Alarming gaps in Gump knowledge

In addition to the problems covered in your columns, there is an issue that came to my attention when I was visiting a neighbour. Her 11-year-old nieces are over from upcountry. They spend all their time watching Thai TV – mostly cartoons, slapstick comedy and a series that shows Thai teenagers acting stupidly. This is a regimen guaranteed to lobotomise them by the time they reach 18. 

At one point we were watching the movie “Apollo 13”. I asked them to identify the actors. They didn’t know who Bill Paxton was. They couldn’t identify Kevin Bacon. But the seriousness of the problem really impacted me when they didn’t know who Tom Hanks was. I understand that Asean is sponsoring a major event in 2015, and the establishment is eager to bring students up to speed in awareness of international affairs. This effort is doomed to failure if 11-year-olds don’t know who Tom Hanks is. I was told in their defence that they knew the names of all Thai movie stars. 

In this fiercely competitive age, that won’t do. Thai students must develop an international mindset and be able to identify major worldwide celebrities. I call on the authorities to institute an intensive remedial programme that will enable Thai students to recognise major world figures. In that way, when hordes of international bigwigs descend upon Thailand in 2015, your 11-year-olds won’t make the country lose face.

Hortense Beasley

Bangkok