Regional News
Taamkru Plans to Fix Thailand’s ‘Disgracefully Bad’ Education System
Taamkru press conference
BANGKOK – Thailand ranks eighth out of 10 in Southeast Asia for education. That’s a low bar, considering most of the field are developing nations. This prompted Thai startup Taamkru to embark on a mission to improve, in its own words, the country’s ‘disgracefully bad’ education system.
Now, the internet company has received a huge boost, in the form of a US$620,000 seed funding round led by Silicon Valley fund and accelerator 500 Startups. M&S Partners, IMJ Investment Partners, Ookbee, and Red Dot Ventures also invested this time.
Taamkru, which translates to ‘ask the teacher’ in Thai, hopes to change education through its web and mobile apps, giving pre-schoolers a fun, gamified way to prepare for examinations in a manner that black-and-white paper workbooks can’t. Its platform also lets parents track their child’s performance and benchmark it against other kids in the nation.
To market itself, the company has been organizing nationwide contests where children take a test that “provides parents with an accurate measure of the true analytical and reasoning ability of their child benchmarked against indicator data.” The competition has so far attracted 20,000 preschool applicants from Thailand and China.
Taamkru CEO and co-founder Wicharn Manawanitjarern tells Tech in Asia that the startup now sees 100,000 monthly active users across its web, iOS, and Android apps. 5,000 of them come from Singapore. It began monetizing mainly through advertising on its website, but recently started offering in-app purchases in the form of extra assessment content. It plans to move into B2B sales (selling to schools) and revenue sharing arrangements with content creators through an online publishing marketplace for preschool workbooks.
“What’s more interesting is that monthly active users grew as exercises get released more frequently. It shows that our users are hooked on what we offer, which aligns with our intention of driving usage through ever-expanding exercise inventory,” says the founder
Taamkru executives (in black) at an event announcing their plans.
Read more: Taamkru plans to fix Thailand’s ‘disgracefully bad’ education system, raises seed money
Can tech fix Thailand?
Much ink has been spilled about the state of education in the country. A British-American teacher in Thailand calls it a “terrible failure” on CNN iReport. She writes:
Plagued by inadequate funding, huge class sizes (more than 50 students to a class), terrible teacher training, lazy students and a system that forces teachers to pass students even though they’ve actually failed – there doesn’t seem to be much hope education in Thailand will improve any time soon.
That’s not all. She complains about changes to rules and guidelines every semester and how educators routinely ignore plagiarism.
A series of reports by Asian Correspondent blames it on the shoddy quality of the standardized tests. The National Institute of Educational Testing Service (NIETS) came under fire for exam questions with disputable answers. The author writes:
Common complaints are that the O-NET questions are too difficult, ridiculous or too vague. Many say the questions bear little relation to what they have learned in class or even in cram schools. And talking of cram schools, many have also said that their teachers don’t teach everything in class but save the best bits for ‘tutoring’ class after school, for which they have to pay, which of course, poor kids can’t afford.
With this in mind, Taamkru made an interesting choice to tackle the problem at preschool. In a blog post, the startup admits that solving the problem would take a long time. Nonetheless, the fix needs to start the moment the child is born.
While lacking heft to change things at the national policy level, the team has plenty of expertise in educating preschoolers. So it was a matter of playing to their strengths. By inculcating fun into its curriculum, Taamkru hopes children will have a better grasp of fundamentals that would serve them well as they advance.
The courtship
This investment is significant because it is the first time 500 Startups has led a round in Southeast Asia. Khailee Ng, venture partner at the firm, did not respond to Tech in Asia’s requests for comment, but did say at the Taamkru event in Bangkok that 500 Startups led the round because he believed in Taamkru’s potential, team dynamics, and the fact that parents in Southeast Asia put most of their money into children’s education.
For Charn, getting to this stage wasn’t easy. He pointed out the challenges of getting Khailee’s attention.
“I was actually pitching to Khailee with a different startup when I first met him last year during Geeks On A Plane Bangkok. Being a hot venture capitalist, it already is difficult to get some face time with him let alone trying to give him my elevator pitch,” he says.
But Charn persisted, heading to after parties Khailee went to and failing half the time because people would swarm him or he would leave before Charn got a chance to pitch.
“I didn’t get a chance to really talk to him until about end of last year when he started to notice that he has seen me before and I finally got a chance to pitch Taamkru to him. After 15 minutes, he became interested and gave me his number.”
