If Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha thought about children in the country the way he does his own daughters, he would not have imposed the slavish citation of 12 core values as part of their curriculum.
If he cared for them and their future just like he must for his twin daughters, we couild probably come up with a few better ideas for educational reform.
It's true there is not much information out there about the PM's family life and his daughters, Nittha and Thanya. Security is probably the main reason.
What is publicly known is that both graduated from Chulalongkorn University's faculty of mass communication and went to further their studies in Australia.
It's not known where they are now or what professions the twins, who are in their late 20s, have pursued.
However, because Gen Prayut's daughters once belonged to an all-girl "punk rock" group called Badz, some old interviews are available which provide a glimpse into how the premier and his wife approached their education.
Those who disagree with the junta's indoctrination and students who have protested against what they say is a backward policy aimed more at uniformity and submission than critical or creative thinking may want to brace themselves. According to an interview back when the twins released their first album in 2006, Ms Nittha and Ms Thanya said their parents raised them in "an atmosphere of democracy".
"They have never imposed anything upon us. We are free to pursue our own interests, as long as they are good, decent things. Since we love music, they support our music studies," the twins reportedly said.
Ms Nittha and Ms Thanya said their interest in music started with the Beatles songs that Gen Prayut played as they rode together in his car.
The twins took music courses when they were 14. They can play drums, bass and guitar, according to old public relations materials. Both said their parents even gave up a floor in their house to build a sound-proof studio for them to practise their music. The twins said they also played gigs in pubs.
"Our parents knew about our playing music in pubs. They supported us. We didn't lead a debauched life. We didn't drink. We just played and sang. It's more about following our dreams and our parents did not forbid it," the twins said.
Their parents never forced them to study any subject or expected them to work in any particular professions, the girls said.
One may argue that Gen Prayut's support for his children to pursue their own passions has nothing to do with his demanding that other people's children recite and follow his 12 core values. After all, the PM and Education Minister Narong Pipatanasai often argue with their opponents that there is nothing wrong with the morality drive.
The 12 core values are having love for the monarchy, nation and religion; being honest, patient and good towards the public; showing gratitude to parents, guardians and teachers; persevering in learning; having strength against greed and putting concern about the public and national good above self-interest. Parts of common sense, are they not? But that is the biggest problem of the generals. They have turned what should be just common sense into a cornerstone of their education policy, something schools, teachers and pupils will have to be tested against as part of their official assessments.
By forcing children around the country to adopt the values that only a few generals handpicked as desirable for all Thais despite their ideological, cultural or religious differences, the junta has turned education reform policy into propaganda.
That hapless need to be seen as being righteous and on the far right side of the political spectrum is a pity. The Education Ministry has other concerns worthier of public attention. One is its plan to solve the problem of vocational school brawling. Another is the official response to vocational graduates' inadequacy to meet rising demands from the market: to increase the number of teachers, who are shouldering heavier workloads.
The "digital economy" idea could also be used as a pivot for how to overhaul the educational system so that our children learn how to "think different"; dare to question long-held beliefs, traditions, ways of doing things and come up with better, more efficient methods to do so. That is education for innovation. That is education where memorising some old men's 12 values has no place.
Since that is not today's reality and there is no way to get there yet, I suppose we can only sing a lullaby to our children as they close their eyes and fall into golden slumbers.
Atiya Achakulwisut is Contributing Editor, Bangkok Post.