General Inspection and Follow up on Educational Works

(10/04/2013)

On 29 March 2013, the Inspector General of Education, Mrs. Ongchit Mathayapraphas conducted a field trip on general inspection and follow-up works under the ministerial policy on education for the fiscal year of 2013 in Udon Thani. Many educational organizations in the province, namely the Local Office of Primary Education Service Areas 1-4, the Local Office of Secondary Education Service Area 20, the Local Office of Private Education, the Local Office of Higher Education and the Local Office of Non-Formal and Informal Education, have reported the progress of their work projects and got recommendations on educational projects from the Inspector General. The event was held at a meeting room of the Udon Thani Local Office of Non-Formal and Informal Education.

Phongthep Meets Private School Administrators

(09/04/2013)

The Minister of Education, Mr. Phongthep Thepkanjana, delivered some educational policies at a seminar for 1,700 Thai private school administrators and teachers on 1 April 2013.

According to the Minister, Thai students have to spend 1,200 hours studying per year. This amount exceeds the standard learning amount of 800 hours per year set by UNESCO. In addition, it is recognised that the more time Thai students spend on studying, the less they actually achieve.

The Ministry of Education therefore has to reform Thai curricula in terms of two major issues. The first one involves adjusting the period of learning and reducing the excess hours. The second one is to encourage students to think analytically and creatively and to know how to verify the information they obtained during their advanced education and in their future careers.

On this occasion, Mr. Phongthep asked private school administrators to work on enhancing the English skills of Thai students. Nowadays, everyone needs to know and to be able to communicate in the English language as well as a third language such as Korean, German, French or another ASEAN language such as Bahasa, Burmese or Vietnamese.

In addition to foreign languages and the ability to think analytically and creatively, ethics and morality guidance should be provided to Thai students. Thai schools are supposed to instill this knowledge in their students both inside and outside the classroom environment.

Finally, since school administrators and teachers are those who know more about their students than others, curriculum design should be launched by them. Many schools, such as Darun Sikkhalai and international schools in Thailand, provide their students with good teaching and learning. When the national education reform is completed in 2013, the Ministry will adjust and change teaching and learning methodology so that teachers will have to change their curriculum and testing methods and admission exams will have to focus more on evaluating students' ability of thinking creatively and analytically.

A Hundred Million Hearts for Teachers in Deep South

(09/04/2013)

The Ministry of Education recently organized a charity concert, "A Hundred Million Hearts for Teachers in the Deep South", to collect donations for families of teachers killed or injured by the southern unrest. The event took place at Central World in Bangkok with the Inspector General Mr. Rojana Kritcharoen as the chairperson.

Mr. Rojana said that this concert aimed to raise public awareness of the violence in southern Thailand which usually claimed life and property of educators and teachers working there. It also encourages private and public organizations to donate money for families of teachers and educators killed and injured and to give them moral support.

Highlights of the concert included stage performances by famous Thai actors, namely Summer Stop, Pop Pongkul, Am Siraprapha and DJs from Seed FM. This concert was one of continuous fund-raising to help teachers and educators working in the south. A recently completed activity was a marathon bike run. Those who would like to make donations can contact the Ministry of Education's Hot Line 1579 for more information.

2nd Happy Family Rally 2013 by MOE

(09/04/2013)

The Deputy Permanent Secretary of Education, Mr. Supakorn Wongprat, recently chaired a ceremony to release the Happy Family Rally 2013 from Bangkok to Rayong. Taking place on Rajadamnern Nok Rd., the ceremony was also attended by the director of the Bureau of the Scout Movement, the Red Cross Youths and Student Affairs, Mr. Satjathorn Watthanamongkol and concerned staff.

The Deputy Permanent Secretary said that the Ministry of Education understood how important families were as a the primary institution that supported and cared for children. Good family relations usually bring about happiness. So, he would like all family members to spend time together and do activities that strengthen their relationships, bonds and networks.

The 2nd Happy Family Rally 2013 from Bangkok to Rayong was organized from 30 to 3- March 2013 with 324 participants from 82 families.

Secretary to Minister of Labour visits SME operators in Uthai Thani

(01/04/2013)

Mr. Sanga Tanasanguanwong, Secretary to the Minister of Labour, visits SME operators in Uthai Thai province to boost their morale, hear their problem, promote their understanding about wage laws and help them access to the government’s measures designed to reduce impact of the new minimum wage policy.

 

At Bangkok Rubber Saharattana in Nong Chang district, Mr. Sanga was informed by Mr. Nopnoi Thongprapaipak, human resource manager of the company that the company produces shoe parts for PAN Group, ECCO Company and Timberlan Company, which export shoes. The company has two factories and 643 employees. It fully complies with the 300 baht daily minimum wage policy. It initially has to adjust its cost by cutting unnecessary expenses on water and electricity bills and to improve quality and quantity of its products to increase its competitiveness for survival.

 

At Thai SC Tec Ltd., Mr. Sanga was told by Mr. Apichart Dangbua that the company came into existence two year ago. It produces electronic and camera parts for Nikon for example. Its parent company is in Nawanakhon Industiral Estate. It chose to open a production base in Uthai Thani province because there are sufficient workers to support its productions to match customers’ demand. At present, the company has 264 employees, who need to receive skill training to enhance their performance. Cleanness and discipline are among the company’s core management principle. The company fully complies with the 300 baht daily minimum wage policy.

