New specialised units boost Thailand’s chances of becoming world medical hub
SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023
Chanapat Komlongharn
Thailand’s status as a world medical and wellness hub has been further enhanced thanks to special treatment options being offered by Bumrungrad International Hospital.
To meet the needs of its patients, the well-known hospital launched several specialised healthcare services last year, including a Neurocritical Care Unit, a Gastrointestinal Motility Centre, Cornea Transplants Centre, a Comprehensive Sleep Clinic, Next-Generation Sequencing (NGS), and Radiology AI Treatment.
With such a diversity of services, the hospital can take care of patients suffering from serious diseases and those who are in critical condition, Bumrungrad CEO Dr Artirat Charukitpipat said.
“We want to be the most trusted healthcare and wellness destination,” she added.
The hospital is also focusing on promoting preventive healthcare via its VitalLife wellness centre.
“The centre’s aim is to help our patients live longer, healthier lives,” she said.
The wellness centre earned as much as 1 billion baht in revenue last year, the hospital reported.
Dr Artirat said inclusion, agility, innovation and care (IAIC) and 4C1W (critical care, complicated care, cutting-edge technology, collaboration of experts and wellness) models remain at the core of the hospital’s values.
(From left) Dr Taveesin Tanprayoon, Dr Artirat Charukitpipat, Dr Nimit Taechakraichana
The hospital has been utilising technology to help patients and improve operations, deputy CEO Dr Nimit Taechakraichana said.
He added Bumrungrad is moving towards becoming a fully digitised hospital via technology, including applications, telemedicine, teleconsulting, and fast-track payments.
Some 60% of the hospital’s patients are foreigners, with most of them coming from Myanmar, Qatar, Bangladesh and Cambodia.
Takrit and Suritpreeya Emerge Victorious in JAT C Class
SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023
THE NATION
Takrit Supagonchoowong and Suritpreeya Pruksanubal employed their impressive forms to lift up the boys’ and girls’ C class trophies during the Junior Asian Tour (JAT) golf event at the Southern Hills Golf & Country Club in Hat Yai, Songkhla on Saturday.
The 11-year-old Takrit birdied once on the 11th hole and made two bogeys on the sixth and eighth for a 73. His total of seven over-par-151 was matched by first round leader Wannagorn Bennukul but his better hole-by-hole record propelled him to the title in the boys 10-12 division.
“I was playing really well. I had my heart in my mouth at some point. But I tried to clam down even I didn’t make some putts. I tried to give my all out there,” said Takrit.
Suritpreeya, also at 11, fought back from two bogeys at the front nine to fire four birdies after the turn for a final 70. She completed a wire-to-wire victory on one under-par-143, eight ahead of Rinlapat Jantara on the girls’ side.
“I was really determined to do well since the qualifying round. I was training hard and it paid off this week. I hit the iron close to the pins and made birdies. To be honest, I was so excited at the first tee, but I was so happy to keep my cool and ended with a win,” the girl said.
In class A (age 15-18), Wittaya Ngamhom, despite a disappointing 77, still maintained in the lead on four over-par-148 after the second round of the boys’ category. The 14-year-old had only one birdie as opposed to three bogeys and a double bogey on the fourth hole. Falling a shot behind on 149 was Ingtawan Wangrungwichaisri who shot a round of 73. In the girls’ event, Pryfon Prom-on carded a 75 and an overall 12 over-par-156. She is now the favourite to win the title with a huge lead over Peeyaporn Intasae who trailed 16 strokes behind.
In B class (age 13-14), Tantikorn Klinpeng fired three birdies against two bogeys for a second round 71, sitting glued on top of the leader’s board with a total even-par-144 in the boys’ event while Arisa Bintachitt shot a 74 for a total three over-par-147 in the girls’ competition.
The season-opening edition is one of the six JAT circuits to be held in Thailand this year. It is competed in a stroke-play format and divided into three age groups: 10-12 years, 13-14 years, and 15-18 years.
Each stop features World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) and Junior Golf Scoreboard which will serve as the path for youngsters to pursue their golf career in the future. Apart from opportunities to gain world ranking points, youngsters with outstanding results on the Asian Junior Tour will receive wildcards into prestigious events including the LPGA, Ladies European Tour, Asian Tour, TrustGolf Tour and several professional events due in Thailand.
