Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital to Be Developed as a Thai Traditional Medical Hub in ASEAN

(02/04/2013)

Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital in the eastern province of Prachin Buri will be developed into a Thai traditional medical hub in ASEAN.

The Cabinet, during its mobile meeting in Chachoengsao province on 31 March 2013, approved a project on the Abhaibhubejhr health complex as a learning center for organic agriculture and traditional health style.

Public Health Minister Pradit Sinthawanarong said that the 16.8-million-baht project would upgrade the Thai traditional medical and herbal services to higher standards, on a full-cycle basis. The project will be further developed, to the point that Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital will become the Thai Traditional Medical Hub in ASEAN.

The Abhaibhubejhr health complex project is located on the land owned by the Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital Foundation. It will provide knowledge on health care for older persons in a holistic manner, Thai spa services, traditional medicine, and herbal production. The complex will also display ASEAN herbs and demonstrate the management of raw materials for organic agriculture.

Dr. Pradit said that the project is in line with the Government’s policy of making Thailand Asia’s leader in health care products and services. Toward this aim, Thailand is developing itself into an international medical hub.

Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital is famous for herbal products and traditional Thai medicine. It also comprises a splendid traditional Thai medicine museum, which welcomes many visitors each day for Thai herbal wisdom and traditional healing. A number of herbal products, foods, drinks, and cosmetics make a name for this hospital, which markets them under the Abhaibhubejhr brand name.

More than 100 herbal items under the Abhaibhubejhr brand are now available at Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Hospital and shopping centers. They have also been exported to Japan and India. The exports bring in about 300 million baht a year, and the value is on the rise.

The hospital has been developing medicinal plants for healing and treatment since 1983. It also promotes the use of herbs for self-reliance in various local communities and has learned much from the wealth of local wisdom concerning the development of indigenous medicine. The quality of Abhaibhubejhr herbal products has steadily risen to international standards, and they are now earning recognition from the international community.

The Chao Phraya Abhaibhubejhr Building, which became the Abhaibhubejhr Thai Traditional Medicine Museum in 1996, was built in 1909 in the reign of King Chulalongkorn (Rama V). It has become one of the key points of interest attracting visitors to Prachin Buri.

Yunnan Province to Further Enhance Cooperation with ASEAN

(02/04/2013)

The Governor of Yunnan Province of the People’s Republic of China, H.E. Li Jiheng called on the Secretary-General of ASEAN, H.E. Le Luong Minh yesterday at the ASEAN Secretariat to exchange views on how the Yunnan Province could further strengthen its relations with ASEAN.

Governor Li Jiheng highlighted trade and investment, connectivity, agriculture, aviation, environmental protection, tourism, and people-to-people exchanges as possible areas for cooperation. He also stressed the importance of strengthening connectivity between ASEAN and the Yunnan Province and looked forward to the completion of Singapore-Kunming Rail Link (SKRL) and North-South Economic Corridor, including the Highway Network from Bangkok to Kunming.

In welcoming Governor Li Jiheng and his delegation to the ASEAN Secretariat, SG Minh appreciated the commitment of the Yunnan Province to deepen its cooperation with ASEAN. SG Minh also suggested that the Yunnan Province explore cooperation with ASEAN in the development of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs) as well as support the Initiative of ASEAN Integration (IAI), an initiative of ASEAN with the objective of accelerating economic integration of Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Viet Nam (CLMV), which are neighbouring countries of the Yunnan Province.

Thai Students' Tsunami Model Left Audience in Awe

(03/04/2013)

The Tsunami Model was the highlight of creative scientific innovations displayed at the 8th Academic Conference on Science and Technology of Thai Youths between 21 and 23 March 2013 at BITEC, Bang Na. This event was organized by the Faculty of Sciences, Silpakorn University, and the Institute for the Promotion of Teaching Science and Technology (IPTST) along with other organizations.

This event highlighted 330 excellent research projects initiated by Thai youths and students. One of the highlights was the Tsunami Simulation Using an Explicit Finite-Difference Method developed by Mr. Pawin Sitsungnern, a Sri Trang Thong scholarship student of Physics from the Faculty of Sciences, Mahidol University.

Mr. Pawin said that he became interested in the theory of water and air flow when he was a third year student. Then, when he was a fourth year student, he had to choose a senior research project. Remembering the tsunami disaster in Thailand in 2004, he initiated this project.

Modeling an equation for shallow water tides calculated numerically by limiting clear variance of Lax-Wendroff, this tsunami model can be used to calculate the variance of shallow water tides although computer science has to be employed. Mr. Pawin asked his advisor to teach him how to write a code for this work and sought more information, especially video clips of tsunamis throughout the world. He also used his computer skills and his knowledge of computer technology.

