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Sakulthorn Juangroongruangkit: Brother of reform leader in hot water over royal land deal

15 Sept 01:10 Key points summarised by AI

Sakulthorn Juangroongruangkit, brother of reform leader Thanathorn, was sentenced to six months in prison for bribery related to a royal land deal.
He was found guilty of paying 20 million baht in kickbacks to a Crown Property Bureau (CPB) official and a broker to bypass bidding for long-term leases on two coveted Bangkok land plots.
Sakulthorn maintains his innocence, asserting he was a victim of fraud who reported the scam to the CPB, which led to the conviction of the bribe-takers.
The case is viewed by some as politically motivated, designed to undermine his brother Thanathorn's popularity and influence in Thai politics.

Today 14:22 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's Education Ministry is implementing a four-pronged strategy to address its students' below-average performance in PISA 2025 and tackle significant educational inequality.
The plan prioritizes closing performance gaps by increasing funding for small and low-income schools, overhauling the curriculum to foster critical thinking, and adopting a data-driven management system to reduce teacher workload.
Key initiatives include enhancing school safety, combating cyberbullying, and expanding mental health support through peer-to-peer networks, recognizing the severe impact of distress on academic performance.
An education expert advises verifying if PISA improvements stem from structural changes, advocating for a revived STEM curriculum with practical 'learn by doing' methods, and urging bureaucratic reform to link teacher evaluations to student development.