Four girls with the best results from JAT circuits 1-3 will be awarded wildcards into the final qualifying round of the LPGA-Ladies European Tour co-sanctioned Trustgolf Women Scottish Open.
Players, boy and girl, with outstanding results from circuits 1-2 will be granted spots in the Asian Tour – Ladies European co-sanctioned Asian Mixed Cup while those with best results from the JAT circuits 2-3 will earn their slots in the Asian Mixed Stableford Challenge. Furthermore, winners from each JAT circuit will receive wildcards to the Thailand Mixed circuits 1-3 and the No 1 player on the JAT Order of Merits from JAT circuits 1-3 will be eligible for the Thailand Mixed circuit 4.
SEA Games told to choose either ‘Muay Thai’ or ‘Kun Khmer’
SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023
One of the most controversial issues regarding this year’s Southeast Asian (SEA) Games in Phnom Penh is the host country’s announcement that kickboxing will be named “Kun Khmer”.
All references to “Muay Thai” have been removed from the kickboxing schedule from May 5-17.
Instead, the popular sport will be referred to by its Khmer name and will follow Cambodian rules and regulations.
This means Kun Khmer will not be using the same rules and regulations as Muay Thai, which were recognised by the International Olympic Committee (IOC) in July 2021.
The IOC also stipulated that all official tournaments of Muay Thai must be supervised by the International Federation of Muaythai Associations (IFMA).
Cambodia’s announcement has sparked a backlash in Thailand. The Amateur Muaythai Association of Thailand (AMTAT) announced that it would not send athletes to compete in kickboxing at this year’s SEA Games unless the host switched to using Muay Thai rules under IFMA supervision.
To explore the issue, Nation Thailand spoke with Sakchye Tapsuwan, president of both the IFMA and AMTAT, regarding the latter’s decision to boycott the SEA Games in Cambodia, and the role of IFMA at the international level.
Despite the plethora of Muay Thai associations, only the AMTAT has been recognised by the Sports Authority of Thailand. Why?
Thailand is the birthplace of Muay Thai. This fact has made the country the top destination among kickboxing athletes worldwide who seek authentic training in Muay Thai. As a result, there are over a thousand Muay Thai gyms and several Muay Thai associations across Thailand. However, only the Amateur Muaythai Association of Thailand (AMTAT) has been approved by the Sports Authority of Thailand (SAT), which allowed it to add “of Thailand” to its name.
Sakchye explained:
“Thai law stipulates that each sport can have only one association to represent the country. Although there are many Muay Thai associations in Thailand, only the AMTAT can send Thai athletes to compete at international tournaments in the name of Thailand. These tournaments include the World Games and SEA Games.”
Sakchye said he had chaired the AMTAT for over 20 years and helped push Thailand to become a member of the IFMA, which now has 148 member countries.
He explained:
“After I retired from the position of SAT governor in 2000, I worked with the AMTAT and have been coordinating with the IMFA since until Muay Thai, the IMFA and AMTAT were officially recognised by the IOC in 2021. Getting the IOC’s approval is not an easy task, and it took us over 10 years to be at the top of the waiting list to be included in the Olympic Games. This international recognition proves that Muay Thai is a globally popular sport.”
Sakchye Tapsuwan, president of both the IFMA and AMTAT
Why Cambodia is “wrong”
Sakchye insisted that Cambodia’s decision to change the name from “Muay Thai” to “Kun Khmer” and to host the sport without supervision of an international governing body is “wrong” and “cannot be done”.
Sakchye explained:
“In hosting any international sport event, the organiser must coordinate with the international authority responsible for that sport, such as Fifa for football, Aiba (Association Internationale de Boxe Amateur) for boxing, and IFMA for Muay Thai. Furthermore, the organiser must follow the rules and regulations of the respective authority. This is an internationally accepted practice.”
Hosting a Muay Thai event anywhere in the world must be done under IFMA’s supervision, as the ICO has recognised it as the governing body of Muay Thai since July 2021, Sakchye added.
Cambodia must play by the rulse in naming a sport in SEA Games
“Muay Thai is the name of the sport that has been approved by the ICO. If Cambodia were to use ‘Muay’ or ‘Thai Boxing’, we would have no problem as they still carry the same meaning,” said Sakchye. “However, it is not acceptable to change the name entirely to Kun Khmer, not to mention changing of rules and not coordinating with IFMA in hosting the sport.”
