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October 09, 2008

Longing for Peace...

Lesson by Boon Boonprayoon

You do not want to miss this chance of reading the voices of some educated young people. There are from a group of students selected to join forum held by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific, in partnership with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University. These students share their points of views on ‘peace’ and how to make it possible for a harmonious living among diverse people.

It is funny that in such a time when there seems to be no resolution for our political conflicts, the young remind us that there are always differences of opinions. We do not have to see things the same way but we need to learn to “COMPROMISE” and listen to the voice of the MAJORITY and play by rules. That might be the only way out. So I invite you all to read and learn from the young from today’s article.

You know, the Buddha said, everything is impermanent and all the suffering happens because we want and do not want things the way they...teaching Thai people to learn what the Buddha taught, the core of Buddhism 'Anicca, Dukkha, Annatta' might be the only way out..

การอยู่ในสังคมใหญ่ให้มีความสุขนั้นเป็นไปได้หากเราเรียนรู้ที่จะอยู่ในสังคมด้วยการยอมรับฟังเสียงส่วนใหญ่ และปฏิบัติตามกฎระเบียบที่วางไว้ด้วยความเคารพกฎกติกาเหล่านั้น การแสดงออกของความเห็นที่แตกต่างนั้นย่อมกระทำได้ แต่ต้องอยู่ภายใต้กรอบของสังคม แต่ที่สำคัญที่สุดคือการฟังเสียงส่วนใหญ่ และยอมรับความเป็นจริง เพราะเสียงส่วนใหญ่คือการสะท้อนความเป็นจริงของคนในสังคมนั้นนั่นเอง

voice – opinion ความคิดเห็น
to be held – to have a meeting จัด (การประชุม งานแสดง สัมมนา) ขึ้นโดย
diverse – very different from each other and of various kinds หลากหลาย มากมาย
compromise – to give up some of your demands after a disagreement with somebody in order to reach an agreement ประนีประนอม
majority – the largest part of a group of people เสีียงส่วนมาก

Is peace just a fantasy?

Students mull over the causes of conflict

ROJANA MANOWALAILAO

John Lennon wished the world "would live as one" in his song Imagine in 1971. The lyrics were inspired by Lennon's hopes for a more peaceful world.

However, it seems that for the past 37 years, Lennon's lyrics "imagine all the people living life in peace" are still just imagination. He was a dreamer, "but he's not the only one ..."

Noting that "ignorance, lack of justice, discrimination, inequality, intolerance and exclusion provide fertile ground for violence, aggression and conflict", Mr Koichiro Matsuura, director-general of Unesco emphasized Unesco's role as the lead agency of the 2001-2010 International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World campaign.

He said: "Unesco's commitment to peace, dialogue and universal values is thus needed more than ever. So is the necessity to reaffirm the essential role of those values in bringing about a world of greater tolerance and of mutual understanding, respect and support in the observance of human rights."

More than 200 students recently gathered at a youth forum at Chulalongkorn University to raise awareness of the International Day of Peace, which falls annually on Sept 21.

The students discussed the role of human rights in achieving peace. This year's event coincided with the United Nations campaign to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights.

The forum was organised by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific, in partnership with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University.

At the forum, 12 students talked with the Bangkok Post about "peace" and how it can be achieved.

Salisa Napathorn, 17, Chulalongkorn University Demonstration School
"I can't really see how peace can be achieved worldwide. But as a tiny molecule in the society, at least we can start from ourselves. If we think of ourselves less and see others before ourselves, several problems can be avoided.

When people have to work together, there are chances of conflict and those conflicts usually come from only one cause, people not seeing things the same way. So, when problems arise, we need to look at them from different angles and try to understand and compromise."

Alhuda Chanitphattana, 21, Kasetsart University
"What is peace? In the classroom, I learn about conflicts and its technical term, but not about peace. If the definition of peace is not clearly defined, how can people achieve it?"

Teerayut Teerasupaluck, 23, Thammasat University
"I once felt discriminated against when I was living in America as an exchange student. I found that because the people didn't know about other countries, they judged those who are different from themselves through stereotypes.

"Why do people look down on people who are different? "The Thai education system also doesn't offer much opportunity for students to learn about other countries. So, when students have little knowledge, they tend not to care, and it makes them look as if they are ignorant."

Assarof Sasanakul, 21, Chulalongkorn University
"Some young people only live in their own small world, driving in a comfy car, shopping and going on trips, but they don't open to the real world of people living in poverty and discrimination. They don't exercise the power they have, which is the power that can lead to peace."

Nathan Penn Maxwell, 25, Webster University
"The basic rule for peace is that you should treat people the way you want to be treated. You should value a person equally. A lot of people feel like they're entitled to do certain things, but they should acknowledge that other people have the same fundamental needs. People with the same basic needs don't agree on how to fulfil those needs. Ideas of freedom have to grow out of the soul of those nations.

"Democracy can be utilised as a model to facilitate peace and freedom. However, it must be grown from the will of people. It cannot be imposed."

Thanasak Charernrat, 20, Kasetsart University
"We should learn and understand our culture as much as we can and then learn about others as well so that we know why people are doing what they do and why they don't [do other things]."

Chakrit Issmun, 20, Srinakharinwirot University
"Peace can start in education institutes. A university is a model of the bigger society where the rich, the poor, and different races and creeds live together. It's the place where we can learn to accept each other and individual differences. But at present, there's even a divide in universities. People from one faculty don't get along with those from another faculty. It would be a good start if we can make people in the same university love and compromise with one another."

Panjaworrawat Chatwattananan, 21, Srinakharinwirot University
"Conflicts come from people who don't know their duties and responsibilities. As students, we should concentrate on our studies, for example. When people are aware of their roles and act accordingly, and don't cross other people, there'll be less trouble and more order, which is the foundation of peace."

Parnchanok Prasongnijjakij, 18, Thammasat University
"Youth is a mechanism to move the nation. Although we don't have power, we do have rights and the freedom to express our wants. Raising awareness among young people is very necessary to get together, build networks and contribute to society."

Catina Ponticello, 23, Webster University
"When people are educated, they become more tolerant of cultural diversity and they don't see the diversity as [negative]. We should give rights to everyone to believe what they want to believe and respect everyone and every society as individuals. We wouldn't have conflicts if everyone looked at each other on the same level."

Rachtaphol Sabhavasu, 17, Chulalongkorn University Demonstration School
"Sport links people together and helps tighten relationships. It teaches people a lesson of friendship, to lose some, win some and to forgive. Then peace will follow.

"I was selected as one of two students to represent Thailand in the recent Olympic Youth Camp in Beijing, China. There the participants shared the same goal: 'One world, one dream'."

Rojana Manowalailao is a media and communications officer at Unesco Bangkok. She has a master's degree in Communication from the University of Missouri-Columbia, US, and a master's in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (Tefl) from Thammasat University. She has been a teacher and journalist. You may contact her at rojana@unescobkk.org .

Vocabulary
ignorance – ความไม่รู้ ความโง่ อวิชชา
discrimination การเลือกปฏิบัติ – the practice of treating somebody less fairly
inequality – ความไม่เสมอภาค
intolerance – not willing to accept ideas or ways of behaving that are different from your own
การไม่ยอมรับความคิดที่แตกต่างไป OPPOSITE: tolerance – การยอมรับความคิดเห็นของผู้อื่น ความอดทนอดกลั้น
fertile ground – the necessary condition for something to develop easily
commitment – a promise to do something ความรับผิดชอบ
reaffirm – to state something again in order to emphasize that it is still true ให้การมั่นใจ
value – beliefs about what is right and wrong and what is important in life ค่านิยม
mutual – happening together ร่วมกัน
achieve – ทำให้สำเร็จ
coincide – to take place at the same time เกิดขึ้นพร้อมกัน
forum – a formal meeting การสัมมนา
cause – สาเหตุ
angle – a particular way of thinking or presenting a situation or problem มุมมอง
stereotype – a fixed type of something แบบแผนตายตัว
entitle – to give somebody the right to have or to do something มีสิทธิถูกต้องด้วยความชอบธรรม
fundamental need – a basic need ความต้องการขั้นพื้นฐาน
facilitate – to make things become easier ทำให้ง่ายขึ้น
impose – to put something into practice นำมาปฏิบัติ
cultural diversity ความหลากหลายทางวัฒนธรรม – great differences of cultures
tighten relationship – to make a relationship stronger กระชับความสัมพันธ์

Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 06:29 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

September 23, 2008

Alternative approach

See 'Freedom to learn' from Education front page
Lesson by Boon Boonprayoon

alt

Once again we read about an alternative approach in getting the best out of the young ones. There are various theories and methods to teach, raise, and nurture children. None is an absolute perfect solution. What we can do is to try our best to match children's needs. Today, Khun Sonthaya Chutisacha, a graduate with a counselling psychology degree, shares with us her point of view on bringing up and teaching young children.