Charn and Khailee remained in contact after that. Charn fed him business updates every few months until he was seriously interested and finally invested.
Right to left: Moo Natavudh from Ookbee, Leslie Loh of Red Dot Ventures, Khailee Ng of 500 Startups.
Thailand’s Immigration Police have detained approximately 26,000 illegal migrant workers from Laos, Myanmar, and Cambodia during an eight-day operation in Bangkok and surrounding regions, according to a Royal Thai Police spokesperson.
Mr Adisorn Keudmeuangkhon of the Bangkok-based Migrant Working Group said the drive was in response to an increasing number of concerns about an influx of illegal migrant labor.
“Some Thai people see that many illegal workers are competing for their job positions in the past few months,” he told me. “That’s why the ministry has to take tougher action.”
Civil strife in Myanmar and the recent implementation of a military conscription have driven thousands of Burmese into Thailand, while severe inflation and limited job opportunities in Laos have also encouraged an influx of workers from that country.
Between June 5 and 12, officials detained and checked 20,111 Myanmar laborers, 1,659 Laotian migrant workers, and 3,971 Cambodian workers, according to the Ministry of Labor.
It marked the start of a 120-day campaign to audit workplaces and arrest unlawful migrant workers, according to the government.
Migrant Workers to be Deported
According to Keudmeuangkhon, undocumented workers face fines ranging from 5,000 to 50,000 Thai baht (US $136 to $1,365), deportation, and a two-year prohibition on re-entering Thailand.
Authorities did not intend to file criminal charges, he claimed.
Authorities raided 1,774 workplaces, according to Moe Gyo, chairman of the Joint Action Committee on Burmese Affairs, which advocates for Myanmar labor rights.
He stated that since the military junta activated conscription, there has been an upsurge in the number of arrests of Myanmar citizens in Thailand who do not have a work permit identity card.
All men aged 18 to 35 and women aged 18 to 27 must serve in the military for at least two years. The first group of 5,000 conscripts summoned by Myanmar’s junta will start duty at the end of this month, military sources told AFP on Monday.
According to Keudmeuangkhon, the bulk of Lao migrant workers in Thailand work as fresh market shopkeepers, restaurant servers, and mall salespeople.
Most people visit Thailand as part of ASEAN’s visa-free policy for tourists, but they stay longer than the 30-day restriction once they find job.
“Employers like to hire Lao migrant workers in the service sector because they can speak fluent Thai,” he told me.
Immigration Police Detain Illegal Migrant Workers
The Thai Cabinet may approve an enhanced program for Thai employers to register their unauthorized foreign workers in July or August. Keudmeuangkhon explained.
Last month, the Thai Ministry of Labor’s Foreign Workers Administration office announced that 268,465 Lao migrant workers were officially working in Thailand.
Baykham Kattiya, Lao Minister of Labor, told Radio Free Asia earlier this month that there are 415,956 migrant workers in other nations, the majority of whom work in Thailand.
According to her, the Lao government believes that over 203,000 persons working outside of the nation lack proper work documents.
However, a Lao official familiar with the labor industry informed Radio Free Asia, a BenarNews-affiliated news station, on June 20 that the number of illegal Lao migrant workers in Thailand and abroad is likely significantly greater.
“They go to other countries as illegal migrant workers through different types of methods – as tourists or students,” said the politician. “Thus, it is hard for the immigration police to collect data on these people.”
Government Officials Responsible for Smuggling in Migrant Workers
Government Officials Responsible for Smuggling in Migrant Workers
Thailand’s Office of Basic Education Commission has initiated an investigation into the electrocution of a 14-year-old student by a water dispenser in a high school. The event happened at noon on Friday, during the high school’s sports day. The victim was a Grade 8 student.
According to local media in Trang Province, the incident occurred when a teacher instructed the pupil to turn off a water dispenser amid a heavy rain.
According to a witness, the child collapsed while strolling with his friend near a water station. The friend claimed he attempted to assist but was also shocked by electricity.
According to reports, the friend then recovered, left the site, and requested assistance from teachers. A teacher ran to the scene and used a towel to pull the boy away by the ankle. He was taken to the hospital, but it was too late, they claimed.
The event sparked criticism from parents and netizens over school safety, as well as the slow response to aid the young youngster.
Mr. Chainarong Changrua, head of Trang-Krabi’s Secondary Educational Service Area Office, told local media on Sunday that forensic officers from Trang Provincial Police had visited the area. They discovered the blown breaker switch behind the water dispenser, he explained.