Sakchye added that Cambodia had earlier discussed with Thailand to name the sport Kun Khmer Muay, but later cut the last part in the technical handbook for athletes, prompting the AMTAT to decide not to send athletes to the game.
“After Cambodia’s announcement of a new name, the IFMA has alerted all 148 members that sending athletes to an event not sponsored by IFMA will result in punishment. This is the same practice used by other international sport organisations such as Fifa.”
Will Muay Thai change its name to gain international acceptance?
“Many people believe that Muay Thai could be more popular with a different name. But to me, Muay Thai will always be Muay Thai, as that is the name officially recognised by the IOC. This is the first undisputed fact.”
“Secondly, Muay Thai is a cultural heritage of Thailand, therefore, we must not change the name for whatever purpose.”
Sakchye added that the name-change of Thailand’s “Takraw” to “Sepak Takraw” was a different case. The sport shares its origin with other countries, and using a new name would promote cooperation, he explained.
“Muay Thai is unique. It is a part of Thai tradition. Before every match of Muay Thai there must be a ‘Wai Kru’ [guru worshiping] ritual with traditional Thai music played in the background. This was demonstrated in the Muay Thai tournament at Birmingham 2022 World Games, where three orchestra bands from Thailand were invited to participate.”
Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar do not recognise “Muay Thai”
Sakchye said there are only three countries that refuse to recognise Muay Thai as a sport: Cambodia, Laos, and Myanmar.
“Frankly, I don’t care what they think, since the IFMA, which has 148 countries, already officially recognises Muay Thai,” he said, adding that more than 20 other countries are waiting to join.
“If these three countries won’t join IFMA, then they clearly don’t think of the future of their athletes. This is a shame as there are many excellent kickboxers from these countries.”
Adidas unveils new match ball for 2023 Women’s World Cup
SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023
THE NATION
OCEAUNZ, the official match ball of the FIFA Women’s World Cup 2023 held in Australia and New Zealand, has just been introduced by Adidas, becoming the brand’s ninth match ball produced for the Women’s World Cup.
Designed by Australian local painter Chern’ee Sutton and Kiwi artist Fiona Collis, the match ball’s design features a decoration of blues and greens, inspired by the unique Australasian and New Zealand landscapes.
OCEAUNZ is also decorated with patterns that illustrate various parts of the game, such as goals and footballs.
Since the Women’s Euros tournament set records for watching last year, the upcoming World Cup is expected to be a huge moment, said Franziska Loeffelmann, Design Director of Football Graphics at Adidas.
“We are turning up with a match ball that we’re incredibly proud of – featuring our innovative technology and with a design that represents the natural beauty of the landscape,” he added.
OCEAUNZ features connected ball technology, offering accurate ball data that will be made available to Video Match Officials in real-time, just like the official match ball of the 2022 World Cup.
The innovative connected ball technology results in FIFA’s semi-automated offside technology and offers Video Assistant Referees real-time information to help optimise decision-making.
The ball will cost €150 – or US$163- and be available starting on January 25 in Adidas shops, selected retailers, and online at adidas.com.
To enhance female participation, representation, and leadership, FIFA Women’s World Cup Australia and New Zealand 2023 contributed to Common Goal’s “Global Goal 5 Accelerator” project.
The project focuses on increasing women’s participation in a football game.
The tournament will begin on July 20 with the host nation, New Zealand, taking on Norway in the first match, and end with the final on August 20.
If Thailand’s women’s national football team can defeat Cameroon and Portugal in the play-off games, they will be eligible to make their third appearance at the Women’s World Cup.
Wittaya, Pryfon Enjoy 1st Round Lead at Junior Asian Tour
SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023
THE NATION
Wittaya Ngamhom and Pryfon Prom-on stole the show in the A boys’ and girls’ categories as the inaugural Junior Asian Tour (JAT) golf event teed off at the Southern Hills Golf & Country Club in Hat Yai, Songkhla on Friday.
Wittaya, 14, staged a solid front-nine performance before firing two birdies against one bogey after the turn to lead the boys 15-18 division following a 71, five ahead of Ingtawan Wangrungwichaisri. The latter committed seven bogeys, as opposed to only three birdies.