Reading through the article you would clearly get the message that with the high demands and competitiveness in our society a large group of experts has sprung up offering professional advice on child development and learning. It has become more common for a child to be labelled with a learning disorder, a special need, etc. That is done to help such a child get the best care for his or her problem.

Khun Sonthaya looks at the situation differently. She prefers not to judge any children and label them, but to instead offer a stress-free learning environment for them. No matter what you believe, today's article is another way to look at child development and how to find the most suitable way of bringing up up children. After all, they will be the ones who are responsible for our future when we get old.

Freedom to learn

The key is to understand, control and remove stress

DIMPLE DUANGTHIP ARORA

‘A mind that is free of stress is a mind that is free to explore,’’ says Khun Sonthaya Chutisacha, as she explains her philosophy of a good education programme. She has pioneered a programme that involves invoking a love of learning in young children by eliminating physical, mental and emotional stress. This past year, she successfully shared her approach in a programme called ‘‘Learning through Movement and Awareness’’ in workshops, with teachers and at many of the major international schools.

Initial observations

With a Master in Counselling Psychology degree, Sonthaya (‘‘Sandy’’) is an educator with many years of experience in working with children from all segments of society. Some are slow and sometimes referred to as ‘‘special-needs children’’; others, who learn faster, are referred to as ‘‘regular’’ children, as classified by the present education system. Sonthaya, however, sees children through a different set of lenses. ‘‘Every child is unique, with a unique pace of learning [and a unique] understanding of, and way of coping with, the world around him that needs to be respected,’’ she says.

‘‘Of course, there are some children who are mentally challenged or have [actual] learning disorders, and they need to be in an environment that is different from that found in a regular school,’’ says Sonthaya.

One size does not fit all

‘‘What disturbs me today is the current trend among teachers in applying labels to students. Labels, such as ADHD [Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder], are being overused to the point of abuse, as such labels have a damaging impact on the self-esteem of otherwise healthy children,’’ says Sonthaya as she reflects on her experience working with so-called ‘‘special-needs’’ children.

Sonthaya has worked in a special-needs school for a number of years. During her experience with the school’s children — who had apparently been made to drop out of their regular schools — she discovered something quite simple, yet disturbing. Most of the children had very normal IQs but, due to some stress factor in their life, they did not enjoy learning.

Consequently, they did not comprehend all things completely and performed poorly in class as a result. Low self-esteem was both a result and a cause of further depreciation of their morale.

‘Special’ vs ‘individual’ needs

She then undertook the task of understanding each student in her class on an individual level. She discovered that in the majority of the cases, each child was under some form of stress.

The cause of stress could be anything ranging from poor diet or lack of sleep, to communication problems with a parent or teacher, or fear of peers and performance at school.

The so-called special-needs children had special needs alright, but the needs had nothing to do with their IQ and mental abilities! ‘‘How do I get them to enjoy education?’’ was the next challenge beckoning her. Here is where she pioneered a holistic teaching approach that incorporated elements of brain gym, yoga, intentional breathing and holistic nutrition into the academic curriculum. Such simple measures almost miraculously centralised the energy of these children, who appeared to become more attentive in class.

Her coup de graˆce was to convert her class into a stress-free haven. Her method of teaching encouraged a high level of student participation along with innovative thinking followed by alternative solutions by her students

Stress-free growth centre

‘‘Today,’’ she says proudly, ‘‘most of these so-called special-needs children are on to something major in their lives. One of my students has gotten into animation, another one is on her way to becoming an occupational therapist. By just removing the stress factor and restoring their self-esteem, I helped to develop a love of learning in these children. And this thirst for and love of knowledge characterises innovative thinkers, who know how to think and search for answers.’’

Sonthaya has realised her vision to develop a learning centre for children. The Grow International Learning Centre is a not-for-profit learning centre supported by Knowledge Source Institute (Thailand).

It currently offers programmes for toddlers and preschoolers (ages one to six years). ‘‘They could be the innovators and explorers of tomorrow, at peace with themselves and the world around them because here they will learn to ‘love to learn’,’’ she says. The academic curriculum followed is the English National Curriculum. Seeing the profound effects of diet on the mental alertness and physical agility of children, she provides snacks in line with holistic nutrition.

Sonthaya deploys her acquired skills and experience in brain gym, intentional breathing and yoga to bring out the best in her students. She also incorporates other creative arts, such as music, dancing, gardening and handicrafts into the curriculum.

Sonthaya often cites Albert Einstein’s ‘‘I never teach my pupils. I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn’’ as a quote that sums up the philosophy of her education programme.

Message to parents
Sonthaya’s message for parents is, ‘‘Please do not rush into labelling your children and obtaining professional assessments. Understand that they are individuals with emotional needs that are not met by keeping them involved in one activity after another. Try and assess every area of their life to see where the stress that is affecting their behaviour and performance at school is coming from. Develop a positive rapport with your child — she or he is not only a duty, but someone who could be a wonderful friend to you. Help your child unfold with loving awareness, not labels.’’

Sonthaya would be pleased to liaise with international schools to provide an intervention programme for students who are not coping. Students may attend after school hours, or join the centre for a term. The aim is to get them back on track. For more information, visit www.growpreschool.blogspot.com , or read the online document at www.growilc.com/playlearngrow.pdf, or email growilc@gmail.com.

Vocabulary

pioneer - when somebody pioneers something, they are one of the first people to do, discover or use something new ริเริ่ม

invoke - to mention or use a law, rule, etc. as a reason for doing something ก่อให้เกิด
eliminate - to remove or get rid of something / somebody กำจัด
physical - connected with a person’s body rather than their mind ทางร่างกาย
mental -connected with or happening in the mind; involving the process of thinking ทางจิตใจ
approach -to start dealing with a problem, task, etc. in a particular way วิธีการ
awareness - knowing sth; knowing that sth exists and is important; being interested in something ความตระหนัก
workshop - a period of discussion and practical work on a particular subject, in which a group of people share their knowledge and experience การประชุมเชิงปฏิบัติการ
initial - happening at the beginning; first ในเบื้องต้น
segment -a part of something that is separate from the other parts or can be considered separately กลุ่ม ส่วน
different sets of lenses มองด้วยมุมต่างๆ
pace [of something ] - the speed at which something happens: จังหวะ
cope with - to manage; to deal successfully with something difficult จัดการกับปัญหา
disturb - to make somebody worry ทำให้วุ่นวายใจ
self-esteem - great respect and admiration; a good opinion of somebody ความภูมิใจในตัวเอง
comprehend - to fully understand เข้าใจดี
depreciation - to make something seem unimportant or of no value การลดความสำคัญ
morale - the amount of confidence and enthusiasm, etc. that a person or a group has at a particular time ขวัญกำลังใจ
beckon - to give somebody a signal using your finger or hand, especially to tell them to move nearer or to follow you; signal ทำให้สนใจ
Holistic teaching approach http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holistic_education
incorporate - to include something so that it forms a part of something รวมเข้าด้วยกัน
attentive - listening or watching carefully and with interest ด้วยความเอาใจใส่
haven - a place that is safe and peaceful where people or animals are protected ที่พักพิง
innovative - introducing new ideas or ways of doing something เกี่ยวกับการปฏิรูป การปรับปรุงใหม่
agility - ability to move quickly ความคล่องแคล่ว
in line with - ควบคู่ไปกับ
rapport - a friendly relationship in which people understand each other very well ความเป็นมิตร
liaise - to work closely with sb and exchange information with them ประสานงานระหว่าง ติดต่อระหว่าง

Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 12:23 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 27, 2008

1, 3, 8 or 9? Which is the luckiest number?