This tsunami model can be used to create a program that can calculate the distance of a tsunami from a shore at the basic level by pointing out where underwater quake happens. This may be useful to warn beachgoers and could save them from the tidal wave.

"I hope that my work can be expanded to other relevant areas of study, especially weather forecasting in terms of wind speed, because this variance can explain the mechanics of all flowing things," said Mr. Pawin, adding that his work required high precision and complicated methodology. This is a challenge that also enables him to learn new things.

Source: http://www.bangkokbiznews.com

Average N-Net/B-Net Scores not Satisfactory: NIETS

(03/04/2013)

On 31 March 2013, the director of the National Institute of Educational Testing Standard s, Mr. Sampan Panpruek said that NIETS had already compiled national tests for non-formal education at primary, secondary and higher secondary levels and the national test for Buddhism. These are known as N-NET and B-NET respectively. The result of the testing was announced in www.niets.or.th.

NIETS has already analyzed fundamental statistics of the N-NET of primary education as follows: learning skills (average: 43.10, the highest: 86.67 and the lowest: 0), basic knowledge (average: 37.97, maximum: 88.33 and the minimum: 0), professional skills (average: 48.60, maximum: 83.33 and minimum: 1.67), living skills (average: 52.60, maximum: 96.67 and minimum: 0) and social development skills (average: 49.46, maximum: 93.33 and minimum: 0).

Mr. Sampan also reported the fundamental N-NET statistics for lower secondary students as follows: learning skills (average: 45.16, maximum: 90 and minimum: 0), basic knowledge (average: 37.26, Maximum: 87.08 and minimum: 0), professional skills (average: 46.33, maximum: 83.33 and minimum: 1.67), living skills (average: 47.48, maximum: 90 and minimum: 0) and social development skills (average: 37.27, maximum: 80 and minimum: 0). The fundamental statistics of N-NET for higher secondary students is as follows: learning skills (average: 52.98, maximum: 93.33 and minimum: 0), basic knowledge (average: 35.41, maximum: 85.83 and minimum: 0), professional skills (average: 39.91, maximum: 76.67 and minimum: 3.33), living skills (average: 47.46, maximum: 90 and minimum: 0) and social development skills (average: 36.64, maximum: 76.67 and minimum: 3.33).

The fundamental B-NET statistics for lower secondary students is as follows: History of Buddhism and Dhamma Discipline (average: 41.08, maximum: 78.57 and minimum: 11.43), Practical Religion (average: 42.77, maximum: 90 and the minimum: 0) and Pali (average: 35.66, maximum: 94 and minimum: 11). The fundamental B-NET statistics for upper secondary students is as follows: History of Buddhism and Dhamma Discipline (average: 44.31, maximum: 85.71 and minimum: 8.57), Practical Religion (average: 33.82, maximum: 73.33 and minimum: 3.33) and Pali (average: 39.38, maximum: 94 and the minimum: 10).

NIETS to Reform Educational Assessment at all Levels in 2014

(03/04/2013)

Prof. Emeritus Somwang Phithiyanuwat, the chairman of the National Institute of Education Testing Standard's (NIETS) executive board, recently reported that NIETS will set up a committee to monitor the problems with the printing system for the PAT2 exam on scientific skills which had errors in the exam code. He also asked the relevant people to research the best practices for making the exams and to propose these as the replacement procedure for creating NIETS exams in the future. In addition, since a request had been made to show the O-Net exam and its key, it is expected that this will be done in the academic year of 2014 at the earliest or 2015 at the latest.

In terms of a proposal to make the O-Net exam difficult at the intermediate level, NIETS plans to reform its evaluation at all levels by emphasizing learners' standards, especially through examinations that will evaluate students' understanding of content and how they analyze and criticize what they have learned. NIETS then asked the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) to reform the evaluation system of Grade 3 students for the academic year 2012. This assessment will be used with other grades in 2014. The focus will be on examinationss that emphasize students' standards according to the recent curriculum instead of the curriculum content itself.

Source: Khom Chad Luek 1 April 2013 (Afternoon Issue)

MOE Sets up ASEAN Learning Center for Thai Women

(02/04/2013)

The Assistant to the Minister of Education, Dr. Phuangphet Chunlaiad, on behalf of the chairperson for the committee for preparation towards the ASEAN Community of the Ministry of Education, reported that the MOE would enhance Thai women's ASEAN language skills by working with the funding for the development of women to teach ten ASEAN languages and set up learning centers towards the ASEAN Community in the center of Thailand and in local areas around the country on 10 April 2013.

Dr. Phuangphet said that the MOE required two flagship projects towards the ASEAN Community: educational development towards the ASEAN Community and the development of an international education hub.

