Thais are told NOT to THINK

Until the middle of the twentieth century, rote learning was as commonplace in the UK as it is today in Thailand.

One advantage of rote learning in this country is that it trains the memory. Thais can recite word for word large chunks from books they have been told to study. Westerners would have difficulty in doing so. I know I would.

The weakness is that it discourages thinking for oneself and having a questioning attitude of mind. Pupils rarely ask their teacher anything. Thai education is a rather passive process. Being critical or putting forward a point of view is not a common feature. In fact, it is culturally frowned upon.

A former monarch said that he would “do your thinking for you” when addressing his people. It was said in a positive way, to help his subjects.