“I was playing quite solid today. I played consistently and was not too greedy out there. That’s why the score was quite steady,” said Wittaya. “I was a bit excited at the beginning but I tried to settle down. About the game plan for the next two days, I will try to hit my drivers on the fairways, find the greens and try not to need more than two putts,” he added.
On the girls’ side, Pryfon, despite an opening 81, surged on top of the leader’s board with Peeyaporn Intasae coming at second with 85.
In the boys 13-14 event, Tantikorn Klinpeng, with three birdies against four bogeys, fired a 73 to take first round lead. Nguyen Trong-Hoang of Vietnam fell five strokes back on a 78. In the girls 13-14, Arisa Bintachitt produced four birdies but committed a double bogey on the sixth hole and three bogeys to open her account with a 73 and led Louise Uma Landgraf by two strokes.
In the youngest 10-12 class, Wannagorn Bennukul carded a 77 to take a one-shot lead over Takrit Supagonchoowong in the boys’ competition while the girls was dominated by Suritpreeya Pruksanubal (73), followed by Rinlapat Jantara (77).
The season-opening edition is one of the six JAT circuits to be held in Thailand this year. It is competed in a stroke-play format and divided into three age groups: 10-12 years, 13-14 years, and 15-18 years.
Each stop features World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) and Junior Golf Scoreboard which will serve as the path for youngsters to pursue their golf career in the future.
Apart from opportunities to gain world ranking points, youngsters with outstanding results on the Asian Junior Tour will receive wildcards into prestigious events including the LPGA, Ladies European Tour, Asian Tour, TrustGolf Tour and several professional events due in Thailand.
Four girls with the best results from JAT circuits 1-3 will be awarded wildcards into the final qualifying round of the LPGA-Ladies European Tour co-sanctioned Trustgolf Women Scottish Open.
Players, boy and girl, with outstanding results from circuits 1-2 will be granted spots in the Asian Tour – Ladies European co-sanctioned Asian Mixed Cup while those with best results from the JAT circuits 2-3 will earn their slots in the Asian Mixed Stableford Challenge.
Furthermore, winners from each JAT circuit will receive wildcards to the Thailand Mixed circuits 1-3 and the No 1 player on the JAT Order of Merits from JAT circuits 1-3 will be eligible for the Thailand Mixed circuit 4.
Cambodian artist casts shadows with paper as medium
FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2023
Sitting in front of a black-and-white image printed on thick fabric with LED lights directly on the frame, Our Darith is cutting paper into small pieces and inserting them into the place with the utmost care and adjusting them to make them cast symmetrical shadows.
From the beginning of the first paper insertion until finishing the work as a whole completely on the thick paperboard the whole thing seemed disordered until Darith turned on the lights on the frame and the Angkor Wat shadow painting appeared as if by magic.
This is a kind of light and shadow painting created by Darith and based on the art of shadow casting on a piece of wood on the wall by a Japanese artist.
Darith, who holds a Bachelor’s degree in electrical engineering, recalled: “I once saw a Japanese artist’s work where he arranged pieces of wood on a wall and illuminated them with light to create a human image. It really shocked me and I started to think that I would have to create this kind of art form myself. It was a childhood dream.”
While studying at university, Darith, 28, worked in film and pursued a career as an art director, focusing on the creation of materials and art for films after graduation.
At one time, he saw a picture that was widely shared on Facebook, a photo of shadows and light shining through the window frame of Angkor Wat, reminiscent of images of created Japanese art.
“I got the idea of arranging the pieces of wood on the wall and the twinkling lights of these two windows frames add together, I thought that using only things made of light and shadow I could create something new of my own. I also started researching and understanding art objects,” he said.
Darith’s idea did not materialize until the Covid-19 pandemic, which led to the lockdown and closure of the country. The young man was suspended from the film industry but continued to innovate by discovering new things and starting to follow their dreams from childhood.
He decided to create art objects from light and shadow in a frame that could be displayed. Taking a sample by preparing a piece of wood or using their hands in front of the light to show various pictures on the wall, Darith saw that paper can easily change the shape of a shadow made by shining light behind it.
“When I first made the picture, it was very difficult because I did not know where to start, just knew that it started from paper. When cutting the papers it started out as just a simple triangle and I was not very happy,” he said.