Regarding the educational development towards the ASEAN Community, apart from formulating goals in language skill development, specific levels of professional competency, upgrading curriculum and research standard and establishing learning centers and educational centers for students, teachers and educators, the MOE, with the cooperation of the funding for development of women in Thailand, will provide English and ASEAN language training to all Thai women so that they are able to effectively use at least one other ASEAN language in their location.

Founded by the Office of the Basic Education Commission (OBEC) and The Office of Non Formal and Informal Education, the ASEAN Learning Center is located in Bangkok at the Ministry of Education and in eleven other  places as follows:

- Mae Sai Prasitsath School in Chiang Rai (offering courses on English, Burmese and Chinese);
- Pathumthepwitthayakharn School in Nong Khai (offering courses on English, Lao and Vietnamese);
- Chulapornratchawitthayalai School in Mukdaharn (offering courses on English, Vietnamese and Chinese);
- Naree Nukul School in Ubol Ratchathani (offering courses on English, French, Chinese, Japanese, Vietnamese and Lao);
- Prasat Witthaykarn School in Surin (offering courses on Cambodian, Lao, Vietnamese, Chinese and Japanese);
- Khlong Yai Witthayakhom School in Trat (offering courses on Cambodian);
- Phothisamphan Phitthayakarn School in Cholburi (offering courses on English, Chinese and Russian);
- Satri Sri Suriyothai School in Bangkok (offering course on English, Chinese, Japanese and Tagalog);
- Prommanusorn School in Phetchaburi (offering courses on Burmese and Chinese);
-Phichairattanakarn School in Ranong (offering courses on English, Chinese, Japanese, Burmese and Malay); and
- Satri Phuket School in Phuket (offering courses on English and Chinese)

ONFIE also founded similar learning centers in eleven provinces: Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Tak, Mukdaharn, Nakhon Panom, Cholburi, Nong Khai, Surin, Phuket, Songkhla and Ranong.

These language courses offered by the learning centers are divided into 4 levels, each of which take 100 hours, starting from lower intermediate, upper intermediate and advanced. The opening of the centers will take place on 10 April 2013 at Satri Sri Suriyothai School and will be attended by the Deputy Education Ministe, Mr. Sermsak Pongpanit, and the Spokesperson of the Office of the Prime Minister, Ms. Sansanee Nakphong.

MOE Starts Sending Donation to Teachers in Deep South

(02/04/2013)

  On 28 March 2013 at C.S. Hotel in Pattani, the Permanent Secretary of Education, Mrs. Panita Kamphu Na Ayutthaya, attended the fifth ceremony to commemorate deceased teachers who had worked in southern Thailand. On this occasion, she gave 8 million Baht donated from all Thai people to the families of 80 teachers, each of which got 100,000 Baht. Mrs. Panita said that she had intended to donate the money to all 159 families herself at the beginning of April but she had come earlier. The rest of the money will be given out at the beginning of April.

All the donations came from a charity event broadcast by Channel 9 Thailand on 16 January 2013. The total of the donations was 22.1 million Baht and all the money stayed in the bank account until the day it was given to the 80 teachers' families. Mrs. Panita said that she intended to set up a foundation for the teachers because she would retire in the next six months and was afraid no one would keep working on this. After all 159 families of the deceased teachers get their money, the rest of the donations will be given to the 12th educational offices.

"I came to Pattani myself because I'd like to inform all families of the affected teachers what is true and what is not. If I cheated, I wouldn't be here. So, I can talk to anyone when I do anything myself," said Mrs. Panita.

From the Daily News, 1 April 2013. (Afternoon Issue)

NIETS to Reform Exam Standard

(02/04/2013)

Mr. Somwang Phithiyanuwat, the chairman of the National Institute of Education Testing Standard's (NIETS) executive board, talked about a request to NIETS to show the O-Net exam for Grade 12 students with its key for the academic year 2012. He said that NIETS could not do as requested because there were not enough exams to circulate. However, NIETS will try its best by collecting all the exams into its exam bank. It is expected that within this year, there should be around 10,000 exams collected and all the exams can be shown with the key in 2014 or 2015.

Mr. Somwang added that NIETS was aiming to reform the evaluation of all educational levels by creating an exam that assesses the quality of learners, especially one that will assess the critical and analytical abilities of learners.

"In April, the NIETS' board will reach its half term and will reform the standard of the exam so that it will become like a universal one, such as the evaluation for an international research program such as PISA which corresponds to the proposal of the TDRI. After the meeting, everything will be more concrete," concluded Mr. Somwang.   

From Khao Sod, 1 April 2013. (Afternoon Issue)