<p>A Thai maths teacher has boasted proudly of humiliating students by shaving some of their hair. &nbsp;&nbsp;</p> <p>On 18 May 2017, a maths teacher of Hua Phluang Community School in Tha Tako District of Nakhon Sawan Province whose Facebook account name is ‘<a href="https://www.facebook.com/worawut.sirithum.7/posts/294885237634926?pnref=story">Worawut Sirithum</a>’, posted a set of photos of schoolchildren with their heads shaved unevenly.</p> <p>“For those who asked for it, I have delivered,” reads the caption of the post.</p>

<p>The Ordinary National Education Test (ONET) results this year are as disappointing as in previous years.&nbsp; Almost as disappointing as the wilful ignorance that produced the tests and the sadly misinformed comments on them in the media.</p> <p>Let us take the Prathom 6 English test as an example. For kids who have in all likelihood been taking multiple-choice tests since pre-kindergarten, it starts by helpfully showing them how to answer this kind of question:</p> <p>‘Directions: Choose the correct answer.</p> <p>‘Example</p> <p>‘Item 0: Which province is in the south of Thailand?</p>

<div>If the Thai government wants its education reforms to succeed, it must collaborate with local religious institutions, an expert has argued. Yet Thailand’s new constitution deliberately eradicates the role of local religion in the country’s education system.</div> <p></p>

<p>I took a taxi from Kuala Lumpur's bustling shopping centre at the Petronas Twin Towers in the heart of the city. It was taking me along one of the busy highways which cuts through the city to a tom yam restaurant. Thai food is very popular in Malaysia but what most people are unaware of is that most of the owners and workers of the thousands of tom yam restaurants across Malaysia are Patani Malays from across the border in Thailand's Patani region of Pattani, Yala and Narathiwat.</p>

<p>In a sign of what the future may offer, two major reports on Myanmar’s education system released by <a href="https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&amp;rct=j&amp;q=&amp;esrc=s&amp;source=web&amp;cd=2&amp;cad=rja&amp;uact=8&amp;ved=0ahUKEwjpz7601aPSAhVKo48KHaUfA-IQFggcMAE&amp;url=https%3A%2F%2Fthailand.savethechildren.net%2Fsites%2Fthailand.savethechildren.net%2Ffiles%2Flibrary%2FModel%2520of%2520Education%2520in%2520Hard-To-Reach%2520Areas-Final.compressed-2_0.pdf&amp;usg=AFQjCNGOB0yjo8c_ZvRqDs3a6lqUJ9WMNA">Save the Children</a> and the <a> </a></p>

<p>A teacher in northeastern Thailand has injured a third grade student by pressing a heated bottle against his leg, reports say.</p> <p>On 24 January 2017, a Facebook user named Pan Wippan shared&nbsp;<a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=714575672034971&amp;set=o.221317851322226&amp;type=3&amp;theater">a Facebook post&nbsp;</a>about a third grade student from Non Sa-at District, Udon Thani Province who was physically abused by his maths teacher.</p>

<p dir="ltr">Thailand’s military government has taken up the late King Bhumibol’s philosophies and knowledge as the main theme for Children’s Day in 2017.</p> <p dir="ltr">On 11 January 2017, Col Thaksada Sangchan, Deputy Spokesperson of the Prime Minister’s Office, said that from 8 am-3 pm on 14 January the government will organise an event for Children’s Day at the Government House in Bangkok, according to <a href="https://www.facebook.com/photo.php?fbid=1327160904009031&amp;set=a.440635312661599.102230.100001454030105&amp;type=3&amp;theater">Wassana Nanuam, a Bangkok Post reporter</a>.</p>

<p>As reported in this excellent <a href="http://www.abc.net.au/news/2016-12-23/thai-junta-introduces-idealogical-boot-camp-for-kindergarten/8145362">ABC News column</a> drawing on a Matichon Online story, the Royal Thai Military has begun the systematic militarized indoctrination of kindergarteners.</p> <p><strong>Systematic Military Indoctrination of Thai Kindergarteners Begins</strong></p>

<p>The Royal Thai Army is conducting a programme to educate kindergarten children to be patriotic through the junta’s controversial nationalistic 12 Thai Values. &nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;</p> <p>On 21 December 2016, Lt Col Phansak Phraewphanit, Commander of the 1st Infantry Battalion of the 29 Army Regiment in Kanchanaburi Province, welcomed a group of 180 kindergarten children and their teachers to participate in a ‘Homeland Defence Battalion’ programme,&nbsp;<a href="http://www.matichon.co.th/news/402675">Matichon Online reported</a>.</p>

<p><em>“As far as we can discern, the sole purpose of human existence is to kindle a light of meaning in the darkness of mere being.” C. G. Jung, Memories, Dreams, Reflections.</em></p> <p><strong>IQ Redux</strong></p>