The next image he is working on is a portrait of His Majesty King Norodom Sihanouk, starting with the printing of the portrait and turning it into a black and white image, then making a shadow version according to this picture.
He described the difficulty between drawing on paper and cutting out silhouettes, saying that when using a flexible pencil or brush, the painter could erase it at the wrong point, but in the case of shadows and light painting things were more difficult.
“When I created my first work, I was so excited that I bragged about it. They were interested and ordered a series of photos. I started receiving orders from customers from then on and so far I have made more than 30 paintings,” he told The Post.
Darith said that the image of Angkor is very complicated because each gallery of the temple is different and has small details that require a lot of patience.
He said that from the beginning to the completion of Angkor Wat it took him more than two months. For his annual paintings that can be sold to customers like the Buddha and Angkor Wat, the prices are from $299-$399 per painting.
For custom order pictures, most of which are photo replicas, the standard size is 60 x 90cm and sometimes slightly smaller and are priced at $499 and up, and possibly higher than this in the future.
In the past, due to the limited number of works made, Darith said that he has not yet shown his art in any art exhibition, but he plans to participate in other programmes.
“Obviously, for the upcoming Angkor Sangkran event [in April] I will show my work in the exceptional artist’s village, where I will add another work,” he said.
Darith, who said that producing light and shadow paintings takes time and talent, said he could also produce murals, but he focused on the circumstances that should be on the frame or on the wall.
As for electrical engineering skills, he said that from the time he studied until he completed three months of internship, he decided not to start a career in this field.
He explained: “When I served my internship, I realized that this skill was not suited for me because I went to work in the morning, came back home tired and went to bed and got up to work again the next morning. This is not what my life needs.”
Although he did not pursue a career as an electrical engineer, he has applied this knowledge to his artistic work experiences in the field of filmmaking by understanding the creative ideas needed to integrate the art form with technical aspects.
The former electrical engineer said he sees the value of the artwork based on knowledge and other skills.
“What I see, overall, is good artists always do things that make it even better, it is beyond work, with knowledge and other skills. We must do something to attract attention and expand our market,” he said.
Philippines rank 2nd to worst in Grade 5 students’ reading, math skills in Southeast Asia
FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2023
As most Grade 5 students in the Philippines and its poorer neighbours do not have the minimum reading and mathematical skills expected at the end of primary education, the United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) stressed the need to “harness the potential” of early childhood education (ECE).
Through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), the UN in 2016 called for access to quality basic education for all children, including some 30 million learners in the Philippines, to lead students to relevant learning outcomes and equip them with required skills, especially in language and mathematics.
But based on the results of the Southeast Asia Primary Learning Metrics 2019 (SEA-PLM), only 10 % of students in the Philippines met the minimum reading standard and 17 % met the minimum mathematical standard expected at the end of primary education, as provided in SDG 4.1.1—Education Proficiency.
Grade 5 students in the Philippines received an average score of 288 in reading assessment, behind Vietnam (336), Malaysia (319), Myanmar (292) and Cambodia (290). The Philippines was ahead only of Laos, where students got an average score of 275.
While 288 means a Filipino Grade 5 student can read a range of everyday texts fluently and comprehend their meaning, only 10 % achieved the minimum proficiency level, which is the ability to understand texts with familiar structures and manage competing information.
The average score of Filipino Grade 5 students in mathematics assessment was also 288, indicating that they can generally apply number properties and units of measurement, but only 17 % had the ability to perform mathematical operations, including fractions, and interpret tables and graphs.
The Philippines and Myanmar, where students also got an average score of 288, were behind Vietnam (341), Malaysia (315) and Cambodia (289), and were ahead of Laos, where Grade 5 students received an average score of 279.
When it comes to writing assessment, Filipino Grade 5 students also received an average score of 288, behind Vietnam (327), Malaysia (318) and Myanmar (298), and ahead of Cambodia and Laos, where students got an average score of 285 and 283.
This suggested that a student in the Philippines can produce very limited writing with fragmented ideas and inadequate vocabulary as some 46 % fell to the lowest proficiency band in writing – those who have limited ability to present ideas in writing and can produce a few sentences with very limited content.
What’s wrong? Unicef stated in its latest policy brief that the Philippines supports one year of kindergarten education for all five-year-old children as mandated by the Kindergarten Education Act of 2012, which provides for the institutionalization of kindergarten education as part of basic education in the Philippine Educational System.