First Recipients of U.S.-ASEAN Fulbright Program Announced Today

(05/04/2013)

“People-to-people connectivity is a high priority for ASEAN,” remarked Deputy Secretary General for ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community Alicia dela Rosa Bala, “I warmly congratulate the first Fulbright U.S.-ASEAN Visiting Scholars on their selection. We are very pleased with the creation of the Fulbright U.S.-ASEAN Program and welcome the connections that will be made by these Scholars.”

U.S. Ambassador to ASEAN David L. Carden announced today the first seven Fulbright U.S.-ASEAN Visiting Scholars selected through the Fulbright U.S.-ASEAN Initiative, sponsored by the U.S. Department of State.  The Visiting Scholars will join a distinguished group of Fulbright alumni known for their contributions to government, science, the arts, business, philanthropy, and education. Ambassador Carden made the announcement at the 5th ASEAN-U.S. Joint Cooperation Committee Meeting convened today by the ASEAN Committee of Permanent Representatives at the ASEAN Secretariat in Jakarta.

“Congratulations to the first U.S.-ASEAN Visiting Scholars,” stated Ambassador Carden. “The scholars’ projects are great representations of ongoing areas of focus in ASEAN, and we wish them well in their research at universities in the United States.”  The selected Visiting Scholars’ areas of research include climate change, food security, public health, U.S.-ASEAN political relations, monetary policy, and law.

Candidates representing all 10 ASEAN Member States submitted applications under the Fulbright U.S.-ASEAN Initiative and proposed research projects on issues that are central to the U.S.-ASEAN relationship. A review panel that included officials from the U.S. Mission to ASEAN, the ASEAN Committee of Permanent Representatives and the ASEAN Secretariat, then made recommendations to the Presidentially-appointed J. William Fulbright Foreign Scholarship Board for consideration.

A reciprocal Fulbright Specialist component will award grants to qualified U.S. faculty and professionals, in select disciplines, to engage in short-term collaborative two to six week projects with peers at host institutions in ASEAN countries, that focus on ASEAN priority topics or on the ASEAN-U.S. relationship.

The Fulbright U.S.-ASEAN Initiative was announced by then U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton at last year’s U.S.-ASEAN Ministerial Meeting and marks over 35 years of friendship and cooperation between ASEAN and the United States.

The first cohort of awardees:  

• Ms. Siti Salwah Saim, senior Brunei government officer;
• Mr. Faisal Nurdin Idris, Lecturer at the State Islamic University Jakarta in Indonesia;
• Dr. Phouphet Kyophilavong, Assistant Professor at the National University of Laos;
• Dr. Hla Soe Tint, Deputy Director at the Ministry of Health in Myanmar;
• Dr. Charmaine Galos Misalucha, Assistant Professor at De La Salle University in the Philippines;
• Dr. Chatchawan Jantasuriyarat, Assistant Professor at Kasetsart University in Thailand;
• Ms. Ly Phuong Nguyen, Lecturer at the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam – Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

The Fulbright Program was established in 1946 under legislation introduced by late U.S. Senator J. William Fulbright and is sponsored by the United States Department of State in partnership with governments around the world, including ASEAN.

ASEAN-UN talks focus on Conflict Prevention and Preventive Diplomacy

(05/04/2013)

Senior government officials from ASEAN countries, experts from ASEAN strategic think tanks and senior officials from the United Nations will explore opportunities for enhancing cooperation in conflict prevention and preventive diplomacy at an ASEAN-UN workshop in Jakarta.

“Lessons Learned and Best Practices in Conflict Prevention and Preventive Diplomacy,” was opened today by the Foreign Minister of the Republic of Indonesia H.E. Marty Natalegawa, the Secretary-General of ASEAN H.E. Le Luong Minh, and UN Under-Secretary-General Vijay Nambiar.

“We all feel the urgent need for more effective conflict prevention and preventive diplomacy. As a way of creating a culture of peace, ASEAN has launched the ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation in Jakarta which is aimed at conducting activities that are related to conflict prevention, management and conflict resolution,” Foreign Minister Natalegawa told participants gathered in his opening remarks at the Flags Room, Pancasila Building, at the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Jakarta on Friday. He also expressed the hope that “this seminar will yield concrete results that will help us establish, develop and fine-tune mechanisms of effective conflict prevention and preventive diplomacy that will nurture a global and regional culture of peace.”

“ASEAN has gradually but consistently built up its capacity to pursue peace and prevent conflicts, not only in terms of conceptual, normative and institutional development but also in its on-the-ground engagement in preventing and resolving conflicts in the region. Through these home-grown efforts and experiences, we have many lessons to learn and practices to share with the wider global community”, said the ASEAN Secretary-General H.E. Le Luong Minh at the opening session. He further stated that ASEAN and ASEAN countries have been partners for peace with the UN for many years, and that ASEAN and especially the newly launched ASEAN Institute for Peace and Reconciliation (AIPR) should tap on the wealth of experience and expertise of the UN in the field of conflict prevention and preventive diplomacy.

