Sam Van Binh and Thai language teaching books

Born in 1962, graduated from Maritime University, knew English, German... but because his family was poor, he could not find a job suitable for his field of study, Sam Van Binh had to return to his village and bury himself in studying Thai script, quietly like an old man in the highlands, living alone in a small village next to Nam Hang stream.

For 10 years (1995-2005), he devoted himself to ancient Thai books left by his grandparents while Thai was being forgotten in the community and no one had exploited it.

Then in the mountainous commune of Chau Cuong (Quy Hop district), a Thai script club spontaneously emerged (in 2005), Sam Van Binh was invited to join and became the soul of this club. One of Sam Van Binh's successes was that he almost completely compiled (from 2006 to April 2009) a set of textbooks for learning the Lai Tay Thai script, consisting of 2 volumes. Volume 1 is 108 pages thick, with 21 lessons that are systematically and scientifically arranged from simple to complex, volume 2 has 30 advanced lessons, ensuring that students can not only read and write fluently, but also remember for a long time, and can teach others. In parallel with and following these two books considered as textbooks, Sam Van Binh also completed 5 other books, with many suggestions and rich original materials for Thai script researchers in the region and in the whole country, such as: "Lai Xu-Muong Ham script system"; "Lai-Xu Thanh Hoa script"; "Lai-Xu Muong Mun script"; "Lai-Xu Muong Muoi script"; "Lai Pao script", each of these books is 110-120 pages thick, typed on A4 paper. Sam Van Binh also wrote many articles introducing Thai script and Thai culture in newspapers from central to local levels.

He worked regularly and continuously, many nights until 2 or 3 in the morning before turning off the lights. Sam Van Binh's efforts were duly rewarded: The District Party Committee and People's Committee of Quy Hop district always supported him both mentally and materially, creating all conditions for him to research and teach well. The Department of Culture, Sports and Tourism of Nghe An province and the Provincial Ethnic Minorities and Children's Committee also always cared for and encouraged him to devote himself to the cause of preserving and developing Thai script. Through 3 courses taught by "teacher" Sam Van Binh, with a rather unique form of pedagogy, up to now Quy Hop district has had over 100 people who can read and write fluently in Lai Tay Thai script, of which 75% are Thai students aged 15 to 18. Currently, the 4th course is continuing with 3 classes and over 90 students, the youngest age is 13 and the oldest is 50....

Sam Van Binh's biggest dream is to revive the Thai script sustainably, to legalize his research books on the Thai script, to be widely printed and distributed, to directly serve both teachers and students... and those who research the "Thai studies" science, which is still very new in our country today!

Thai Tam