抄録
This study aims to clarify the roles, functions, and the potential of literacy education by
the Office of the Non-Formal and Informal Education （ONIE） in Thailand through the
analysis from a critical literary perspective of a textbook entitled “Thai Literacy 2014.”
In Thailand, where people from diverse backgrounds live, ONIE systematically provides
educational opportunities to marginalized populations. However, the governmentmanufactured
literacy education, especially for non-native Thai speakers, has long played a
role in demanding adaptation to society and forcing them to belong to the state. On the other
hand, adult education in Thailand is based on the concept of Khit-pen, which was advocated
in the 1970s and remains ONIE's educational philosophy, with the aim of fostering thinking
skills through literacy education. This concept is also interpreted as “problem-solving”
or “critical thinking,” and the influence of Paulo Freire's educational concept, which has
influenced non-formal education around the world since the 1960s, has been mentioned.
Literacy education in Thailand aims at national integration, while at the same time to
acquire critical thinking skills and a better way of life, based on Khit-pen. In this paper,
we examined a ONIE textbook to determine whether literacy education by ONIE has the
potential to sublimate into critical literacy education aiming at the liberation of mankind.
An analysis shows that this textbook plays a role in human resource development as “good
citizens” as the state intends under the nationalist and assimilations ideology. In addition,
this textbook is aimed at an objective of acquiring the “Khit-pen” thinking for better life, and
is structured with awareness of “problem-solving,” “critical thinking,” “learner-centered,”
“participatory,” and “regional foundation”. It may lead to a critical literacy unique to
Thailand as a constitutional monarchy.