The ASEAN-UN workshop will be held over two days in Jakarta. Its main objectives are to review various experiences in conflict prevention in Southeast Asia and beyond, with a view to identifying follow-up activities between ASEAN and the United Nations. Participants include some fifty senior representatives from the governments of ten ASEAN states, ten ASEAN strategic think-tanks, UN senior officials and guest experts from the region.

“The United Nations stands ready to support ASEAN’s efforts in continuing to promote peace and stability in the region,” said UN Under-Secretary-General Vijay Nambiar, adding his hope that “government officials and experts gathered will identify concrete steps that could contribute to conflict prevention and preventive diplomacy in the peaceful prevention of conflict in the region.”

The initiative marks a valuable contribution to the ASEAN-UN Comprehensive Partnership agreed between ASEAN and the United Nations, at the 4th ASEAN-UN Summit in Bali in November 2011, at the end of Indonesia’s Chairmanship of ASEAN. The ASEAN-UN Comprehensive Partnership provides a solid foundation to strengthen ASEAN-UN relations through collaborative activities in the areas of political-security, economic and socio-cultural cooperation as well as cooperation between the ASEAN Secretariat and the United Nations.

ASEAN Launch a Guidebook for Businesses and Investors

(05/04/2013)

ASEAN launched the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement: A Guidebook for Businesses and Investors (ACIA Guidebook) during the Forum on the ASEAN Comprehensive Investment Agreement - Transforming Investment in ASEAN through ACIA (ACIA Forum).

The Forum was held to introduce ACIA, the ASEAN investment legal instrument which entered into force last year to replace the Framework Agreement on the ASEAN Investment Area (AIA Agreement) and the ASEAN Agreement for the Promotion and Protection of Investments (ASEAN IGA), and their respective amending Protocols, in order to further enhance regional integration to realise the vision of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) by 2015. The Forum was attended by nearly 250 people from the business sector, ASEAN government officials, the diplomatic community based in Kuala Lumpur, international organisations, academia, and the media.

The launching of the publication was officiated by H.E. Dato’ Sri Mustapa Mohamed, Minister of International Trade and Industry (MITI), Malaysia, H.E. Datuk Noharuddin Nordin, Chief Executive Officer, Malaysian Investment Development Authority (MIDA) and H.E. Dr. Lim Hong Hin, Deputy Secretary-General of ASEAN for ASEAN Economic Community.

Royal Thai Embassy in Moscow continues to support Tourism of Thailand in the Russian market

(05/04/2013)

On 21 March 2013 His Excellency Dr. Itti Ditbanjong, Ambasssador of Thailand to the Russian Federation visited and met with the Thai hotel and resort entrepreneurs in the 20th Moscow International Travel & Tourism (MIIT 2013), which is one of the largest and best known annual travel industry events, taken place at the Moscow Expo Centre. The event was participated by 197 countries ie. USA, Japan, China, India, Republic of Korea, Brazil, Argentina, Kenya, Indonesia, Vietnam and UAE. This year the Tourism Authority of Thailand has led 14 entrepreneurs from the travel industry in Thailand to participate in the event and also arranged a Thai massage corner which interested and attracted huge amount of the visitors. During the visit to the said event, Ambassador Itti also discussed with Team Thailand on the plans to promote Thai tourism and Thai cuisine in Russia.

Thailand has become one of the main tourist destination for the Russian tourists. In 2012 Thailand welcomed 1,317,387 Russian tourists – 24.97% increased  from the total number of the Russian tourists in 2011. This number makes the Russian tourists the largest number among European visitors. In January and February this year more than 300,000 tourists has visited Thailand and the Tourism Authority of Thailand  office in  Moscow  expects more than 1,400,000 Russian tourists for 2013.

Mobile Labour Project launched in Uthai Thani

(30/03/2013)

On March 29, 2013, Secretary to the Minster of Labour opened a technical seminar on the 300 baht daily minimum wage policy at Uthai Thani Provincial Office of Social Security in Uthai Thani province. The seminar is part of Ministry of Labour’s Mobile Labour Project to promote SME operators’ understanding about wage laws and help them access to the government’s measures designed to reduce impact of the new minimum wage policy. During the visit to Uthai Thani, he also visits Bangkok Rubber Saharattana Ltd. and Thai SC Tec Ltd. in Nong Chang district.

Mr. Sanga Tanasanguanwong, Secretary to the Minster of Labour, said the Ministry of Labour’s Mobile Labour Project is aimed to promote SME operators’ knowledge on minimum wage, help them access to the government’s measures designed to reduce impact of the new minimum wage policy and enhance their capability and competiveness to help them comply policy. A technical seminar on the 300 baht daily minimum wage policy is also held to give local operators an opportunity to explain their problems and express their opinions on the government’s assistance measures so officials can evaluate the situation and correctly solve the problem. This provides a platform for SMEs operators to exchange views with government officials and jointly work out solutions to prevent layoff and shutdown business. Under the project, Ministry of Labour’s officails will also visit local workplaces.

