Background and history of activities in Thailand

Despite the rapid development underway in the urban areas of Thailand, many residents of suburban areas still live traditional lifestyles, and the gap between rich and poor has become a pressing issue as a country. Even in Korat, it is common for parents to want their children to go to work soon after graduating from compulsory education in order to earn a living, instead of advancing to higher levels of education, and not a few households are unappreciative of the importance of education. While Thailand is enthusiastic about education, as seen, for example, in the way English-language education is incorporated from the elementary-school level, there remain few opportunities for hands-on learning due to the prevalence of rote learning in preparation for entrance exams. Suburban areas like Korat are characterized by ways of thinking that prioritize employment over higher education and by a lack of opportunities for children to experience different cultures, to come into contact with foreigners, and to acquire international sensibilities due to the local conditions and other factors. For these reasons, our goals are to stimulate children's motivation for and interest in learning and to enhance educational opportunities by impacting the ways of thinking in the region, as well as by expanding opportunities for children in Korat to experience different cultures.

In cooperation with the specified nonprofit organization, NICE, 13 CITIZEN Group employees took part in this children's support project in a region that is home to a Group overseas facility. They held a CITIZEN First Watch Project workshop to teach children about the enjoyment of making things and the importance of time through the manufacturing technologies that are part of the CITIZEN Group's roots. In addition, before heading to the destination for this activity they toured the plant of ROYAL TIME CITI CO., LTD. (RTC), an overseas factory of Group company CITIZEN MANUFACTURING.