See 'Lucky and Unlucky Numbers' on Education page E3
Lesson by Boon Boonprayoon

What is your lucky number? One wise man says that mine is 17 :) But I have never had anything to do with the number 17 so far.

Let me give an example on how superstitious Thai people are. My maid is a vivid example. If I tell her about what kind of dream I had last night, she would quickly figure out what numbers are relevant to such a dream. She would rush off to buy a lottory ticket, and surprisingly, she gets the correct winning number every time she does so.

Superstitions about numbers are universal and timeless. Not only Thai people are superstitious. People from different cultures are to. The Chinese believe number 8 is auspicious. The Japanese and the Chinese also share the belief that number 4 is unlucky while westerners do not like to have anything to do with number 13.

Today Catherine Johnson shares with us interesting thoughts behind numbers. She talks about the Chinese's belief in the lucky number 8 and the unlucky number 13 that is supposed to bring you bad luck. If you visit any western office building, you will not be surprised to see that the 13th floor is usually left out from the control panel in the elevator. The other unlucky number we learn today is 666. What was the origin of that belief?
No matter what is said about lucky and unlucky numbers, it is all you yourself that decide your own fate...not the numbers!

superstitious - believing in superstitions เชื่อโชคลาง
relevant - closely connected with the subject you are discussing or the situation you are thinking about ที่เกี่ยวข้องกัน
auspicious - showing signs that sth is likely to be successful in the future อันเป็นมงคล

Here are some questions to help you get the main idea of the article:-
1. What is the author's personal standpoint on superstitions about numbers and their connotations?
2. Does the author think Asia is the only place where the concept of lucky and unlucky numbers are found?
3. What is the reason behind the Chinese's belief in the auspicious number 8?
4. Try to find examples of the beliefs of westerners concerning as many lucky / unlucky number as possible.

Lucky and unlucky numbers

Superstitions about auspicious or unlucky numbers have existed for millennia. Around one billion people, or 15 percent of the world’s population, watched the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Beijing earlier this month. The spectacular show started at eight minutes and eight seconds past eight o’clock on Aug 8, 2008 (often written as 08:08:08 08/08/08). Many readers of the Bangkok Post probably share the Chinese belief that eight is a lucky, or auspicious, number.

In Chinese culture, numbers are considered lucky if they sound like words that mean ‘‘health’’, ‘‘wealth’’ or other positive sentiments.

The Mandarin word for ‘‘eight’’ sounds similar to the word for ‘‘prosper’’ and, in Cantonese, it is close to the word meaning ‘‘fortune’’. Finally, the Chinese characters representing ‘‘double joy’’ resemble the digits 88.

These coincidences have made eight very significant, to the extent that a telephone number consisting only of eights was auctioned to Sichuan Airlines for over $250,000 (8.53 million baht). At the time, this price made it the most expensive telephone number in the world. However, in 2006 a number consisting exclusively of sixes was sold in Qatar for a staggering $2.75 million (93.8 million baht).

Lottery numbers

Auspicious numbers are a widespread phenomenon throughout Asia, including Thailand, where it is common for people to visit especially lucky shrines to ask for guidance in picking lottery numbers. In the West, people often use the birthdates of family members or study which numbers appear more frequently.

I am not sure whether they believe that a number that has come up frequently in the past is more likely to occur again, or whether they think that they should pick a number that hasn’t come up often, believing that it must be due soon! The truth is, there is absolutely no way to predict the outcome of random events.

Although Western cultures tend to be less superstitious about numbers, irrational beliefs about luck are commonplace. In England, many people would avoid walking under a ladder or putting an umbrella up inside the house, as these actions are supposed to bring bad luck.

Unlucky 13
Friday the 13th is also considered to be an unlucky day in several European countries, although I would strongly recommend booking a flight on Friday the 13th whenever possible. With people afraid to fly on what is believed to be an unlucky day, you are more likely to have an adjacent empty seat and so can stretch out comfortably!

The number 13 has been considered unlucky by many cultures. In Thailand, the digits, when rotated, are said to resemble the Thai word for ‘‘ghost’’. As far back as 1,760 BC, the Code of Hammurabi omitted a 13th law and to this day, the superstition persists.

For example, there is no car numbered 13 in Formula One motorsport, condominium buildings often prefer to label floors 12A and 12B, and some airlines and airports omit gate 13 and row 13 altogether. The extreme fear of the number 13 is called triskaidekaphobia, from the Greek words tris (three), kai (and), deka (10) and phobia (fear of). Triskaidekaphobia is unusually widespread across many different cultures.

The ‘Devil’s digits’

Most number superstitions are confined to one country, one period of history or one particular religious group. For instance, the number 666 is held to be ‘‘the number of the beast’’ among Christians, but is lucky in China and is considered holy in Judaism.

One interesting theory is that the Bible’s original Book of Revelation did not specify the number 666, but merely referred to a ‘‘large number’’. When writing a large number in Roman numerals, the author could have simply written out all of the available symbols: D (500), C (100), L (50), X (10), V (5) and I (1) in descending order. The result, DCLXVI, is 666.

Mathematically speaking

As a mathematics teacher, I find numbers and their relationships fascinating and instructive, but I do not have a personal lucky number or hold any superstitious beliefs about them. I prefer to consider the mathematical definition of ‘‘lucky numbers’’, which can be found below.

Activity: First, write out a list of positive integers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, etc. Next, cross out every second number, leaving 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11. Then, because the next surviving number is three, cross out every third number of your new list, leaving 1, 3, 7, 9, 13, 15, 19. The next surviving number is seven, so cross out every seventh number, and keep following that pattern.

The numbers you have left are: 1, 3, 7, 9, 13, 15, 21, 25. These are the ‘‘lucky numbers’’ in mathematics, and it transpires that 13 is a lucky number after all!

millennia - showing signs that sth is likely to be successful in the future หลายพันปี
spectacular - very impressive ตระการตา
prosper - to develop in a successful way; to be successful, especially in making money มั่งคั่ง
resemble - to look like or be similar to another person or thing คล้ายคลึง
significant - large or important enough to have an effect or to be noticed ที่สำคัญ
to the extent used to show how far sth is true or how great an effect it has
phenomenon - a fact or an event in nature or society, especially one that is not fully understood ปรากฏการณ์
shrine - a place where people come to worship because it is connected with a holy person or event ศาลเจ้้า
random - done, chosen, etc. without sb deciding in advance what is going to happen, or without any regular pattern: การสุ่ม
commonplace - done very often, or existing in many places, and therefore not unusualธรรมดา
adjacent - next to or near something ที่ติดกัน
persist - to continue to exist ยังคงมีอยู่
confine - to keep spmebody/something inside the limits of a particular activity, subject, area, etc. ; restrict จำักัด
fascinating -extremely interesting น่าตื่นตาตื่นใจ
instructive - giving a lot of useful information

Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 11:21 AM | Permalink | Comments (0)

August 14, 2008

Is The Game To Be Blamed?

Lesson by Boon Boonprayoon

A frightening murder committed by a teenager last week is a wake-up call for Thai society. Some people suddenly put the blame on the video games. Is it really the video games that are the stimulus of this violent behavior?

To the authorities, they use such incidents to call for tougher regulations to control the cyberworld in Thailand. However, how strict should the regulations be and what long-term measures should be taken are still under debate.

If we have a tougher regulations and rules on cyber-game players, computer or Internet café owners, the repetition of such crimes might be prevented. However, this is not the absolute solution to this problem. We need to be smarter and spend more time teaching our children to be able to separate the virtual world from reality. It might be better if we provide them with more challenging activities to do in their free time, i.e. sports and music.

