Thailand promises one computer per child

The Thai government says it will give 1 million tablets to first grade students, fulfilling a promise by the ruling Pheu Thai Party in last year's campaign. The government received 10,000 tablet computers from China's Shenzhen Scope Scientific Development Co. Ltd. Friday with 400,000 scheduled to be shipped by Aug. 18, China's state-run Xinhua news agency reported. Shenzhen Scope is aiming to deliver all 400,000 tablets by August by shipping more than 12,000 tablets a day four days a week, Capt. Suraphol Navamawat, an adviser to the Thai information and communication technology minister, said. A contract for 500,000 more tablet computers has already been signed with Shenzhen Scope, he said, and shipping will begin one week after the initial 400,000 tablets is completed. The price for the first 400,000 tablets for the "One Tablet per Child Program" was $32 million, Xinhua said.