Mr. Sanga said there are 643 SMEs in Uthai Thani province; most of them run retail, wholesale, service/hotel, restaurant and canteen business. Considering from its gross provincial product, the province’s economy relies largely on its agricultural, retail, wholesale hotel, restaurant and canteen businesses. Last year, the minimum wage in the province stood at 234 baht.

Mr. Sanga said Ministry of Labour’s local agencies has visited 65 firms to give them advice about the government assistance measures and get first-hand information about their problems and what kind of assistance they want from the government. Most of the firms comply with the new minimum wage policy.

Mr. Sanga said there is no major difference in employment situation in the province between 2012 and 2013. According to Uthai Thani Provincial Office of Development Business, a total of 20 new firms were registered this year while only seven firms had laid off their employees. This reflected that the 300 baht daily minimum wage policy does not affect the provincial economy.

Meanwhile, Mr. Nopnoi Thongprapaipak, human resource manager of Bangkok Rubber Saharattana Ltd said the company produces shoe parts for PAN Group, ECCO Company and Timberlan Company, which export shoes. The company has two factories and 643 employees. It fully complies with the 300 baht daily minimum wage policy. It initially has to adjust its cost by cutting unnecessary expenses on water and electricity bills and to improve quality and quantity of its products to increase its competitiveness for survival.

Mr. Apichart Dangbua, owner of Thai SC Tec Ltd. said the company came into existence two year ago. It produces electronic and camera parts for Nikon for example. Its parent company is in Nawanakhon Industiral Estate. It chose to open a production base in Uthai Thani province because there are sufficient workers to support its productions to match customers’ demand. At present, the company has 264 employees, who need to receive skill training to enhance their performance. Cleanness and discipline are among the company’s core management principle. The company fully complies with the 300 baht daily minimum wage policy.

Minister of Labour and Ministry of Labour’s executives have so far launched the project in 14 provinces, namely Phayao, Lanpang, Songkhla, Ratchaburi, Kanchanaburi, Roi Et, Maha Sarakham, Nong Khai, Nakhon Phanom, Sakon Nakhon, Surin, Mukdahan, Bueng Kan and Sisaket. In overall, the employment situation in the country continues to expand, reflecting that the 300 baht daily minimum wage policy has not severely affected business operators.

Nonetheless, the government and Ministry of Labour have kept monitoring the situation and provided assistances to SMEs that are affected by the policy through its provincial support centres and ad hoc support centres.

The two institutes are tasked to coordinate with relevant agencies in giving SMEs assistance on skill development, migrant workers arrangement, tax and finding credit sources as required.

Thai workers in Malaysia told to be disciplined; keep away from gambling, alcohols

(27/03/2013)

Mr. Poonsak Sethanandha, Deputy Permanent Secretary of Ministry of Labour, led a medical team to provide health checks for over 100 Thai workers at Perbana Emas Company in Malaysia’s Sarawak state, where local workers lack access to medical services. He said Thai workers are demanded by Malaysian employers due to their skills and that Thai workers should be disciplined and keep away from gambling and alcohols.

Mr. Poonsak said there were 134 Thai workers at Perbana Emas Company. The company runs construction business and has to send workers to construction site in remote areas, where access to medical services is limited. Ministry of Labour’s officials and the medical team from Rajavithi Hospital and Songkhlar Rajanagarindra Psychiatric Hospital, therefore, made the stop there to give Thai workers health checks and medical advices.

Mr. Poonsak said the service would help Thai workers learn to correctly take care of themselves and protect themselves from diseases. A total of 109 workers received the service, most of whom suffered body ache, likely to have been caused by hard work and respiratory disease, caused by dusts from carpentry works.

Mr. Poonsak said foreign workers, in general, seem to like Thai workers due to their hard-work and responsibility. Thai workers are also more skilled than workers from other countries. However, some employers say Thai workers addict to alcohols and gambling and that they need Thai authorities to help take care of the matters.

Mr. Poonsak urged Thai workers to avoid alcohols and gambling, saying that without these things, they will be able to save and send more money back to their family in Thailand.

Meanwhile, Ms. Pataraporn Samantarath, Minister Counsellor (Labour Affairs), said there are a total of 441 Thai workers in the Sarawak state. Alcohol addiction is the most serious of problem of Thai workers in Malaysia. Some of them spend all their money on alcohols and have no money left to send home. When they suffer from loss of control, they could also end up having problems with local people. During the health checks service, medical staffs also gave them advice to keep away from alcohols.

