Nobody should be calling Thai kids "morons", or repeating the nonsense about judging a nation by its "declining IQ levels". The studies on IQ by the National Institute for Children and Family Development in Bangkok based on surveys in 1997 and 2002 clearly show that children's IQ levels, as "constructed" and measured by these tests, correlate very directly with family socio-economic status, and the educational background of parents. Find out the income of the parents and you can pretty well guess the possible IQ range of the kids (highest around metropolitan Bangkok).

In a place like Thailand, Laos or Cambodia, where average incomes of the masses are low by any standard compared with wealthier economies, that means most kids will score lower on any such tests, designed for the "developed" world. So that is the social class bias combined with the very obvious Euro-centric bias of these tests.

Far more relevant when taking into account the reality of the situation Thai children face, especially in rural areas, are models that stress "differential" or "multiple" types of intelligence. These cannot be measured by a narrow IQ test. Howard Gardner talks about different types of intelligence in various areas including linguistics, logic-mathematics, visual-spatial skills, physical abilities, musical skills, interpersonal abilities, and an aptitude towards nature.

My observations suggest that many Thai and Lao kids from village areas possess strong visual-spatial skills (artistically gifted), as well as musically and physically gifted and skilful in a natural setting. They may be less accomplished in linguistics and mathematics (the latter depending heavily on how much their parents earn and whether there are some books around at home).

Thais traditionally have strong levels of "affective intelligence", knowledge which is rooted in intuition and the heart. The Co-Intelligence Institute talks about 24 different kinds of intelligence, much of it is non-analytical.

Whatever direction change in Thai education takes, a realistic analysis of the potential of children is needed. This means schooling that could look quite different from that of California, Australia or the United Kingdom. New kinds of curricula are needed that are location-based, with a profound respect for local knowledge and different types of intelligence. It's what inventive democracy and social equity requires. Let's put an end to this corrosive mythology about "deficient Thai intelligence".

Bill Templer

Professor

Rajamangala University of Technology

Lanna and Naresuan University

Phitsanulok

---------------------------------------------------

Bangkokians less susceptible to 'get rich quick' mentality

An open letter to caretaker Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra: I listened very carefully to your radio broadcast on Saturday morning but, with all due respect, I still couldn't figure out who the "bad" people you were talking about were, nor what they might have said that could so deceive the educated but not the uneducated.

To help myself out I made a quick list of what I think everyone would agree are the 10 most influential educated people in Thailand. I then tried to figure out why you might feel some of the influential figures on my list were "bad". I also wanted to figure out why you worried so much about their influence on the educated - but not, quite surprisingly for me, on the uneducated.

Next I made a list of five basic principles of leadership that every figure on my list subscribes to. They believe that a leader must be moral, patient, listen carefully to others, put the country's needs ahead of their own, and that, above all, a leader must be a role model.

Suddenly, I understood exactly what you meant, and why those on my list were indeed so dangerous to the aspirations of educated people, while not at all to those of uneducated people. Because with these ideals, it's going to be impossible for someone to wheel and deal their way to the top in a few years, something that most uneducated people dream of doing without having any idea as to the moral compromises that have to be made along the way. Most uneducated people would also love to accelerate the success of their children at school regardless of how bright they are or how hard they study.

Certainly no uneducated farm labourer, having achieved such success, is going to want to share 40 per cent of his hard-won fortune with a stranger or someone from another province. Indeed, your rural supporters are lucky not to have had to pay much in the way of taxes before, which is the sad plight of Bangkokians of course, and makes them so vulnerable to ideals.

No wonder you're so worried.

Lung Kip

Chiang Mai

---------------------------------------------------

Nice to hear objective view on PM, but why the pseudonym?

Re: "The premier's trip to Burma may have been in the country's best interest after all", Letters, August 14.

The letter written by 'A diplomat aspirant' was simply superb with credible reasoning and was a fresh breeze in this present-day atmosphere of "Thaksin cannot do anything right". My only complaint is the use of pseudonym. The writer must be afraid of being ostracised in Bangkok society. I always believe one should stand up and be counted on one's beliefs. Anyhow, thank you, whoever you are, for having shared your thoughts with us.

