no surprise as the quality of Education in Thailand is extremely poor and this is linked to low levels of critical and analytical thinking being enforced in schools, as well as having one of the lowest English speaking abilities, consistent in the findings of the English Proficiency Index and Tests of English as a foreign language. A high percentage of fifteen year old children are illiterate, which makes the Prayuths optimism seem somewhat unattainable, as the inability to read, comprehend, think criticaly and analytically, sets children back from accessing high skill jobs. The education system in Thailand is criticized for placing excessive emphasis on rote learning and memorization, which hinders the development of critical thinking, problem-solving, and creativity among students.
This article highlights the mismatch between education and job market demands, with Thailand’s education system struggling to keep up with the rapidly changing job market, resulting in a mismatch between the skills acquired by students and the skills needed by industries. Lack of quality education and vocational training programs in Thailand is a major obstacle in addressing the skills crisis. This deficiency hampers the country’s ability to compete globally and attract foreign investment.

Though the Prayuth administration has identified this need to upskill the workforce “to a more knowledge based higher value economy” with high technology industries, it has had very little to widen access to these skills across the country. There is also concern around the distribution of education in Thailand, with a growing gap in access within Thailand, specifically between children living in rural areas making up the most disadvantaged of 47 percent having less access to education as you will find in urban areas. Similarly to the UK, a gap in attainment exists between those that live in more disadvantaged areas, as is the case in Rural Thailand. Limited access means widening of the gap. Instead of increasing the skills of the workforce, the administration instead seek to attract foreigners with high skills as opposed to invest in its own people. This is unsustainable for the future of Thailand as welcoming foreign professionals does little for meeting employer needs or qualify of skills of Thai people, to shift from agricultural sector to a more research based market.

This article is informative and particularly interesting for someone like myself who considers to relocate to Teach English in Thailand. While the proposed ten-year visa plan does prove to be attractive, the restrictions around owning property and obtaining citizenship does makes it difficult to make long term plans to stay and teach in Thailand. The need for English reassures me that my contribution will be pivotal for the upcoming generation of Thailand, to obtain the English speaking skills necessary to enter high level employment, but also compete against other counterparts.

[Molly Hardy]

https://www.eco-business.com/news/pandemic-worsened-animal-welfare-abuse-in-thailands-zoos-pet-trade/

Title: Pandemic worsened animal welfare abuse in Thailand’s zoos, pet trade

Having wild animals, both native and non-native, kept in captivity is something which has been going on for decades. This doesn’t mean that the conditions these animals have been kept in and continue to live in are anything close to acceptable. Georgina Groves, Executive Director of Wild Welfare, a UK based nonprofit, says that the animal abuse comes from ‘no animal care or welfare standards,’. Which unfortunately has just worsened due to the Covid-19 Pandemic. Without money from tourists during the pandemic, animals were forced to live in horrific conditions. Most animals who have lived in captivity will not be able to ever return to the wild, having lost all ‘natural instincts’ and not knowing ‘how to fight for itself, to build up a territory, to protect a territory’ according to Edwin Wick, founder of Wildlife Friends Foundation Thailand.

Despite thousands of signatures on petitions to rescue animals, the Zoo’s remain in business and the animals remain in their cages. Animal welfare and protection laws in Thailand are there to protect native wildlife such as tigers and elephants, although enforce loosely, there is nothing to protect non-native animals, like gorillas, chimps and pumas. Even the native animals in Thailand, aren’t protected with inbreeding and disabilities clearly visible. There needs to be further protection of protecting these natural environments and habitats for the animals to make sure the animals are undisturbed and free from poaching.

Ignorance to topics like this is a mistake and it is through education on animal welfare that we can try to help spread awareness and develop love, support and care to all living things that require it. Together we can use education to clamp down on exploitation. Through my time on the English teaching programme covering animal welfare and rights, I will hopefully be able to raise awareness of animal welfare and teach compassion.

[Molly Hardy]

Wow Katarzyna !!
Thank you for bringing this article to my attention! wow! I had no idea, but you are so right, it really does make you think about the affects of tourism on the natural landscape. That is so crazy- 8000 tourists a day! The pictures look so idyllic, but I am in shock that the affects of the tourism was so bad they had to close the bay for 4 years to bring it back to life- definitely enforces ‘don’t destroy what you came to enjoy’
Thanks again for bringing the article to my attention, I really enjoyed reading it!