An Expected Increase in the Number of Thai and Foreign Tourists during Songkran Festival

(04/04/2013)

As Songkran Festival, the traditional Thai New Year, is approaching, many provinces nationwide are preparing various activities to celebrate this festival. The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) has set aside 30 million baht to support Songkran celebrations in 13 provinces, namely Bangkok, Chiang Mai, Suphan Buri, Ayutthaya, Chon Buri, Samut Prakan, Sukhothai, Khon Kaen, Nakhon Phanom, Nong Khai, Songkhla, Nakhon Si Thammarat, and Phuket. According to TAT Governor Suraphon Svetasreni, more than 2.7 tourists are expected to travel in Thailand during the Songkran period, from 11 to 16 April. The number represents an increase of 10 percent over the same period of 2012. Out of this number, over two million will be Thai tourists and 678,000 will be international visitors. The Songkran period is likely to generate about 11 billion baht in tourism income for the country, accounting for an increase of 20 percent. During this period, Thailand is expected to welcome 177 charter flights from such major tourism markets as China, Russia, and Malaysia. Although the entire celebration period covers one week or more in some rural areas, the highlight of the celebrations is between 13 and 15 April. In 2013, the Government has set the Songkran holiday from 12 April to 16 to promote traditional Thai culture and give a better chance for people living far from their hometowns to visit their families. Songkran Day, 13 April, is also observed as the National Day for Older Persons. The Ministry of Culture has prepared three events for the upcoming Songkran Festival. The first event, scheduled for 11 April at 2:00 p.m. at the Thailand Cultural Center in Bangkok, will be a ceremony to pour lustral water onto the palms of national artists as a gesture of respect for the elderly. In the second event, the Ministry of Culture will join hands with Chulalongkorn University in organizing Songkran celebrations from 13 to 15 April, between midday and 9:00 p.m. at Siam Square in Bangkok. It will also feature a fashion show of pha khao ma, a traditional loincloth still widely worn. The third event will be Songkran celebrations in the Lanna style, to be held at the Three Kings Monument in Mueang district of Chiang Mai, from 13 to 15 April. It will revive Songkran traditions passed on from Lanna, the old kingdom of Chiang Mai. The Ministry of Culture will launch a campaign to encourage Songkran celebrants to be aware of acceptable conduct and not to cause disturbances to others. They are not allowed to consume alcohol at the events, while safety measures will be stepped up. Often referred to as the “Water Festival” among foreigners, Songkran has been celebrated as Thailand’s most popular festival since ancient times, and this event may well reflect the essence of “Thainess.” The celebrations feature parades, dancing, and traditional Thai games. People also splash water on each other as a New Year blessing.

19th ASEAN-China Senior Officials’ Consultation

(04/04/2013)

Beijing: The Senior Officials of ASEAN and China held their 19th Consultation here on Tuesday, and discussed wide ranging issues of mutual interests and concern.

The Meeting was co-chaired by H.E. Sihasak Phuangketkeow, Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand and H.E. Zhang Yesui, Vice-Minister of Foreign Affairs of the People’s Republic of China.  Thailand is the current ASEAN Country Coordinator for ASEAN-China Dialogue Relations.

The Senior Officials discussed ways and means to further strengthen ASEAN-China relations, including preparations to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of ASEAN-China Strategic Partnership this year.

H.E. Sihasak said that one of the key activities to celebrate the 10th Anniversary of the Strategic Partnership would be the convening of the ASEAN-China Special Foreign Ministers Meeting in Beijing.

“We also hope to undertake meaningful activities to show-case our Strategic Partnership," said H.E. Sihasak.

The Senior Officials also exchanged views on: a) enhancing cooperation in connectivity; b) strengthening maritime cooperation; c) the implementation of the Declaration on the Conduct of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC); d) regional architecture; e) regional and international issues;  and, f) non-traditional security issues, including  food and energy security, climate change, disaster management, counter-terrorism, and other transnational crimes.

On the Implementation of the Declaration on the Code of Parties in the South China Sea (DOC), the Senior Officials reaffirmed that maintaining peace and stability in the South China Sea is very important for all countries in the region and will enhance the Strategic Partnership between ASEAN and China. In line with the ASEAN-China Joint Statement on the 10th Anniversary of the DOC adopted at the 15th ASEAN-China Summit in Cambodia in 2012, the Senior Officials agreed to uphold commitments on the implementation of the DOC in a full and effective manner. They also agreed to strengthen cooperation on joint cooperative projects and activities under the DOC, to maintain the momentum of dialogue and consultation to enhance trust and confidence, and to work toward the adoption of the COC on the basis of consensus. They further agreed to continue exchanging views on the way forward.

The Senior Officials of ASEAN, Ambassadors of ASEAN Member States to China and the representative of the ASEAN Secretariat paid a courtesy call on the Foreign Minister of China, H.E. Wang Yi, at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of China. Both sides agreed on the need to continue to advance their Strategic Partnership.

ASEAN and Partners Firmly Committed to Narrowing the Development Gap

(04/04/2013)

The Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) Task Force and Ambassadors and representatives from the ASEAN Dialogue Partners and External Parties kicked off its inaugural meeting to deliberate on mobilizing resources for and contribution to the implementation of the IAI Work Plan II (2009-2015).

Preceded by the 42nd IAI Task Force Meeting, the consultation was a response to the growing interest in the IAI by the Dialogue Partners and External Parties. Initiated as a new format by current IAI Task Force Chair Viet Nam, the meeting serves to share information among IAI stakeholders to foster a better understanding of the available resources for Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Viet Nam (CLMV) and determines the approaches to improve delivery of IAI activities.