Likewise, the Early Years Act of 2013 mandated the Early Childhood Care and Development (ECCD) Council to coordinate ECCD programs offered by government agencies, including the provision of pre-school education for children who are three to five years old.
Early childhood education (ECE), it said, “offers a vital foundation for lifelong learning by nurturing children’s foundational and transferable skills that prepare them to participate in primary education and beyond.”
ECE likewise lessens the risk of school failure.
Based on the SEA-PLM National Report of the Philippines, Grade 5 students who attended an ECE program before entering primary school perform better in reading, writing, and math assessments, compared to those who have no ECE experience.
Almost 95 % of children who had two years of ECE were able to read words even before primary education, compared to only 88 % who did not have ECE experience.
At least 92 % of those with two years of ECE were able to do simple addition, compared to only 87 % who did not attend ECE programs.
But despite the benefits of ECE experience and the government policies that support it, the program is still “limited” in the Philippines as only 66 % of five-year-old children were enrolled in kindergarten, while only 47 % of children three to four years old were in preschool.
“It is imperative to ensure all Filipino children have access to quality ECE,” Unicef said.
Disparity in access Factors such as gender, socio-economic status (SES), location, and school type set apart students’ ECE participation. While location and gender disparities in ECE attendance are relatively small, there are more marked gaps by SES and school type.
While 93 % of students from the highest-SES families attended at least a one-year ECE program, the figure is 83 % for students from the lowest-SES households.
Likewise, 54 % of children from the highest-SES families participated in an ECE program for two years or more, compared to 39 % from the lowest-SES students.
“This is consistent with global evidence that access to ECE has a strong association with household factors,” Unicef said.
When it comes to school types, 95 % of students from private schools participated in at least a one-year ECE program, compared to 84 % of students from public schools. More than 62 % of students from private schools received two years or more of ECE, compared to 41 % of students from public schools.
“The disparity in ECE attendance by urban-rural divisions is not so apparent,” Unicef said.
Eighty-six % of students from urban areas received ECE for one year or more, compared to 85 % among those from rural areas. However, children from urban areas have a slightly greater advantage in attending ECE programs for more than two years. Half of the students who live in urban areas participated in a two-year ECE program.
There is also a small gender disparity in ECE participation, although girls have a slightly greater advantage than boys. Specifically, 88 % of girls received at least a one-year ECE program, compared to 83 % of boys. Almost an equal share of girls (44 %) and boys (43 %) attend an ECE program for two years or more.
Give ECE access to all According to Unicef, it is “critical to increasing participation in kindergarten so that all children are physically, socio-emotionally, and intellectually prepared for primary education.”
To achieve this, while the analysis shows that children from low-SES families and public schools are at a relative disadvantage in accessing ECE, data collection needed to be strengthened at the school level to identify the profile of children who are not attending kindergarten and the barriers they are facing in accessing the services.
“At the same time, as the disparity in ECE attendance by SES is prominent, household factors may play a strong role in children’s access to ECE. In this sense, parents from low-SES families should be capacitated in their responsibilities to send their children to ECE,” it said.
Then in areas where it is difficult to reach public schools, partnerships with non-government service providers may play a crucial role in ensuring access to kindergarten.
Likewise, Unicef stressed that alternative kindergarten models and catch-up programs may supplement access in this regard.
‘Right age’ to go to school Unicef said starting education at the right age will also give a head start in learning and could help achieve higher success in school, with data suggesting that children who received ECE are more likely to attend primary education at age 6, which is the official primary school starting age in the Philippines, compared to those who did not attend ECE.
It stressed that students who entered primary education at a later age perform significantly worse in reading, writing, and mathematics than peers who joined at the right age.
Based on results of the SEA-PLM, which is a large-scale regional learning assessment program to assess learning outcomes of Grade 5 students in Southeast Asia, students who entered primary school at age 6 received a 288 score in reading assessment, compared to those at age 7 (286) and 8 or older (275).
Then in writing assessment, Grade 5 students who entered primary school at age 6 got a score of 289, higher than those who entered primary school at age 7 (284) and 8 or older (273).
Likewise, students who entered primary school at age 6 received a score of 288 in math assessment, compared to those who entered primary school at age 7 (286) and 8 or older (276).
