Thai Teens and the Internet
Posted by Stuart at 11:55 AM on January 28, 2004Today's Bangkok Post has an article about how Thai Teenagers use the Internet. This topic is of course relevant to my life, since it's my job is to teach Thai Teenagers how to use the Internet (and other technologies). The article states that 21% of Thai students use the Internet. In my classes, 95% have used the Internet before my class. Why the difference? Well, there is still a huge lifestyle difference between people living inside and outside of Bangkok. Plus, most of my students come from families that are at least rich enough to send them to college. (Still an out-of-reach luxury for many Thai families.)
One outcome of this disparity is that when I ask my students: "What percentage of people in the world use the Internet?" their answers average around 80%. The correct answer, however, is around 10%. Just one of the many misconceptions of the world that we try to correct.
In any case, our one-hour lab yesterday was a lot of fun. I introduced the students to Yahoo Groups. We have a Group for our class, and we played with the Polls and Chat features yesterday. Some of their responses and some of the polls that they created themselves were very interesting.
* 70% think that students should wear uniforms.
* 78% "like" or "very like" (sic) their life
* The favorite Thai band is Silly Fools, with 24% of the vote. 12% think that "Thai music stinks!!"
* When asked what is most important in life, money, health, or family, 60% chose family. The most interesting part of this poll was that all 60% were asian. All 27% who voted for "heath" were westerners.
* The favorite city to visit is Tokyo (30%) while the favorite western country to visit is England (61%).
* Perhaps the most interesting poll was created by a student that basically asks, "If you found out that your boyfriend was lying to you and he had another girlfriend, what will you do?" I think this is an interesting question just because having multiple boyfriends/girlfriends seems to be a common theme in the culture. The results? 15% would forgive, 60% would "stop relationship" or "find a new one", and 17% would "kill him".
It's automatic to think and believe that the children of the world are growing up with a vast knowledge of computer function, design and operation, but this is (I would imagine) true for even less than 10% of the world. When you think about it, the U.S. is in the (some may argue have surpassed) the "technology age" and are heading into or already have approached the "age of innovation." To have children here who are avid users, builders, sellers, and advocates of the internet and computers with all the trinkets is logical.
Look at all the countries in which US companies have set up manufaturing -- either South of us or overseas; therefore, those grown people who may have worked on a factory line for 20 years, are now possibly going back into the classroom to learn i.e. computer programming to find a job. Whereas this need and swing of the economic pendulum has not occurred in the foreign countries that manufcture the majority of US consumer goods.
Interesting point that the Thai students' favorite western country is England ... I wonder why so?
Do you think that student was just jilted by his girlfriend, or what? haha!! :-)
Fun survey and lesson!!
Love you!!
Those are some interesting answers! Even though I don't qualify as a teen anymore (darn), like your students, I also love Silly Fools and consider family to be one of the more important things in life.
I also think it's interesting that most of your students would rather visit England as opposed to another likely favorite-western-country candidate, the US. After all, most of Thailand's pop-culture is American influenced. Hmm...
I am not sure why England was picked over America. Maybe because it is absolutely impossible for Thai people to get Visas to visit America these days. I have had three Thai friends, all with college degrees and good jobs in Thailand, all coming from the "right families", and all were denyed visas to visit the US this past year. I read a very interesting article (that I'll try to post later) that talks about an American "brain drain" because it is very difficult for foreigners to get into America. Thanks Dubya.
And yes, Beth, I wonder if one of my students had just been jilted. Another interested boyfriend/girlfriend question was "What do you think about Thai girls with Western Boyfriends?" Unfortunately, not many people responded to that one.
- Stuart
Lesson to you: don't date Thai women. If you do, date *ONLY* one.