NOTE: You have to remind yourself, too, not to go to the extremes in pushing your children to be excellent in their leisure activities. After all, it is all up to you to be smart in keeping a balanced life.

stimulus -something that helps somebody / something to develop better or more quickly ตัวกระตุ้น
incident - something that happens, especially something unusual or unpleasant เหตุร้าย
measure - an official action that is done in order to achieve a particular aim มาตราการ
under debate - a formal discussion of an issue at a public meeting or in a parliament. In a debate two or more speakers express opposing views and then there is often a vote on the issue กำลังเป็นที่หารือกัน
two sides of the same coin - used to talk about two ways of looking at the same situation มองได้สองมุม
go to the extremes - to act or be forced to act in a way that is far from normal or reasonable ทำเกินควร

เหตุการฆ่าแท๊กซี่ของวัยรุ่นอายุ 19 ปีเมื่อสัีปดาห์ก่อนได้ปลุกสังคมไทยให้ตระหนักถึงภัยของเกมส์ออนไลน์อีกครั้ง อันที่จริงแล้วหากพิจารณาด้วยความยุติธรรมแล้วนั้น ต้นเหตุมิใช่เกมส์ออนไลน์ แต่น่าจะเป็นความอ่อนแอของสังคม ระบบครอบครัว และการปลูกฝังจริยธรรมให้เด็กไทย ให้มีความมั่นคงทางจิตใจหรือเปล่า วันนี้ลองอ่านความคิดเห็นของผู้ที่เกี่ยวข้องหลายฝ่าน ทั้งเจ้าหน้าที่ของรัฐที่วางนโยบายเกี่ยวกับความเข้มงวนในการใช้คอมพิวเตอร์และ เด็กวๆ ที่เป็นผู้ใช้คอมพิวเตอร์เอง ว่าพวกเขามีความเห็นอย่างไร และสังคมไทยควรจะรัีบมือและป้องกัีนเหตุที่เกิดขึ้นอย่างไร

A Game Isn't a Crime

We need rational thought, not knee-jerk reactions, reports Don Sambandaraksa

gta5

The Grand Theft Auto 4 copycat attempted theft and murder is a wake-up call that shows how unprepared Thai society is for the cyber world and Thailand needs a new high level independent think-tank to guide Thailand into the future according to Nectec director Dr Pansak Siriruchatapong.

People who have problems are from the weaker sectors of society. They get lost and virtual lives enable you to do things you cannot do in real life. These people do not have friends and they see the online world as the only way to express themselves. In the end, they lose track of what is real and what is virtual, he said.

Nectec, the National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre under the National Science and Technology Development Agency, Ministry of Science and Technology has been looking long and hard at this problem and has called for a mandate to do a scientific study on the impact of cyberspace on Thai society.

In the short term, Dr Pansak agrees that regulation is needed through the implementation of a rating system, but he warns that a iron fist approach to regulation will fail as the flexibility of the Internet will simply drive the problem underground.

Dr Pansak gave a cautious recommendation saying that the role should go to the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology by definition of its mandate, but said that he does not believe the MICT has any team working on this yet.

He warned that using the cyber crime law to tackle the problem is the wrong step to begin with, as a game is not a crime.

copycat - used especially by children about and to a person who copies what sb else does because they have no ideas of their own
ผู้ที่เลียนแบบผู้อื่น
a wake-up call - การปลุกให้ตื่น ทำให้รู้ตัว
think-tank - a group of experts who provide advice and ideas on political, social or economic issues คณะทำงานระดับมันสมอง กลุ่มคนที่ทำงานเกี่ยวกับการวิจัย,
the weaker sectors of society - กลุ่มผู้ด้อยโอกาสในสังคม
get lost - unable to find your way; not knowing where you are หลงทาง
virtual - made to appear to exist by the use of computer software, for example on the Internet สภาวะเสมือนจริงที่จำลองโดยเทคนิคทางคอมพิวเตอร์
lose track - to have/not have information about what is happening or where somebody/something is ไม่รู้ร่องรอยของคนหรือสิ่ง
call for - to need something ต้องการ
mandate - an official order given to sb to perform a particular task ข้อบังคับ ข้อบัญญัติ
impact - the powerful effect that something has on something else ผลกระทบ
implementation - to make something that has been officially decided start to happen or be used การบังคับใช้
iron fist approach - a severe approach on something การแก้ปัญหาด้วยมาตรการรุนแรง
tackle - to deal with the problem จัดการกับปัญหา

In the long term, the Nectec director feels that Thailand needs a cyberspace or cyberworld committee to help guide society into the digital age. The scope of responsibility transcends any one ministry, be it the MICT or even the MoST. The committee should report directly to the prime minister or, better still, be an independent body reporting to parliament and its main mandate should be to do research and use that research to provide much needed guidance and education.

The government needs to get the many Ministries involved in cyberspace and online gaming together and come up with a coherent message whether to promote games or treat them as a dangerous drug, according to the boss of one of Thailand's largest online game companies, Asiasoft.

Lertchai Kanpai, managing director of Asiasoft, said that the Ministry of Culture has sent signals that it will be incorporating game ratings as part of its censorship regulation aimed at the media industry. However, sources tell him that the fee for censorship will be on a per minute basis. This may make sense for a movie destined for a cinema, but falls apart for an online game that never ends. It is just one example of the confusing message he gets from the government.

On the one hand they (Ministry of Culture) are trying to stop and neuter games. On the other hand, we have SIPA (Software Industry Promotion Agency, Ministry of ICT) promoting games. It's like saying that we need clever kids but outlawing tuition schools,™ he said.

One casual gamer, a university student, managed to buy the game five days after it was officially withdrawn from sale. He got it only because it was banned and he wanted to know what all the fuss was about. The cost for a genuine disc went down from 2,100 baht to 1,400 baht and it is still available in most shops on request, under the counter.

The student said that the game was nowhere nearly as violent as many other games he had, such as No More Heroes or the Resident Evil series, but he did agree that it was very different from other games in terms of its realism.

It's like a virtual world. You can play it being a law-abiding citizen, stopping at every traffic light, working hard and not committing a single crime, only it then becomes one of the most boring games in the world. In fact, you can stay at home (in the game) and watch American TV all day, he said.

It was this choice and the realism, down to the TV channels and radio stations, that he said might have made some people lose track of the difference between virtual reality and the real world.

In one multi-player GTA4 session, one of the veterans hijacked a bus and told the other players to get on. Instead of ganging-up in a crime blitz, the bus was peacefully driven around Liberty City and the veteran player explained to the others all the landmarks and tricks and techniques, acting as a virtual tour guide rather than underworld boss.

The makers have blurred the boundaries between real and virtual even further with widgets echoing in-game events that can be embedded in blogs and social networking sites.

scope - the range of things ขอบข่าย
transcend - to go or be beyond the usual limits of something อยู่เหนือ
coherent - (of ideas, thoughts, etc.) logical and well organized; easy to understand and clear เห็นพ้องต้องกัน สอดคล้องกัน
a per minute basis - บนพื้นฐานของการคิดราคาเป็นนาที
fall apart - to have so many problems that it is no longer possible to exist or function จบลงด้วยความล้มเหลว
outlawing - to make something illegal ทำให้เป็นสิ่งผิดกฎหมาย
withdraw - to move back or away from a place ถอน เอาออกจาก
the fuss - anger or complaints about sth, especially sth that is not important ความวิตกกังวล
on request -the action of asking for sth formally and politely ตามคำขอ ตามคำเรียกร้อง
realism - way of seeing, accepting and dealing with situations as they really are without being influenced by your emotions or false hopes ตามความเป็นจริง
abiding - to accept and act according to a law ยอมปฏิบัติตาม
ganging up - to join together in a group to hurt, frighten or oppose somebody ซ่องสุม
blitz - พยายามที่จะครอบงำผู้อื่นเพื่อให้เห็นพ้อง
blur - to make something unclear ทำให้เลือนลาง,
widget - used to refer to any small device that you do not know the name of เครื่องจักรกลเล็กๆ ที่ไม่รู้จักชื่อ
embedded - to fix something firmly into a substance or solid object ฝังลึกลงไป

Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 12:15 PM | Permalink | Comments (0)

