Published: 30/01/2012 at 05:33 PM
by Suchit Leesa-nguansuk
Chinese IT & mobile powerhouses (ZTE, Huawei, Lenovo) are competing to supply low-priced tablet computers to Thai school children.
The Thai government expects to sign an agreement with the Chinese government next month to buy 900,000 tablet computers worth 2.2 billion baht.
Under the purchase agreement, the three prospective Chinese tablet manufacturers - ZTE, Huawei and Lenovo - are likely to supply a combined 900,000 tablets at US$75 per unit to the Thai government, said a source at the Office of the Basic Education Commission.
At the equivalent of 2,340 baht, the price was well below the government's target price of 3,400 baht per unit, he said.
The plan to give tablet computers to all schoolchildren was one of the most high-profile election promises of the ruling Pheu Thai Party.
Authorities have approved a budget of 1.9 billion baht to purchase 900,000 tablets to be distributed to 800,000 primary-school students, plus 100,000 more for Prathom 4 students nationwide.
Additional funds as required would be reimbursed from the government's fiscal budget, the source said.
The One Tablet Per Child project could cost as much as 33 billion baht if the government wants to give tablets to all secondary-school students.
The official said that the government, through the Foreign Affairs Ministry, had submitted a proposal to the Chinese government, which had agreed to select one tablet supplier.
The suppliers must have international brand reputation and proven capacity for tablet production. They must also provide after-sales service for two years.
The specifications call for a WiFi-enabled tablet with a seven-inch screen and storage capacity of 8-16 gigabytes.
Once the memorandum of understanding is signed, the official said the Chinese government would need to deliver at least 1,000 prototype tablets for testing before the supplier starts full production.
The tablet programme has prompted widespread debate, with critics saying the lack of suitable educational content was the main drawback at the moment. Others question whether schools or parents will be able to monitor children's use of the devices and prevent the use of inappropriate content.
Lenovo - a Chinese company that makes desktop and notebook computers, workstations, servers, storage drives, IT management software, in 2005 bought IBM's personal computer business, an Android-based Lenovo tablet computer is already available in Thailand (See Wikipedia)
ZTE Corporation - a Chinese telecommunications equipment and systems company founded in 1985, "as of 2011 it is the second-largest Chinese telecoms equipment maker (after world number two Huawei) and the world's fourth-largest mobile phone manufacturer, core products are wireless, exchange, access, optical transmission and data telecommunications gear; mobile phones; and telecommunications software, customers are primarily telecommunications service providers and mobile network operators, also an OEM and manufactures products which retail under other brand names" (See Wikipedia)
Huawei - a Chinese networking and telecommunications equipment and services company, "the second-largest supplier of mobile telecommunications infrastructure equipment in the world (after Ericsson) founded in 1987 by Ren Zhengfei and is a private company owned by its employees, Huawei has over 110,000 employees, around 46% of whom are engaged in research and development (R&D), its products and services have been deployed in more than 140 countries and it currently serves 45 of the world's 50 largest telecoms operators" (See Wikipedia)
http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/learning-from-news/277511/one-tablet-from-china-per-child
by Suchit Leesa-nguansuk
Chinese IT & mobile powerhouses (ZTE, Huawei, Lenovo) are competing to supply low-priced tablet computers to Thai school children.
The Thai government expects to sign an agreement with the Chinese government next month to buy 900,000 tablet computers worth 2.2 billion baht.
Under the purchase agreement, the three prospective Chinese tablet manufacturers - ZTE, Huawei and Lenovo - are likely to supply a combined 900,000 tablets at US$75 per unit to the Thai government, said a source at the Office of the Basic Education Commission.
At the equivalent of 2,340 baht, the price was well below the government's target price of 3,400 baht per unit, he said.
The plan to give tablet computers to all schoolchildren was one of the most high-profile election promises of the ruling Pheu Thai Party.
Authorities have approved a budget of 1.9 billion baht to purchase 900,000 tablets to be distributed to 800,000 primary-school students, plus 100,000 more for Prathom 4 students nationwide.
Additional funds as required would be reimbursed from the government's fiscal budget, the source said.
The One Tablet Per Child project could cost as much as 33 billion baht if the government wants to give tablets to all secondary-school students.
The official said that the government, through the Foreign Affairs Ministry, had submitted a proposal to the Chinese government, which had agreed to select one tablet supplier.
The suppliers must have international brand reputation and proven capacity for tablet production. They must also provide after-sales service for two years.
The specifications call for a WiFi-enabled tablet with a seven-inch screen and storage capacity of 8-16 gigabytes.
Once the memorandum of understanding is signed, the official said the Chinese government would need to deliver at least 1,000 prototype tablets for testing before the supplier starts full production.
The tablet programme has prompted widespread debate, with critics saying the lack of suitable educational content was the main drawback at the moment. Others question whether schools or parents will be able to monitor children's use of the devices and prevent the use of inappropriate content.
Lenovo - a Chinese company that makes desktop and notebook computers, workstations, servers, storage drives, IT management software, in 2005 bought IBM's personal computer business, an Android-based Lenovo tablet computer is already available in Thailand (See Wikipedia)
ZTE Corporation - a Chinese telecommunications equipment and systems company founded in 1985, "as of 2011 it is the second-largest Chinese telecoms equipment maker (after world number two Huawei) and the world's fourth-largest mobile phone manufacturer, core products are wireless, exchange, access, optical transmission and data telecommunications gear; mobile phones; and telecommunications software, customers are primarily telecommunications service providers and mobile network operators, also an OEM and manufactures products which retail under other brand names" (See Wikipedia)
Huawei - a Chinese networking and telecommunications equipment and services company, "the second-largest supplier of mobile telecommunications infrastructure equipment in the world (after Ericsson) founded in 1987 by Ren Zhengfei and is a private company owned by its employees, Huawei has over 110,000 employees, around 46% of whom are engaged in research and development (R&D), its products and services have been deployed in more than 140 countries and it currently serves 45 of the world's 50 largest telecoms operators" (See Wikipedia)
http://www.bangkokpost.com/learning/learning-from-news/277511/one-tablet-from-china-per-child