“ASEAN highly values the interest, participation and contribution of the Dialogue Partners and External Parties to its programmes, especially the IAI. It is necessary that a forum be created to allow an open discussion to raise any issue of concern that will help promote the mutual interest of all stakeholders,” said IAI Task Force Chair H.E. Mr. Vu Dang Dzung, Permanent Representative of the Socialist Republic of Viet Nam to ASEAN.

The meeting also welcomed representatives from Australia, People’s Republic of China, India, Japan, Republic of Korea, New Zealand, United States of America and the Japan International Cooperation Agency.

H.E. Mr. Kimihiro Ishikane, Ambassador of Japan to ASEAN emphasized that successfully tackling the gap among countries in the region will help develop the quality of integration and cohesiveness of ASEAN. “It is important for Dialogue Partners, including Japan, to remain involved in the IAI process so that specialized assistance can be provided in particular areas and sectors,” said the Ambassador.

To further enhance the cooperation with Dialogue Partners and External Parties, ASEAN will be setting a clear set of guidelines and procedures for considering projects under the IAI that will aim to encourage interested partners to contribute more to the Work Plan. This new initiative was welcomed by the US Mission to ASEAN who is seeking to heighten their engagement with ASEAN, particularly with the CLMV countries through the Lower Mekong Initiative. Similar responses were also received from China and the Republic of Korea who have immediately found a strong interest in the IAI to help build capacity of CLMV officials at the sectoral level.

ASEAN expressed appreciation to all the Dialogue Partners and External Parties for their continued support and looks forward to working with them through the respective programmes.

The Initiative for ASEAN Integration was launched by the ASEAN Heads of State at their Summit in 2000 with the objectives of Narrowing the Development Gap and accelerating economic integration in the newer members of ASEAN which are Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar, and Viet Nam.

Thailand-Myanmar relations is further strengthened through teaching Thai language

(04/04/2013)

On 1 April 2013, the 1st Project Steering Committee was held for the Project on Teaching Thai Language at Yangon University of Foreign Languages (YUFL), co-chaired by Ms. Suchada Thaibunthao, Deputy Director-General of Thailand International Development Cooperation Agency (TICA), Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, and     Dr. Lwin Lwin Soe, Rector of YUFL.  

The meeting reviewed the past activities and discussed the work plan for 2013, which would include postgraduate scholarships for lecturers, training on development of teaching materials, dispatch of Thai language teaching assistants, provision of teaching materials, and exchange of students.

On this occasion, TICA presented books to YUFL for use as teaching materials, while YUFL presented gifts as token of appreciation for the kind support and close cooperation.

 

Afterwards, Mr. Pisanu Suvanajata, Ambassador of Thailand to Myanmar, hosted lunch for the Thai delegation and the YUFL team.  Both sides discussed additional activities which could be implemented to celebrate the 65th Anniversary of the Establishment of Thailand-Myanmar Diplomatic Relations.

 

YUFL opened the Thai Language Department in 2010 with the support of Naresuan University.  Currently, there are around 300 students majoring in Thai language.  Each year, more students express their interests in studying Thai language than YUFL can accommodate.  Such increasing interest in Thai language reflects not only the popularity of the language itself, but also the business and career opportunities after graduation due to increasing demand from the Thai private sector investing in Myanmar for local staff who are fluent in Thai language.

Cabinet Approves MOU on Thai-German Education towards Excellence

(05/04/2013)

On 31 March 2013, the Cabinet approved the Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between Thailand and Germany regarding the bilateral education towards excellence program as proposed by the Ministry of Education. The proposal was as follows:

1. Approval of making and signing an MOU between Thailand and Germany. In case any minor corrections are needed, the Ministry of Education will be able to discuss these with the Foreign Affairs Ministry without re-proposing the MOU to the Cabinet; and

2. The Minister of Education will be allowed to sign the MOU.

The major subject of this MOU concerns the development of bilateral education in Thailand with the use of the famous professional education system in Germany to motivate Thai vocational education. Initially, private companies in Germany, such as BMW, Bosch and B. Grimm, will design a curriculum for vocational education with the Office of the Vocational Education Commission (OVEC) in which vocational students will have a chance to study and work, with scholarships available if needed.

The Ministry of Education, after carefully reading the MOU, viewed that it was mainly concerned with the promotion of educational cooperation, and is not a contract that will change Thai sovereignty or affect our economic stability. Therefore, this MOU is not an agreement according to the second paragraph of Article 190 of the Thai Constitution of 2007 which would therefore have to be approved by the Thai parliament. As a matter of fact, it concerns only international relations.

Celebrating 121st Anniversary of MOE Establishment

(05/04/2013)

The Minister of Education, Mr. Phongthep Thepkanjana, along with the Deputy Minister, Mr. Sermsak Pongpanit, senior officers and members of the Ministry of Education's senior teachers and civil servants club, attended a Buddhist ceremony offering alms to monks and paying homage to the MOE's Buddha image, shrine and the statue of King Rama VI. This activity aimed to celebrate the 121st anniversary of the establishment of the MOE on 1 April 2013.

After the ceremony, Mr. Phongthep said that the staff of the Ministry should work together to develop Thai children's education. Thai people and teachers have to think and create a good curriculum and find ways to teach Thai students in order to create human resources who will serve the needs of all sectors of the labor market. Now is a competitive time and future generations will have to adjust themselves to cope with the various changes which will occur.

