OPINION

Army can't have it both ways

Re: "Think tank to help reform conscription", (BP, Nov 27).

Our army's new think tank is most welcome to help set objectives and strategy in national security, starting with questioning the most basic of assumptions. For example:

(a) If the military, and especially the army, is the nation's fence to fight foreign foes, then keeping domestic peace should be the role of the police and the military should keep out. The army's main manpower should be along our borders, not Bangkok. We should identify possible enemy countries and arm ourselves accordingly. If we cannot imagine fighting any Asean nation, we'd need a strong army only as a part of a Nato-like mutual aid force;

(b) In conscription, why not go the voluntary route?

(c) How about requiring national service, perhaps by serving in the military, or other options, such as teaching in hardship areas?

(d) Why not make our military, especially the army, gender-blind? We should ask US senator and war heroine Ladda Tammy Duckworth for her views on this matter.

(e) How to make military purchasing more effective, efficient and corruption-free?

This think tank can take us into the 21st century ... if we let it.

Lost in translation

Re: "English skills drop again", (BP, Nov 27).

Despite the rapid expansion of international educational institutions, the proficiency of Thai students in the English language remains very low. In the recent EF English Proficiency Index (2020) ranking of 100 countries and regions for English skills, Thailand is ranked 89 with a score of 419, indicating very low proficiency. Its ranking of 74 in 2019 dipped to 89 in 2020, a steep drop of 15 points. Now it lies in the lowest EF ranking among 100 countries.

I must also add that in Asean countries, Singapore, the Philippines, and Malaysia have better rankings. In fact, Singapore is ranked 10th in the current EF rankings of 100 countries.

The same EF report also indicates Thailand has the worst English proficiency in Asia except for Cambodia and Myanmar. Thailand is ranked 20th out of 24 countries in Asia, where its score (419) is far lower than South Korea (546), China (542) and Japan (487). Many countries have been steadfastly working to help their citizens to improve their proficiency in the English language.

Thailand must first reckon with the reality that its current curriculum and practices are not working. It must first change its cultural norms and introduce English as a medium of instruction as an alternate option at all levels, from kindergarten to higher education. Only drastic reform in education will improve EF scores and areas such as STEM (Science, Technology, English & Maths).

In addition to hiring more native speakers, Thailand must reform its immigration policies and start using qualified expatriates to volunteer or work in Thai institutions to help the country move forward.

He doth protest too much

Re: "Army chief takes aim at 'coup' word" (BP, Nov 25).

Of course, the military is not going to telegraph its intentions of orchestrating a coup.

Thus, it makes perfect sense for officials to continue to deny any such plans and admonish the media for even raising the issue. If I had a thousand baht for every time authorities denied plans of a coup before the actual acts, I'd have a tidy sum of cash.

Publish and be damned

Considering the terrible number of road fatalities over the long weekend, may I suggest that your newspaper publishes a table of the daily road fatalities just like you do with the Covid-19 figures.

After all, the number of Covid-19 deaths in Thailand pales into insignificance compared to the road fatalities! The public badly need daily reminders as to how dangerous driving here can be.