Thailand is preparing to deploy a laptop per child project

Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra has announced a plan with an ambitious goal to provide each of the country's primary students with a cheap laptop. If the project is complete, the number of computers distributed can reach millions.

In a broadcast broadcast across the country, Mr. Thaksin said, as expected, in October, the US "One Laptop per Child" project will start moving to Thailand for 30 price notebooks. cheap and about 500 more in November.

He said: " If this project is completed, every elementary student will receive a computer for use at school. The Thai government will spend money to buy all of these computers and provide them to school. Students can read books on their computers for free ".

According to Mr. Thaksin, the first laptop will be distributed to children in rural areas where access to technology is still limited. These children will try the computer before the Thai government launches the project nationwide.

These laptops are designed to be durable and cheap and have the lowest operating costs. With a price of about $ 100 each, using a free Linux operating system, flash memory instead of a hard drive, the computer can operate with a power generated from a crank.

Some critics argue that the project misrepresented resources and that governments in developing countries should invest this money into more necessary needs. However, Mr Thaksin said the project was endorsed by the United Nations and some other countries expressed interest, such as China and Brazil.

Mr. Thaksin started his business career as an agent selling IBM computer systems. Later, he built a media empire and became the richest man in Thailand. Last weekend, he also launched a campaign to re-elect Thai Prime Minister during the election to be held on October 15.