Academically engaging parents needed It was revealed that Grade 5 students whose parents were more involved in their academic activities had higher scores in reading, writing, and mathematics.
But among the six SEA-PLM participating countries, Filipino children had the largest gap in test scores between those with the highest-engaging parents and the lowest ones, implying that parents’ involvement in academic activities is essential in children’s school performance.
Unicef said although gender disparity remains relatively small, girls are slightly more likely to have the most academically engaging parents than boys. Specifically, 22 % of girls are supported by the highest-engaging parents in learning, compared to 16 % of boys.
When it comes to geographic location, parental engagement in academic activities is more prominent in bigger municipalities and cities, with 26 % of children from urban areas having the highest-engaging parents, compared to 15 % of children from rural areas.
“There is also a marked disparity by school type at the expense of children from public schools. Thirty-four % of children in private schools are supported by highly engaging parents, while the figure is only 17 % for children in public schools,” Unicef said.
However, disparity by SES appears more significant than disparity by gender, location, and school type as 33 %of children from the highest-SES families have the most academically engaging parents, compared to 8 % of those from the lowest-SES households.
‘Upgrade teachers’ knowledge, skills’ Based on the results of the SEA-PLM, instructional training enables teachers to acquire sufficient knowledge and skills to deliver quality education and is essential to promoting student achievement.
However, data suggest that most teachers in Grade 5 did not receive pre-service training in teaching foundational skills in the classroom.
This, as among teachers with less than two years of teaching experience, only 7 % had training in math before they entered the classroom, followed by 8 % in reading, and 13 % in writing.
“The figures essentially remain unchanged even among teachers with longer teaching experience” as only about 5 % to 6 % of those with more than two decades of teaching experience had received pre-service training in reading, writing, and mathematics.
In-service training opportunities are also still limited for early career teachers, with only about 6 % of teachers with less than two years of experience having in-service training in writing, 14 % in mathematics and 17 % in reading.
But Unicef said teachers are likely to receive in-service training in foundational skills throughout their teaching career.
Security guard killed in shooting at Azerbaijan’s embassy in Iran
FRIDAY, JANUARY 27, 2023
A gunman shot dead a security guard and wounded two other people at Azerbaijan’s embassy in Iran on Friday, in an attack Baku branded an “act of terrorism” that it said was the result of Tehran failing to heed its calls for improved security.
Police in Tehran said they had arrested a suspect and Iranian authorities condemned the incident but played down talk of any political motive for the attack.
The incident comes amid increased tensions between Azerbaijan and Iran, which is home to a large ethnic Azeri minority after Baku appointed its first-ever ambassador to Israel this month.
“The attacker broke through the guard post, killing the head of security with a Kalashnikovassault rifle,” Azerbaijan’s foreign ministry said.
A video posted on social media appeared to show a gunman running past a guard post and forcing his way into the embassy building, firing through a door.
Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amirabdollahian, quoted on a government site, said that based on evidence and initial observations the gunman’s motive was “completely personal.”
“Necessary security measures have been taken to continue normal activities at the embassy and diplomats of the Republic of Azerbaijan in Tehran,” he said.
However, the Azeri foreign ministry said it planned shortly to evacuate its embassy staff from Tehran. It also summoned the Iranian ambassador in Baku to express its anger and demand justice.
In a strongly-worded statement, the ministry said an “anti-Azerbaijani campaign” in Iran had contributed to the attack, without elaborating, and accused Tehran of long ignoring its appeals to bolster security at the embassy.
“Unfortunately, the latest bloody terrorist act demonstrates the serious consequences of the failure to give the necessary attention to our constant appeals in this regard,” it said.
In a separate statement on Twitter, Azerbaijan’s President Ilham Aliyev demanded swift punishment for those involved in the “act of terrorism.”
Aliyev has complained in the past about Iran’s treatment of its Azerbaijani minority, saying for example that Azeris have no schools where they can study in their own language.
The superintendent of criminal affairs in Tehran, Judge Mohammad Shahriari, quoted the assailant as saying his wife went to the Azerbaijan embassy and had never returned home, according to Iran’s Tasnim news agency.
When the assailant contacted the embassy, he never got an answer and believed his wife was still inside.
Iran’s police chief said on television that the man’s wife was from Azerbaijan.
Azerbaijan, a secular Muslim former Soviet republic which borders Iran, has friendly ties with the United States and Israel and has had difficult diplomatic relations with the Islamic Republic.