	Weeklies
Words in the News General News Easy English News Easy Business News Economics and Business Business Words in the News Teaching with the Bangkok Post Feature Focus From the Weeklies Mainly for Fun Hey kids! Weekend Practice Lessons on H.M.the King Focus on Thailand Buddhism Business and Economics Library 60 years ago General Links About Site General suggestions for teachers Building your vocabulary Suggestions for learners Suggestions for parents Who is Acharn Terry? Who is Acharn Jon?	October 09, 2008 Longing for Peace... Lesson by Boon Boonprayoon You do not want to miss this chance of reading the voices of some educated young people. There are from a group of students selected to join forum held by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific, in partnership with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University. These students share their points of views on ‘peace’ and how to make it possible for a harmonious living among diverse people. It is funny that in such a time when there seems to be no resolution for our political conflicts, the young remind us that there are always differences of opinions. We do not have to see things the same way but we need to learn to “COMPROMISE” and listen to the voice of the MAJORITY and play by rules. That might be the only way out. So I invite you all to read and learn from the young from today’s article. You know, the Buddha said, everything is impermanent and all the suffering happens because we want and do not want things the way they...teaching Thai people to learn what the Buddha taught, the core of Buddhism 'Anicca, Dukkha, Annatta' might be the only way out.. การอยู่ในสังคมใหญ่ให้มีความสุขนั้นเป็นไปได้หากเราเรียนรู้ที่จะอยู่ในสังคมด้วยการยอมรับฟังเสียงส่วนใหญ่ และปฏิบัติตามกฎระเบียบที่วางไว้ด้วยความเคารพกฎกติกาเหล่านั้น การแสดงออกของความเห็นที่แตกต่างนั้นย่อมกระทำได้ แต่ต้องอยู่ภายใต้กรอบของสังคม แต่ที่สำคัญที่สุดคือการฟังเสียงส่วนใหญ่ และยอมรับความเป็นจริง เพราะเสียงส่วนใหญ่คือการสะท้อนความเป็นจริงของคนในสังคมนั้นนั่นเอง voice – opinion ความคิดเห็น to be held – to have a meeting จัด (การประชุม งานแสดง สัมมนา) ขึ้นโดย diverse – very different from each other and of various kinds หลากหลาย มากมาย compromise – to give up some of your demands after a disagreement with somebody in order to reach an agreement ประนีประนอม majority – the largest part of a group of people เสีียงส่วนมาก Is peace just a fantasy? Students mull over the causes of conflict ROJANA MANOWALAILAO John Lennon wished the world "would live as one" in his song Imagine in 1971. The lyrics were inspired by Lennon's hopes for a more peaceful world. However, it seems that for the past 37 years, Lennon's lyrics "imagine all the people living life in peace" are still just imagination. He was a dreamer, "but he's not the only one ..." Noting that "ignorance, lack of justice, discrimination, inequality, intolerance and exclusion provide fertile ground for violence, aggression and conflict", Mr Koichiro Matsuura, director-general of Unesco emphasized Unesco's role as the lead agency of the 2001-2010 International Decade for a Culture of Peace and Non-Violence for the Children of the World campaign. He said: "Unesco's commitment to peace, dialogue and universal values is thus needed more than ever. So is the necessity to reaffirm the essential role of those values in bringing about a world of greater tolerance and of mutual understanding, respect and support in the observance of human rights." More than 200 students recently gathered at a youth forum at Chulalongkorn University to raise awareness of the International Day of Peace, which falls annually on Sept 21. The students discussed the role of human rights in achieving peace. This year's event coincided with the United Nations campaign to celebrate the sixtieth anniversary of the adoption of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights. The forum was organised by the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Asia and Pacific, in partnership with the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights and the Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University. At the forum, 12 students talked with the Bangkok Post about "peace" and how it can be achieved. Salisa Napathorn, 17, Chulalongkorn University Demonstration School "I can't really see how peace can be achieved worldwide. But as a tiny molecule in the society, at least we can start from ourselves. If we think of ourselves less and see others before ourselves, several problems can be avoided. When people have to work together, there are chances of conflict and those conflicts usually come from only one cause, people not seeing things the same way. So, when problems arise, we need to look at them from different angles and try to understand and compromise." Alhuda Chanitphattana, 21, Kasetsart University "What is peace? In the classroom, I learn about conflicts and its technical term, but not about peace. If the definition of peace is not clearly defined, how can people achieve it?" Teerayut Teerasupaluck, 23, Thammasat University "I once felt discriminated against when I was living in America as an exchange student. I found that because the people didn't know about other countries, they judged those who are different from themselves through stereotypes. "Why do people look down on people who are different? "The Thai education system also doesn't offer much opportunity for students to learn about other countries. So, when students have little knowledge, they tend not to care, and it makes them look as if they are ignorant." Assarof Sasanakul, 21, Chulalongkorn University "Some young people only live in their own small world, driving in a comfy car, shopping and going on trips, but they don't open to the real world of people living in poverty and discrimination. They don't exercise the power they have, which is the power that can lead to peace." Nathan Penn Maxwell, 25, Webster University "The basic rule for peace is that you should treat people the way you want to be treated. You should value a person equally. A lot of people feel like they're entitled to do certain things, but they should acknowledge that other people have the same fundamental needs. People with the same basic needs don't agree on how to fulfil those needs. Ideas of freedom have to grow out of the soul of those nations. "Democracy can be utilised as a model to facilitate peace and freedom. However, it must be grown from the will of people. It cannot be imposed." Thanasak Charernrat, 20, Kasetsart University "We should learn and understand our culture as much as we can and then learn about others as well so that we know why people are doing what they do and why they don't [do other things]." Chakrit Issmun, 20, Srinakharinwirot University "Peace can start in education institutes. A university is a model of the bigger society where the rich, the poor, and different races and creeds live together. It's the place where we can learn to accept each other and individual differences. But at present, there's even a divide in universities. People from one faculty don't get along with those from another faculty. It would be a good start if we can make people in the same university love and compromise with one another." Panjaworrawat Chatwattananan, 21, Srinakharinwirot University "Conflicts come from people who don't know their duties and responsibilities. As students, we should concentrate on our studies, for example. When people are aware of their roles and act accordingly, and don't cross other people, there'll be less trouble and more order, which is the foundation of peace." Parnchanok Prasongnijjakij, 18, Thammasat University "Youth is a mechanism to move the nation. Although we don't have power, we do have rights and the freedom to express our wants. Raising awareness among young people is very necessary to get together, build networks and contribute to society." Catina Ponticello, 23, Webster University "When people are educated, they become more tolerant of cultural diversity and they don't see the diversity as [negative]. We should give rights to everyone to believe what they want to believe and respect everyone and every society as individuals. We wouldn't have conflicts if everyone looked at each other on the same level." Rachtaphol Sabhavasu, 17, Chulalongkorn University Demonstration School "Sport links people together and helps tighten relationships. It teaches people a lesson of friendship, to lose some, win some and to forgive. Then peace will follow. "I was selected as one of two students to represent Thailand in the recent Olympic Youth Camp in Beijing, China. There the participants shared the same goal: 'One world, one dream'." Rojana Manowalailao is a media and communications officer at Unesco Bangkok. She has a master's degree in Communication from the University of Missouri-Columbia, US, and a master's in Teaching English as a Foreign Language (Tefl) from Thammasat University. She has been a teacher and journalist. You may contact her at rojana@unescobkk.org . Vocabulary ignorance – ความไม่รู้ ความโง่ อวิชชา discrimination การเลือกปฏิบัติ – the practice of treating somebody less fairly inequality – ความไม่เสมอภาค intolerance – not willing to accept ideas or ways of behaving that are different from your own การไม่ยอมรับความคิดที่แตกต่างไป OPPOSITE: tolerance – การยอมรับความคิดเห็นของผู้อื่น ความอดทนอดกลั้น fertile ground – the necessary condition for something to develop easily commitment – a promise to do something ความรับผิดชอบ reaffirm – to state something again in order to