France’s President Macron invited to APEC meeting in November

13 Sept 15:26 Key points summarised by AI

French President Emmanuel Macron received a special invitation from Thailand to the November APEC Leader’s Meeting, marking his potential first visit and notable as France is not an APEC member.
The Bangkok summit is the first in-person APEC leaders' meeting in three years, drawing interest from non-member nations like the EU, UK, and India due to strong economic ties.
Saudi Arabia's Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman is also slated to attend as a host's guest, signaling improving Thai-Saudi relations.
Chinese President Xi Jinping and Russian President Vladimir Putin confirmed their participation, while U.S. President Biden will be absent, with Vice President Harris attending on his behalf.

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.