Israel has had an embassy in Baku since the early 1990s and has been a significant military backer of Azerbaijan in recent years. It has also provided diplomatic support for Baku in its standoff with Armenia over the Nagorno-Karabakh region.
Iran’s Revolutionary Guards carried out major military drills along the country’s borders with Armenia and Azerbaijan amid fears of renewed fighting between the two South Caucasus states last year.
Only 3 parties can contest all 400 constituencies in the next election: EC
SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023
If the House of Representatives was dissolved today, only three political parties would be able to field candidates in all 400 constituencies in the upcoming general election, Election Commission secretary-general Sawang Boonmee said on Saturday.
He did not name the three political parties, but said they all have branches or representative offices in every province and, therefore, are eligible to field candidates in every constituency.
Only the Democrat, Pheu Thai, and Palang Pracharath parties have branches in every province.
Eighty-three other parties registered with the Election Commission – including Ruam Thai Sang Chart (United Thai Nation), which is expected to nominate Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha as its PM candidate for the next election – have not set up branches in all provinces.
The law also requires political parties to hold primary votes among their members to select their election candidates in the constituencies they plan to contest.
Sawang said that it generally takes about 20 days for a political party to complete the six to seven steps primary voting requires.
The next national vote is tentatively scheduled for May 7, after the House of Representatives’ four-year term ends on March 23. However, PM Prayut has the power to trigger an early election with a House dissolution.
Sawang said last week that the Election Commission needs time to designate the boundary of constituencies in line with the amended electoral law, which is awaiting royal endorsement.
“We will have 25 days after the law takes effect to designate constituencies. If the House was dissolved now, there would be no constituencies and candidates’ applications would be affected,” he said.
Pheu Thai opts not to counter Jatuporn’s damaging allegations
SATURDAY, JANUARY 28, 2023
A key figure in the opposition Pheu Thai Party has declined to publicly spar with an outspoken former colleague, Jatuporn Prompan, who made a series of damaging claims against the party and its patriarch – former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.
“The Pheu Thai Party has no policy of countering allegations or getting involved in exchanges of arguments with Jatuporn or anyone else,” Nattawut Saikua, director of the Pheu Thai Family, said on Friday evening.
Pheu Thai is focused on election campaigning, he said.
Nattawut also asked Jatuporn to stop alleging that Phue Thai has, among other things, made a deal to form a coalition with the ruling party.
Jatuporn and Nattawut were key leaders of the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship, also known as the red shirts, formed by loyal supporters of Thaksin and his proxy Pheu Thai.
Their strong support was credited with the party’s electoral wins over the past decade.
Nattawut said that if the red shirts voted for another political party in the “pro-democracy camp”, he believed it would not be because of the allegations made by Jatuporn.
“I am convinced that most red shirts still believe in the Pheu Thai Party. After the House dissolution, I would like to ask our red-shirt brothers and sisters to join hands with us again,” he said.
The politician also said that Pheu Thai’s goal was to win a landslide victory in the next general election.
The goal is not to “bring Thaksin home” but to send the remnants of the post-coup junta back to their homes, he claimed.
Earlier, Jatuporn demanded that the main opposition party issue a public declaration that it would not form an alliance with the ruling Palang Pracharath Party after the upcoming general election.
He also accused fugitive former premier Thaksin of repeatedly betraying the red shirts, who were his loyal supporters and helped vote his proxy Pheu Thai into power.
Jatuporn said that Pheu Thai had been in government for just a few years before Thaksin wasted its election victory by having it push a 2013 bill to grant amnesty to anyone involved in the political conflict – including those accused of murder and corruption.
Many viewed the bill as a deliberate move to benefit Thaksin.
It led to massive street protests against the government led by Thaksin’s youngest sister, Yingluck Shinawatra.
The protests and ensuing violence culminated in a military coup in May 2014 – which Jatuporn said resulted in eight “wasted years” for Thailand under coup-leader Prayut’s rule.
Jatuporn warned that history would repeat itself if Pheu Thai returned to power and made the same amnesty move again.
(From left) Dr Taveesin Tanprayoon, Dr Artirat Charukitpipat, Dr Nimit Taechakraichana
Sakchye Tapsuwan, president of both the IFMA and AMTAT
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