Thai official on the run with ฿31m baht embezzled from municipality

2 Oct 08:22 Key points summarised by AI

A 36-year-old finance official from Buntharik sub-district's municipal office in Ubon Ratchathani is on the run after allegedly embezzling ฿31.7 million.
Entrusted with online financial transactions and passwords, the official made 47 unauthorized withdrawals, ranging from ฿200,000 to ฿1 million, starting in May.
The mayor discovered the theft after the official's unexplained absence and has sought permission to use a reserve fund to ensure the municipality can meet its financial obligations.

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.