emphasize that it is still true ให้การมั่นใจ value – beliefs about what is right and wrong and what is important in life ค่านิยม mutual – happening together ร่วมกัน achieve – ทำให้สำเร็จ coincide – to take place at the same time เกิดขึ้นพร้อมกัน forum – a formal meeting การสัมมนา cause – สาเหตุ angle – a particular way of thinking or presenting a situation or problem มุมมอง stereotype – a fixed type of something แบบแผนตายตัว entitle – to give somebody the right to have or to do something มีสิทธิถูกต้องด้วยความชอบธรรม fundamental need – a basic need ความต้องการขั้นพื้นฐาน facilitate – to make things become easier ทำให้ง่ายขึ้น impose – to put something into practice นำมาปฏิบัติ cultural diversity ความหลากหลายทางวัฒนธรรม – great differences of cultures tighten relationship – to make a relationship stronger กระชับความสัมพันธ์ Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 06:29 AM \| Permalink \| Comments (0) September 23, 2008 Alternative approach See 'Freedom to learn' from Education front page Lesson by Boon Boonprayoon Once again we read about an alternative approach in getting the best out of the young ones. There are various theories and methods to teach, raise, and nurture children. None is an absolute perfect solution. What we can do is to try our best to match children's needs. Today, Khun Sonthaya Chutisacha, a graduate with a counselling psychology degree, shares with us her point of view on bringing up and teaching young children. Reading through the article you would clearly get the message that with the high demands and competitiveness in our society a large group of experts has sprung up offering professional advice on child development and learning. It has become more common for a child to be labelled with a learning disorder, a special need, etc. That is done to help such a child get the best care for his or her problem. Khun Sonthaya looks at the situation differently. She prefers not to judge any children and label them, but to instead offer a stress-free learning environment for them. No matter what you believe, today's article is another way to look at child development and how to find the most suitable way of bringing up up children. After all, they will be the ones who are responsible for our future when we get old. Freedom to learn The key is to understand, control and remove stress DIMPLE DUANGTHIP ARORA ‘A mind that is free of stress is a mind that is free to explore,’’ says Khun Sonthaya Chutisacha, as she explains her philosophy of a good education programme. She has pioneered a programme that involves invoking a love of learning in young children by eliminating physical, mental and emotional stress. This past year, she successfully shared her approach in a programme called ‘‘Learning through Movement and Awareness’’ in workshops, with teachers and at many of the major international schools. Initial observations With a Master in Counselling Psychology degree, Sonthaya (‘‘Sandy’’) is an educator with many years of experience in working with children from all segments of society. Some are slow and sometimes referred to as ‘‘special-needs children’’; others, who learn faster, are referred to as ‘‘regular’’ children, as classified by the present education system. Sonthaya, however, sees children through a different set of lenses. ‘‘Every child is unique, with a unique pace of learning [and a unique] understanding of, and way of coping with, the world around him that needs to be respected,’’ she says. ‘‘Of course, there are some children who are mentally challenged or have [actual] learning disorders, and they need to be in an environment that is different from that found in a regular school,’’ says Sonthaya. One size does not fit all ‘‘What disturbs me today is the current trend among teachers in applying labels to students. Labels, such as ADHD [Attention Deficit Hyperactive Disorder], are being overused to the point of abuse, as such labels have a damaging impact on the self-esteem of otherwise healthy children,’’ says Sonthaya as she reflects on her experience working with so-called ‘‘special-needs’’ children. Sonthaya has worked in a special-needs school for a number of years. During her experience with the school’s children — who had apparently been made to drop out of their regular schools — she discovered something quite simple, yet disturbing. Most of the children had very normal IQs but, due to some stress factor in their life, they did not enjoy learning. Consequently, they did not comprehend all things completely and performed poorly in class as a result. Low self-esteem was both a result and a cause of further depreciation of their morale. ‘Special’ vs ‘individual’ needs She then undertook the task of understanding each student in her class on an individual level. She discovered that in the majority of the cases, each child was under some form of stress. The cause of stress could be anything ranging from poor diet or lack of sleep, to communication problems with a parent or teacher, or fear of peers and performance at school. The so-called special-needs children had special needs alright, but the needs had nothing to do with their IQ and mental abilities! ‘‘How do I get them to enjoy education?’’ was the next challenge beckoning her. Here is where she pioneered a holistic teaching approach that incorporated elements of brain gym, yoga, intentional breathing and holistic nutrition into the academic curriculum. Such simple measures almost miraculously centralised the energy of these children, who appeared to become more attentive in class. Her coup de graˆce was to convert her class into a stress-free haven. Her method of teaching encouraged a high level of student participation along with innovative thinking followed by alternative solutions by her students Stress-free growth centre ‘‘Today,’’ she says proudly, ‘‘most of these so-called special-needs children are on to something major in their lives. One of my students has gotten into animation, another one is on her way to becoming an occupational therapist. By just removing the stress factor and restoring their self-esteem, I helped to develop a love of learning in these children. And this thirst for and love of knowledge characterises innovative thinkers, who know how to think and search for answers.’’ Sonthaya has realised her vision to develop a learning centre for children. The Grow International Learning Centre is a not-for-profit learning centre supported by Knowledge Source Institute (Thailand). It currently offers programmes for toddlers and preschoolers (ages one to six years). ‘‘They could be the innovators and explorers of tomorrow, at peace with themselves and the world around them because here they will learn to ‘love to learn’,’’ she says. The academic curriculum followed is the English National Curriculum. Seeing the profound effects of diet on the mental alertness and physical agility of children, she provides snacks in line with holistic nutrition. Sonthaya deploys her acquired skills and experience in brain gym, intentional breathing and yoga to bring out the best in her students. She also incorporates other creative arts, such as music, dancing, gardening and handicrafts into the curriculum. Sonthaya often cites Albert Einstein’s ‘‘I never teach my pupils. I only attempt to provide the conditions in which they can learn’’ as a quote that sums up the philosophy of her education programme. Message to parents Sonthaya’s message for parents is, ‘‘Please do not rush into labelling your children and obtaining professional assessments. Understand that they are individuals with emotional needs that are not met by keeping them involved in one activity after another. Try and assess every area of their life to see where the stress that is affecting their behaviour and performance at school is coming from. Develop a positive rapport with your child — she or he is not only a duty, but someone who could be a wonderful friend to you. Help your child unfold with loving awareness, not labels.’’ Sonthaya would be pleased to liaise with international schools to provide an intervention programme for students who are not coping. Students may attend after school hours, or join the centre for a term. The aim is to get them back on track. For more information, visit www.growpreschool.blogspot.com , or read the online document at www.growilc.com/playlearngrow.pdf, or email growilc@gmail.com. Vocabulary pioneer - when somebody pioneers something, they are one of the first people to do, discover or use something new ริเริ่ม invoke - to mention or use a law, rule, etc. as a reason for doing something ก่อให้เกิด eliminate - to remove or get rid of something / somebody กำจัด physical - connected with a person’s body rather than their mind ทางร่างกาย mental -connected with or happening in the mind; involving the process of thinking ทางจิตใจ approach -to start dealing with a problem, task, etc. in a particular way วิธีการ awareness - knowing sth; knowing that sth exists and is important; being interested in something ความตระหนัก workshop - a period of discussion and practical work on a particular subject, in which a group of people share their knowledge and experience การประชุมเชิงปฏิบัติการ initial - happening at the beginning; first ในเบื้องต้น segment -a part of something that is separate from the other parts or can be considered separately กลุ่ม ส่วน different sets of lenses มองด้วยมุมต่างๆ pace [of something ] - the speed at which something happens: จังหวะ cope with - to manage; to deal successfully with something difficult จัดการกับปัญหา disturb - to make