[Lucy Dwight Beaumont]

Article: https://www.aljazeera.com/news/2023/7/3/thai-opposition-party-struggles-to-take-power-after-election-win
“Thai opposition party struggles to take power after election win”
This article discusses the current political situation in Thailand following the election victory of the progressive opposition party, Move Forward Party. Although the party’s success alarmed the ruling establishment, including the monarchy, there are uncertainties regarding whether its leader, Pita Limjaroenrat, will be able to become the prime minister and end the military-dominated rule that has persisted for nine years.
The party’s pledge to reform several powerful institutions, including the monarchy and the military, both made it popular among many voters and alarmed royalist conservatives. I found this particularly interesting since one of the three principal facets of Thai identity (religion, nation and monarchy) and criticism of the monarchy is legally punishable, hence the recent changes to politics could see a shift in the culture and identity of the coming Thai generations.
It was surprising to many that the Move Forward Party and its biggest partner in its coalition, the Pheu Thai Party, were quarrelling over who will be appointed as the speak of the House of Representatives; however, as suggested in the article and read in a later one, the coalition has nominated Wan Muhamad Noor Matha, a veteran leader of the Prachachat Party, and each party will have one deputy speaker. This demonstrates the importance of community within Thai culture and maintaining the happiness of all.
I found this article incredibly interesting and important to understand the current political situation of Thailand, to be aware of potential future unrest or considerations to be made.

[Mafuza Islam]

Thank you Poppy, this was extremely informative, and highlights well the heartbreaking reality of animal abuse in Thailand. While there is some effort to rehabilitate animals back into the wild, it is clear this is unfortunately not the case for all animals who have been stripped of their natural instincts, thus returning these animals to the wild is no longer an option. It is also clear that despite tourism being harmful and the cause of many animals being subject to abuse because of it, now there is a dependence on this income to support the welfare of animal. When tourism declines, as seen to be exacerbated during the pandemic, animal health suffers increasingly. The single most influential stakeholder is the government and their role in strengthening policies and laws around Animal Welfare. Without a tightening of regulation, institutions whom harm animals will be less likely to be held to accountability and take responsibility for the failure of animal welfare.

[Lucy Dwight Beaumont]

(In response to Kate D)
I had a quick read through the article after reading your analysis and found it quite interesting, and I fully agree with you. Also, I found it important that the article referenced the growth in social media and gaming, which can act as competition against education/work among younger generations. In fact, social media can be detrimental to learning via spread of fake or biased news.
I agree that a range of teaching styles should be introduced and I also hope to implement more formats when teaching in Thailand. Technology is one way to develop and diversify, but it is not the only or necessary way to do so.
However, although the huge budget required for technology to be implemented could be avoided, I think increased technological infrastructure would still be beneficial and may provide learning platforms that suit certain students. Also, the use of virtual learning environments can mean that students who fall ill or miss classes can catch up quicker and easier, meaning they do not get left behind.

[Aoife Douglas]

Article title – “Animal cruelty rife in tourism industry”
https://theaseanpost.com/article/animal-cruelty-rife-tourism-industry

This article discusses the issue if animal cruelty that occurs in the tourist industry in Southeast Asia, and Thailand in particular. The diversity of wildlife in Thailand is something which attracts tourists from all over the world with 100 million tourists in 2016. However, with this increase in tourist attraction, there have been business which have taken advantage of this which has led to an increase in the amount of unethical treatment of wildlife in Thailand. There are two animals which have suffered the most from over exploitation and unethical treatment – tigers and elephants.

This article disuses how there are tiger parks in Thailand which allows tourists to take photos and selfies with the tigers and cubs. Animals Asia is an animal rights and welfare organization and has shed a light on the unethical conditions and treatments of these tigers. It was found that in most cases, the cubs are removed from their parents at a very young age, which causes a great deal of stress for the cub, and in most cases, the parent tigers are killed in the process.

This article continued by discussing the treatment of elephants used for the tourism industry. Another popular attraction for tourists visiting Thailand, are elephant rides, with statistics showing that 40% of tourists visiting Thailand had planned to take part in elephant rides. The World Animal Protection (WAP) released information that highlighted the unethical and cruel conditions in which the elephants involved have been treated. It was revealed that most elephants are forced into a process called “phajaan” which takes place before the elephants are used for rides. It involves a painful process and physical abuse of elephants. There have also been reports of elephants dying in these environments due to overwork and heat exhaustion. The article also discussed that tourists who take part in these activities have no idea of the cruelty and abuse that goes on behind the scenes.

On a lighter note, there have been organisations which have taken steps to tackle the cruelty and unethical treatment of animals in captivity and spread awareness to tourists by encouraging visitations to sanctuaries which care for elephants.
This article addresses the need to educate tourists on the harmful effects wildlife tourism can have. As someone who is travelling Thailand very soon, I am lucky to have discovered articles addressing these issues, as visiting elephants is something I would have wanted to experience. This article highlights the importance of education on ethical wildlife tourism and will hopefully encourage those who are visiting Thailand to rethink and properly research before visiting such establishments.

[Author]

Posts