Songdej Praditsmanont

Bangkok

---------------------------------------------------

International community selective in what it condemns

Re: "What constitutes disproportionate force", Opinion, August 15.

The English-speaking community of Thailand is fortunate to have a publication such as The Nation, which goes beyond misleading headlines to get to the heart of the issues. George Fletcher's informative piece on international law as it relates to Israel's battle with Hizbollah demonstrates how The Nation is able to cut through the slanderous accusations that have been thrown at Israel.

As Fletcher demonstrates, there is no basis for the charge that Israel violated international law in defending itself against Hizbollah's unprovoked attack. The question that is begging to be asked is why is the international community/media so quick to condemn Israel without consideration of the facts or law?

When Israel killed the terrorist leader of Hamas several years ago, Israel's accusers alleged that Israel was guilty of a crime. Yet, last month, the Russians killed the leader of the Chechen terror group (again, Chechens fighting Russian occupation are terrorists to the international community; but, Hizbollah members are viewed as glorious freedom fighters even though Israel does not occupy any Lebanese territory). The international community had no problem with Russia's actions and no Russian leader was put on trial by the BBC and CNN International, which continually challenge Israel's right to self-defence. But, I realise that the enemies of Israel do not really care about international law or the truth. These people will continue to lie about the number of people who died in Qana, and will continue to make outlandish accusations which have no factual basis. And people like Reuters photographer Adnan Hajj, who was caught doctoring photographs in order to damage Israel's reputation, will continue to do whatever they can to destroy the Jewish state.

Joshua Baker

Bangkok

---------------------------------------------------

International airlines' silence on new airport is irresponsible

Everybody knows there are strong pressures to open the new airport in a hurry, and where these pressures come from. There are politically motivated reasons behind this haste and everyone also knows that rushing the opening of the airport will put the lives of hundreds of thousands of passengers at risk.

I can understand that local companies such as Thai Airways or Bangkok Air are too close to the state to speak openly and freely. But what I cannot understand or accept is the complete silence of international companies whose businesses are directly related to the new airport. The silence of international airlines, companies that supply planes and travel agencies is cowardly and could have some extremely negative ramifications in the future.

PP

Bangkok

---------------------------------------------------

A blanket fee will keep visitors from smaller national parks

Why can't the National Parks Department grade parks instead of imposing a blanket Bt400 fee for entry to all national parks for foreigners? For a first-class marine park like Mu Koh Similan, Bt400 would seem little, for the small falls in Lam Nam Kra Buri about 20 times too much. A more rational pricing policy for foreigners and Thais alike might even keep the number of visitors to popular parks within carrying capacity.

Foreign tourists may not mind contributing to the upkeep of national parks in the course of a short holiday in Thailand. However, if the NPD doubles the present fee as they propose to do, this will act as an even stronger disincentive to visit minor national parks. Is it the intention of the NPD to keep foreigners, especially foreigners living in Thailand, away from many national parks?

The last time I visited a national park, the warden not only allowed me to enter at the local rate, but he also told me that he had to send all of the money the park earned from gate fees to Bangkok, and that Bangkok did not send enough money in return to maintain his park. Where does this money go?  We are told the Royal Forestry Department and the NPD are short of funds, but should foreign residents blindly accept such a rationalisation? Can I be blamed for asking for local rates when I want to take my daughter to a local waterfall? After all, even Thailand's ultra-rich leader does his utmost to limit his own contribution to state coffers.

When loyal ministers have powers over Thailand's national parks beyond public scrutiny and sanction, I wonder how long it will be before they farm out park management to private companies run by their cronies, and they raise the fee for foreigners yet again - for the upkeep of the parks, of course.

Oliver Hargreave

Chiang Mai

Send us your views in an instant E-mail your opinion, with 'Letters to the Editor' in the subject box, to: letters@nationgroup.com