Ten convenience stores, gas station in Thailand’s Deep South fire-bombed

13 Sept 13:10 Key points summarised by AI

Suspected insurgents launched coordinated fire-bomb attacks on ten convenience stores and a gas station across three southern Thai provinces, aiming to stir unrest.
The attacks targeted multiple 7-Eleven and Mini Big C stores, often located within gas stations, in Pattani, Yala, and Narathiwat provinces, causing significant property damage.
Despite the widespread nature and intensity of the attacks, including a gas station fire that spread to an oil tanker and trucks, initial reports confirmed no injuries.
These bombings are part of a long-standing insurgency in Thailand's Deep South, where groups seek self-determination, with ongoing peace talks making limited headway.

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.