somebody worry ทำให้วุ่นวายใจ self-esteem - great respect and admiration; a good opinion of somebody ความภูมิใจในตัวเอง comprehend - to fully understand เข้าใจดี depreciation - to make something seem unimportant or of no value การลดความสำคัญ morale - the amount of confidence and enthusiasm, etc. that a person or a group has at a particular time ขวัญกำลังใจ beckon - to give somebody a signal using your finger or hand, especially to tell them to move nearer or to follow you; signal ทำให้สนใจ Holistic teaching approach http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holistic_education incorporate - to include something so that it forms a part of something รวมเข้าด้วยกัน attentive - listening or watching carefully and with interest ด้วยความเอาใจใส่ haven - a place that is safe and peaceful where people or animals are protected ที่พักพิง innovative - introducing new ideas or ways of doing something เกี่ยวกับการปฏิรูป การปรับปรุงใหม่ agility - ability to move quickly ความคล่องแคล่ว in line with - ควบคู่ไปกับ rapport - a friendly relationship in which people understand each other very well ความเป็นมิตร liaise - to work closely with sb and exchange information with them ประสานงานระหว่าง ติดต่อระหว่าง Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 12:23 PM \| Permalink \| Comments (0) August 27, 2008 1, 3, 8 or 9? Which is the luckiest number? See 'Lucky and Unlucky Numbers' on Education page E3 Lesson by Boon Boonprayoon What is your lucky number? One wise man says that mine is 17 :) But I have never had anything to do with the number 17 so far. Let me give an example on how superstitious Thai people are. My maid is a vivid example. If I tell her about what kind of dream I had last night, she would quickly figure out what numbers are relevant to such a dream. She would rush off to buy a lottory ticket, and surprisingly, she gets the correct winning number every time she does so. Superstitions about numbers are universal and timeless. Not only Thai people are superstitious. People from different cultures are to. The Chinese believe number 8 is auspicious. The Japanese and the Chinese also share the belief that number 4 is unlucky while westerners do not like to have anything to do with number 13. Today Catherine Johnson shares with us interesting thoughts behind numbers. She talks about the Chinese's belief in the lucky number 8 and the unlucky number 13 that is supposed to bring you bad luck. If you visit any western office building, you will not be surprised to see that the 13th floor is usually left out from the control panel in the elevator. The other unlucky number we learn today is 666. What was the origin of that belief? No matter what is said about lucky and unlucky numbers, it is all you yourself that decide your own fate...not the numbers! superstitious - believing in superstitions เชื่อโชคลาง relevant - closely connected with the subject you are discussing or the situation you are thinking about ที่เกี่ยวข้องกัน auspicious - showing signs that sth is likely to be successful in the future อันเป็นมงคล Here are some questions to help you get the main idea of the article:- 1. What is the author's personal standpoint on superstitions about numbers and their connotations? 2. Does the author think Asia is the only place where the concept of lucky and unlucky numbers are found? 3. What is the reason behind the Chinese's belief in the auspicious number 8? 4. Try to find examples of the beliefs of westerners concerning as many lucky / unlucky number as possible. Lucky and unlucky numbers Superstitions about auspicious or unlucky numbers have existed for millennia. Around one billion people, or 15 percent of the world’s population, watched the opening ceremony of the Olympic Games in Beijing earlier this month. The spectacular show started at eight minutes and eight seconds past eight o’clock on Aug 8, 2008 (often written as 08:08:08 08/08/08). Many readers of the Bangkok Post probably share the Chinese belief that eight is a lucky, or auspicious, number. In Chinese culture, numbers are considered lucky if they sound like words that mean ‘‘health’’, ‘‘wealth’’ or other positive sentiments. The Mandarin word for ‘‘eight’’ sounds similar to the word for ‘‘prosper’’ and, in Cantonese, it is close to the word meaning ‘‘fortune’’. Finally, the Chinese characters representing ‘‘double joy’’ resemble the digits 88. These coincidences have made eight very significant, to the extent that a telephone number consisting only of eights was auctioned to Sichuan Airlines for over $250,000 (8.53 million baht). At the time, this price made it the most expensive telephone number in the world. However, in 2006 a number consisting exclusively of sixes was sold in Qatar for a staggering $2.75 million (93.8 million baht). Lottery numbers Auspicious numbers are a widespread phenomenon throughout Asia, including Thailand, where it is common for people to visit especially lucky shrines to ask for guidance in picking lottery numbers. In the West, people often use the birthdates of family members or study which numbers appear more frequently. I am not sure whether they believe that a number that has come up frequently in the past is more likely to occur again, or whether they think that they should pick a number that hasn’t come up often, believing that it must be due soon! The truth is, there is absolutely no way to predict the outcome of random events. Although Western cultures tend to be less superstitious about numbers, irrational beliefs about luck are commonplace. In England, many people would avoid walking under a ladder or putting an umbrella up inside the house, as these actions are supposed to bring bad luck. Unlucky 13 Friday the 13th is also considered to be an unlucky day in several European countries, although I would strongly recommend booking a flight on Friday the 13th whenever possible. With people afraid to fly on what is believed to be an unlucky day, you are more likely to have an adjacent empty seat and so can stretch out comfortably! The number 13 has been considered unlucky by many cultures. In Thailand, the digits, when rotated, are said to resemble the Thai word for ‘‘ghost’’. As far back as 1,760 BC, the Code of Hammurabi omitted a 13th law and to this day, the superstition persists. For example, there is no car numbered 13 in Formula One motorsport, condominium buildings often prefer to label floors 12A and 12B, and some airlines and airports omit gate 13 and row 13 altogether. The extreme fear of the number 13 is called triskaidekaphobia, from the Greek words tris (three), kai (and), deka (10) and phobia (fear of). Triskaidekaphobia is unusually widespread across many different cultures. The ‘Devil’s digits’ Most number superstitions are confined to one country, one period of history or one particular religious group. For instance, the number 666 is held to be ‘‘the number of the beast’’ among Christians, but is lucky in China and is considered holy in Judaism. One interesting theory is that the Bible’s original Book of Revelation did not specify the number 666, but merely referred to a ‘‘large number’’. When writing a large number in Roman numerals, the author could have simply written out all of the available symbols: D (500), C (100), L (50), X (10), V (5) and I (1) in descending order. The result, DCLXVI, is 666. Mathematically speaking As a mathematics teacher, I find numbers and their relationships fascinating and instructive, but I do not have a personal lucky number or hold any superstitious beliefs about them. I prefer to consider the mathematical definition of ‘‘lucky numbers’’, which can be found below. Activity: First, write out a list of positive integers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10, etc. Next, cross out every second number, leaving 1, 3, 5, 7, 9, 11. Then, because the next surviving number is three, cross out every third number of your new list, leaving 1, 3, 7, 9, 13, 15, 19. The next surviving number is seven, so cross out every seventh number, and keep following that pattern. The numbers you have left are: 1, 3, 7, 9, 13, 15, 21, 25. These are the ‘‘lucky numbers’’ in mathematics, and it transpires that 13 is a lucky number after all! millennia - showing signs that sth is likely to be successful in the future หลายพันปี spectacular - very impressive ตระการตา prosper - to develop in a successful way; to be successful, especially in making money มั่งคั่ง resemble - to look like or be similar to another person or thing คล้ายคลึง significant - large or important enough to have an effect or to be noticed ที่สำคัญ to the extent used to show how far sth is true or how great an effect it has phenomenon - a fact or an event in nature or society, especially one that is not fully understood ปรากฏการณ์ shrine - a place where people come to worship because it is connected with a holy person or event ศาลเจ้้า random - done, chosen, etc. without sb deciding in advance what is going to happen, or without any regular pattern: การสุ่ม commonplace - done very often, or existing in many places, and therefore not unusualธรรมดา adjacent - next to or near something ที่ติดกัน persist - to continue to exist ยังคงมีอยู่ confine - to keep spmebody/something inside the limits of a particular activity, subject, area, etc. ; restrict จำักัด fascinating -extremely interesting น่าตื่นตาตื่นใจ instructive - giving a lot of useful information Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 11:21 AM \| Permalink \| Comments (0) August 14, 2008 Is The Game To Be Blamed? Lesson by Boon Boonprayoon A frightening murder