Thailand to close oil leak command centre after less than two weeks

13 Sept 12:36 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand will close its oil leak command center today, less than two weeks after a spill in the Gulf of Thailand, as surface slicks have been successfully dispersed.
Authorities will continue monitoring the situation for another week, investigating detected underwater black lumps, and advise beachgoers to avoid swimming at Mae Ram Phueng beach despite no significant volatile organic compound contamination.

Examining Thailand’s four-part education revolution

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.