On the occasion of the 121st anniversary of the establishment of the MOE's establishment, the Ministry also arranged a Buddhist ceremony to pay respect to contributive ministerial staff which had already passed away and a ceremony to award pins to honor those who have worked hard for the Ministry as well as participated in sporting activities between ministerial staff and the media.

Phongthep Opens School Museum in Cholburi

(05/04/2013)

On 29 March 2013, the Minister of Education, Mr. Phongthep Thepkanjana, chaired the opening of a multi-purposed building and the opening of a Somdej Phra Buddha Khosajarn (Charoen Sukkhabot) Museum together with the Culture Minister, Mr. Sonthaya Khunpleum, and the board chairman of the Cholburi 'Sukhabot' School. Also attending were the specialist director of the school, Mrs. Kamonphat Thippayakraisornchote, the school board members, teachers and students.

The Minister of Education said that this cooperative event had been organized by homes, Buddhist temples and schools. Actually, should local administrators choose join this cooperation movement on educational management, local education would be strengthened.

Mr. Phongthep added that Buddhist temples played a crucial role in the education of Thai children because the temples provided support to schools which in turn were the heart of national development. He then thanked the school board members and Mr. Sonthaya for their constant support for the sake of Thai students' success. The Minister was glad to learn that a lot of students from this school had become good doctors and engineers.

Finally, Mr. Phongthep said that good facilities provided by the school would improve education and students' morality and ethics. He then thanked everyone who had attended the two ceremonies on behalf of the Ministry of Education.

ASEAN Youth Meet Japan Prime Minister

(03/04/2013)

Prime Minister of Japan, H.E. Shinzo Abe received about 80 university students from ASEAN as the first batch of JENESYS 2.0 (Japan-East Asia Network of Exchange for Students and Youths) programme, this week in Japan.

Representing the ASEAN youth, Ms. Leanne Marie Torrato captured aptly the spirit of the programme by stating, “Through this program, we hope to learn new and innovative economic policy ideas through exploring the fields of social sciences, culture and arts, and science and technology. We hope that we can find new ways to improve trade and diplomatic relations between our countries. Some people may say that these expectations are a bit ambitious. But the ASEAN youth now are more empowered than ever. And when we become our country’s leaders someday, we will see that these things we learn in JENESYS will be carried out for the benefit of the entire ASEAN community.”

The participants are divided into three groups to visit Chubu, Kansai, and Kyushu areas to observe Japan’s cutting-edge high technologies and its support for local industries as well as creative industries, experience Japan’s traditional culture, and communicate with the local Japanese people.

JENESYS is a key platform for youth exchange between ASEAN and Japan. The original programme was successfully conducted in 2007 – 2012, bringing more than 13,500 ASEAN youth to Japan. JENESYS 2.0, launched this year when PM Abe visited Jakarta in January 2013, will invite 10,000 ASEAN youth to visit Japan.

New ASEAN Financial Integration Report

(03/04/2013)

The Central Bank Governors from ASEAN Member States (AMS) launched the Summary Report entitled “The Road to ASEAN Financial Integration - A Combined Study on Assessing the Financial Landscape and Formulating Milestones for Monetary and Financial Integration in ASEAN” at the sidelines of the 9th ASEAN Central Bank Governors’ Meeting yesterday in Brunei Darussalam.

The Summary Report highlights ASEAN’s financial integration framework in the areas of financial services, capital account, payments and settlement systems, and capital markets. These efforts will be complemented by capacity-building initiatives, infrastructure building, and an enabling intermediation environment that is effective and efficient for financial flows, while ensuring that appropriate safeguards are in place to preserve financial stability. Taking into account the diversity of financial market development, economic structure and priorities in establishing the necessary preconditions among AMS, the Report emphasises that the implementation process of the key milestones needs to be managed effectively.  In this regard, individual AMS will be accorded flexibility to determine the timelines and preconditions corresponding to the state of preparedness of their economies.

The Summary Report is a joint initiative of the ASEAN central banks and monetary authorities, the ASEAN Secretariat and the Asian Development Bank.  The Central Bank Governors view this Report as an important reference for ASEAN to further guide its financial integration process.

The Summary Report is available for viewing here.

Sixth Press Release of the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC)

(03/04/2013)

The ASEAN Commission on the Promotion and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC) successfully concluded its Sixth Meeting which was convened from 1-2 April 2013 in Jakarta, Indonesia. The Meeting was updated on 15 projects under the ACWC Work Plan 2012-2016 while 3 new projects were tabled for adoption. Projects that are on-going this year include the compilation of country of best practices in eliminating violence against women and children which will be published in mid-2013. Public campaign, which was inaugurated last year, will be undertaken in conjunction with the International Day to Stop Violence against Women on 25 November 2013. Acknowledging common issues concerning women and girls in the CEDAW and CRC Concluding Observations, the ACWC planned for a regional workshop to look into those common issues towards effective promotion and protection of the rights of women and children in June 2013 in Da Nang, Viet Nam. As part of children’s rights promotion, development of guidelines for non violent approach to child rearing and child caring in various settings has started with annotated bibliographies being compiled.