committed by a teenager last week is a wake-up call for Thai society. Some people suddenly put the blame on the video games. Is it really the video games that are the stimulus of this violent behavior? To the authorities, they use such incidents to call for tougher regulations to control the cyberworld in Thailand. However, how strict should the regulations be and what long-term measures should be taken are still under debate. If we have a tougher regulations and rules on cyber-game players, computer or Internet café owners, the repetition of such crimes might be prevented. However, this is not the absolute solution to this problem. We need to be smarter and spend more time teaching our children to be able to separate the virtual world from reality. It might be better if we provide them with more challenging activities to do in their free time, i.e. sports and music. NOTE: You have to remind yourself, too, not to go to the extremes in pushing your children to be excellent in their leisure activities. After all, it is all up to you to be smart in keeping a balanced life. stimulus -something that helps somebody / something to develop better or more quickly ตัวกระตุ้น incident - something that happens, especially something unusual or unpleasant เหตุร้าย measure - an official action that is done in order to achieve a particular aim มาตราการ under debate - a formal discussion of an issue at a public meeting or in a parliament. In a debate two or more speakers express opposing views and then there is often a vote on the issue กำลังเป็นที่หารือกัน two sides of the same coin - used to talk about two ways of looking at the same situation มองได้สองมุม go to the extremes - to act or be forced to act in a way that is far from normal or reasonable ทำเกินควร เหตุการฆ่าแท๊กซี่ของวัยรุ่นอายุ 19 ปีเมื่อสัีปดาห์ก่อนได้ปลุกสังคมไทยให้ตระหนักถึงภัยของเกมส์ออนไลน์อีกครั้ง อันที่จริงแล้วหากพิจารณาด้วยความยุติธรรมแล้วนั้น ต้นเหตุมิใช่เกมส์ออนไลน์ แต่น่าจะเป็นความอ่อนแอของสังคม ระบบครอบครัว และการปลูกฝังจริยธรรมให้เด็กไทย ให้มีความมั่นคงทางจิตใจหรือเปล่า วันนี้ลองอ่านความคิดเห็นของผู้ที่เกี่ยวข้องหลายฝ่าน ทั้งเจ้าหน้าที่ของรัฐที่วางนโยบายเกี่ยวกับความเข้มงวนในการใช้คอมพิวเตอร์และ เด็กวๆ ที่เป็นผู้ใช้คอมพิวเตอร์เอง ว่าพวกเขามีความเห็นอย่างไร และสังคมไทยควรจะรัีบมือและป้องกัีนเหตุที่เกิดขึ้นอย่างไร A Game Isn't a Crime We need rational thought, not knee-jerk reactions, reports Don Sambandaraksa The Grand Theft Auto 4 copycat attempted theft and murder is a wake-up call that shows how unprepared Thai society is for the cyber world and Thailand needs a new high level independent think-tank to guide Thailand into the future according to Nectec director Dr Pansak Siriruchatapong. People who have problems are from the weaker sectors of society. They get lost and virtual lives enable you to do things you cannot do in real life. These people do not have friends and they see the online world as the only way to express themselves. In the end, they lose track of what is real and what is virtual, he said. Nectec, the National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre under the National Science and Technology Development Agency, Ministry of Science and Technology has been looking long and hard at this problem and has called for a mandate to do a scientific study on the impact of cyberspace on Thai society. In the short term, Dr Pansak agrees that regulation is needed through the implementation of a rating system, but he warns that a iron fist approach to regulation will fail as the flexibility of the Internet will simply drive the problem underground. Dr Pansak gave a cautious recommendation saying that the role should go to the Ministry of Information and Communication Technology by definition of its mandate, but said that he does not believe the MICT has any team working on this yet. He warned that using the cyber crime law to tackle the problem is the wrong step to begin with, as a game is not a crime. copycat - used especially by children about and to a person who copies what sb else does because they have no ideas of their own ผู้ที่เลียนแบบผู้อื่น a wake-up call - การปลุกให้ตื่น ทำให้รู้ตัว think-tank - a group of experts who provide advice and ideas on political, social or economic issues คณะทำงานระดับมันสมอง กลุ่มคนที่ทำงานเกี่ยวกับการวิจัย, the weaker sectors of society - กลุ่มผู้ด้อยโอกาสในสังคม get lost - unable to find your way; not knowing where you are หลงทาง virtual - made to appear to exist by the use of computer software, for example on the Internet สภาวะเสมือนจริงที่จำลองโดยเทคนิคทางคอมพิวเตอร์ lose track - to have/not have information about what is happening or where somebody/something is ไม่รู้ร่องรอยของคนหรือสิ่ง call for - to need something ต้องการ mandate - an official order given to sb to perform a particular task ข้อบังคับ ข้อบัญญัติ impact - the powerful effect that something has on something else ผลกระทบ implementation - to make something that has been officially decided start to happen or be used การบังคับใช้ iron fist approach - a severe approach on something การแก้ปัญหาด้วยมาตรการรุนแรง tackle - to deal with the problem จัดการกับปัญหา In the long term, the Nectec director feels that Thailand needs a cyberspace or cyberworld committee to help guide society into the digital age. The scope of responsibility transcends any one ministry, be it the MICT or even the MoST. The committee should report directly to the prime minister or, better still, be an independent body reporting to parliament and its main mandate should be to do research and use that research to provide much needed guidance and education. The government needs to get the many Ministries involved in cyberspace and online gaming together and come up with a coherent message whether to promote games or treat them as a dangerous drug, according to the boss of one of Thailand's largest online game companies, Asiasoft. Lertchai Kanpai, managing director of Asiasoft, said that the Ministry of Culture has sent signals that it will be incorporating game ratings as part of its censorship regulation aimed at the media industry. However, sources tell him that the fee for censorship will be on a per minute basis. This may make sense for a movie destined for a cinema, but falls apart for an online game that never ends. It is just one example of the confusing message he gets from the government. On the one hand they (Ministry of Culture) are trying to stop and neuter games. On the other hand, we have SIPA (Software Industry Promotion Agency, Ministry of ICT) promoting games. It's like saying that we need clever kids but outlawing tuition schools,™ he said. One casual gamer, a university student, managed to buy the game five days after it was officially withdrawn from sale. He got it only because it was banned and he wanted to know what all the fuss was about. The cost for a genuine disc went down from 2,100 baht to 1,400 baht and it is still available in most shops on request, under the counter. The student said that the game was nowhere nearly as violent as many other games he had, such as No More Heroes or the Resident Evil series, but he did agree that it was very different from other games in terms of its realism. It's like a virtual world. You can play it being a law-abiding citizen, stopping at every traffic light, working hard and not committing a single crime, only it then becomes one of the most boring games in the world. In fact, you can stay at home (in the game) and watch American TV all day, he said. It was this choice and the realism, down to the TV channels and radio stations, that he said might have made some people lose track of the difference between virtual reality and the real world. In one multi-player GTA4 session, one of the veterans hijacked a bus and told the other players to get on. Instead of ganging-up in a crime blitz, the bus was peacefully driven around Liberty City and the veteran player explained to the others all the landmarks and tricks and techniques, acting as a virtual tour guide rather than underworld boss. The makers have blurred the boundaries between real and virtual even further with widgets echoing in-game events that can be embedded in blogs and social networking sites. scope - the range of things ขอบข่าย transcend - to go or be beyond the usual limits of something อยู่เหนือ coherent - (of ideas, thoughts, etc.) logical and well organized; easy to understand and clear เห็นพ้องต้องกัน สอดคล้องกัน a per minute basis - บนพื้นฐานของการคิดราคาเป็นนาที fall apart - to have so many problems that it is no longer possible to exist or function จบลงด้วยความล้มเหลว outlawing - to make something illegal ทำให้เป็นสิ่งผิดกฎหมาย withdraw - to move back or away from a place ถอน เอาออกจาก the fuss - anger or complaints about sth, especially sth that is not important ความวิตกกังวล on request -the action of asking for sth formally and politely ตามคำขอ ตามคำเรียกร้อง realism - way of seeing, accepting and dealing with situations as they really are without being influenced by your emotions or false hopes ตามความเป็นจริง abiding - to accept and act according to a law ยอมปฏิบัติตาม ganging up - to join together in a group to hurt, frighten or oppose somebody ซ่องสุม blitz - พยายามที่จะครอบงำผู้อื่นเพื่อให้เห็นพ้อง blur - to make something unclear ทำให้เลือนลาง, widget - used to refer to any small device that you do not know the name of เครื่องจักรกลเล็กๆ ที่ไม่รู้จักชื่อ embedded - to fix something firmly into a substance or solid object ฝังลึกลงไป Posted by Terry Fredrickson at 12:15 PM \| Permalink \| Comments (0)
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