Senior Thai officials to get taxpayer funded iPhones

13 Sept 12:25 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's Cabinet Secretariat allocated Bt2.6 million of taxpayer money to purchase 111 iPhones for high-ranking officials, sparking significant public criticism.
Officials justified the procurement, stating the phones (iPhone 12s) are for enhancing administrative efficiency, good governance, and replacing older models from 2017, with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha declining his own allocated device.

Uthenthawai students and alumni declare truce with Pathumwan rivals

Yesterday 20:34 Key points summarised by AI

Uthenthawai students and alumni have pledged to cease violent clashes with Pathumwan Institute rivals, coinciding with their campus's reopening after a 90-day closure.
The Minister of Higher Education is mediating the long-running conflict, while the campus closure has significantly disrupted in-person classes and laboratory work for over 1,000 students.
Uthenthawai resists relocation from its current site, citing a historical land grant from King Rama VI, despite Chulalongkorn University's plans to reclaim the land for an educational hub.
Concerns are mounting over the legality of the campus closure, its detrimental impact on uninvolved students, and the potential commercial development of the land, which critics argue contradicts the late King Rama VI's intentions.