Acknowledging that prevention and elimination of violence against women and children is its core, the ACWC drafted the ASEAN Declaration on the Elimination of Violence Against Women and Children. After several reviews since 2011, the final draft of the Declaration was accepted at this Meeting and was aimed to be adopted by the ASEAN Leaders this year. The Declaration aims to reflect ASEAN’s collective efforts to, among others, strengthen legal and policy frameworks and institutional capacity to combat violence against women and children, and assist victims through protection, services, rehabilitation, recovery and reintegration of victims.

Recognising the importance of collaboration for efficiency and better impact of projects in its Work Plan, the ACWC identified potential common areas and projects in the work plans of other ASEAN sectoral bodies. The ACWC will explore collaboration with those ASEAN sectoral bodies. The ACWC will also engage civil society in the implementation of its projects by tapping on their expertise. For this purpose, the Meeting discussed workable mechanisms of civil society engagement in the implementation of the ACWC Work Plan.

On 3 April 2013, the ACWC Representatives prepared the ground work towards the establishment of a network of social service providers helping women and children victims of violence. It was considered that the network would spearhead, among others, trainings, exchange programmes and scholarships for social service agencies, awards to recognise outstanding social workers in the region, case studies of successful rehabilitation and reintegration of victims.

The Seventh ACWC Meeting was scheduled for later part of 2013 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia.

OHEC Sec. Gen. Visits Thepsatri Rajabhat University

(04/04/2013)

The Secretary General of the Office of the Higher Education Commission (OHEC) Mr. Apichart Jeerawuth chaired a ceremony to open a new signboard for Thepsatri Rajabhat University in Nakhon Sawan on 30 March 2013. He made a donation to establish the Funding of Thepsatri Taklee and gave awards to people who had made contributions to the university.

Mr. Apichart then talked about the policy of developing universities to become academic institutions for local communities. He said that universities in local areas should give more opportunities for education and should serve the needs of local people, communities and organizations. They should take three major issues into account: teachers, educational materials and service to students.

OEC to Design Ethics and Morality Curricula for Thai Children

(04/04/2013)

The Office of the Education Council (OEC), with cooperation of the Office of the National Anti-Corruption Commission (NACC), recently organized a seminar on designing curricula for teaching ethics and morality to suppress corruption in Thai children and mobilizing anti-corruption strategies through the use of an educational mechanism. This seminar was chaired by the Chairperson of NACC, Mr. Panthep Klanarongran.

According to Mr. Panthep, education plays a key role against corruption, so curricula reform should be done carefully with brainstorming by qualified academics and learning from the work done in foreign countries. The campaign entitled, "Growing-Up without Cheating", is a successful project on anti-corruption which needs to be used in conjunction with the traditional Thai culture of respecting adults and expressing gratitude to them as well as life-long education. The NACC is emphasizing the training of ethics and morality via various media and the results from the seminar will be used to improve the characters of Thai children and youths in the future.

The Secretary General of OEC, Dr. Sasithara Pichaichannarong, said that the OEC and the NACC realized the importance of cooperation on anti-corruption education and had formulated an agreement on the issue. Initially, the sub-committee for mobilizing anti-corruption campaigns will promote education as a mechanism to suppress corruption. This seminar was one of the national gatherings which enabled ideas from concerned agencies on developing a curriculum about ethics and morality to protect children against corruption.

The qualified academic of NACC, Dr. U-this Khaothien, said that a corruption survey in 2011 indicated that Thailand was ranked 80th out of 183 countries worldwide and 11th in Asia. Therefore, the NACC had formulated four strategies for the prevention and suppression of corruption from 2008 to 2012. The first strategy concerned raising anti-corruption awareness in people of all sectors. The second one was to unite people power to suppress corruption. The third was to strengthen organizations that work on anti-corruption. The fourth strategy was to create anti-corruption professionals. It is a good occasion that the Ministry of Education and NACC made the agreement for using education as the key solution to corruption problem because nowadays Thai society views corruption as the norm.

Source: Ban Muang Newspaper

2018 for ASEAN Qualification Framework

(04/04/2013)

The Secretary General of the Office of the Education Council, Dr. Sasithara Pichaichannarong, recently talked about the national qualification framework which the Cabinet asked the Ministry of Education to mobilize. She said that the OEC had organized a workshop seminar on the mobilization of the national qualification framework to practicum during which employers and business owners discussed and shared their ideas on this issue.

Dr. Sasithara said that the OEC was developing the national qualification framework to detail professional competency as well as to connect the project of educational development to both vocational and higher educations. Recently, there was a meeting with the ten ASEAN countries in Indonesia which was also attended by participants from Australia and New Zealand. The meeting agreed to formulate an ASEAN-level national qualification framework for all ASEAN countries by the end of 2018 so that it could be used as a standard for studying and working.

"On 2 May, New Zealand will ask the OEC to host a meeting on the national qualification framework. This framework will test skills and competency for around 200-300 jobs and guarantee workers' knowledge and abilities," said Dr. Sasithara.

Source: Khom Chad Luek Newspaper