The breaker was burned out, thus the authorities assumed the disaster was caused by a short circuit that allowed energy to spill to a neighboring power pole. The student also appeared wet and was not wearing shoes when electrocuted.
According to the Office of Basic Education Commission, a probe team will complete its investigation this week.
The student’s father, Mr Pornchai Thepsuwan, 53, claimed he was saddened when he saw his son’s body. The boy (Wayu), was the youngest of two boys, he explained. He stated that following the tragedy, the school director and staff gave financial assistance to the families.
Mr Pornchai also said he would not seek charges against the institution because he believed it was an accident.
Electrical accidents in Thailand
Electrocution instances in Thailand have increased alarmingly in recent years. Many mishaps occur as a result of improper wiring and inadequate maintenance of electrical systems.
Public locations, such as schools and markets, frequently lack adequate safety precautions, putting individuals in danger. In rural areas, antiquated infrastructure exacerbates the situation, resulting in more frequent and serious events.
Although several high-profile cases have brought these challenges to light, genuine progress has been gradual. Furthermore, the rainy season heightens the likelihood of electrical accidents, as water and exposed wires do not mix well.
The government has made steps to strengthen safety standards, but enforcement is patchy. More education on electrical safety could help to reduce these accidents.
Unfortunately, better infrastructure and tougher rules may have prevented many of these incidents. The loss and injuries caused by electrocution are avoidable, emphasizing the need for immediate action.
Over 200 High School Students Facing Sedition Charges in Thailand
Over 200 High School Students Facing Sedition Charges in Thailand
Thailand’s Tourist Police said it is collaborating with embassies from five countries to combat tourist scams and ten criminal gangs in Pattaya. The Tourist Police Bureau, convened a meeting on Thursday Pol Lt Gen Saksira Phuek-am told a press briefing.
Pol Lt Gen Saksira Phuek-am, the Tourist Police bureau commissioner said the participants included ambassadors from South Korea, Ukraine, Russia, India, and Switzerland.
He told the briefing the he had ordered a crackdown on tourist frauds, such as fraudulent or low-quality tour operators and unfair sales of goods and services. Stepped-up operations began on June 19 and will continue until June 25.
He stated that the agency was working with numerous organisations to increase tourists’ confidence in visiting Pattaya.
Gen Saksira spent time on the famed Walking Street speaking with officers on duty and assigned them to seek for members of ten criminal groups known to operate in Pattaya.
Meanwhile, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin will visit Chon Buri on Saturday to assess the tourism situation. He intends to visit the site of a future Formula One racecourse near Khao Phra Tamnak in Bang Lamung District.
Prime Minister Srettha recently met with Formula One organisers in Italy to examine the potential of including Thailand on the race schedule in the future.
On Sunday, the Prime Minister will pay a visit to Rayong’s U-tapao airport to discuss development on the airport’s land, with the goal of encouraging investment in the Eastern Economic Corridor.
Police Chief Reinstated
In other police news, Pol Gen Torsak Sukvimol has been reinstated as national police chief following the conclusion of an investigation into a highly publicised quarrel, according to Wissanu Krea-ngam, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin’s counsellor.
Mr Wissanu released the investigation’s findings on Thursday, after the prime minister formed a fact-finding committee chaired by Chatchai Promlert to investigate into the quarrel between Pol Gen Torsak and his deputy, Pol Gen Surachate Hakparn.
The four-month study revealed conflicts and disorder at all levels of the Royal Thai Police, but it was unclear whether these issues arose from a single cause or several causes, according to Mr Wissanu.
The findings revealed that both Pol Gen Torsak and Pol Gen Surachate were involved, with each team contributing to the tensions, he noted.
Mr Wissanu indicated that Pol Gen Surachate was reinstated as deputy national police head on 18 April following his relocation to the Prime Minister’s Office on 20 March. A disciplinary committee was formed to investigate Pol Gen Surachate, and he was ordered temporarily suspended from the police force.
Because there were no further difficulties to explore, it was decided to restore Pol Gen Torsak. He plans to retire on September 30.
On March 20, Mr Srettha abruptly transferred both top police officers to the Prime Minister’s Office in an effort to address the growing schism within the police service.
Kitrat Panphet, Deputy National Police Chief, was subsequently named Acting Police Chief. According to sources, Pol Gen Surachate could face money laundering charges related to online gaming networks.
Source: Bangkok Post
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