Seventeen ancient Buddhist temples in the Deep South to be renovated next year

23 Sept 03:13 Key points summarised by AI

The Thai Government allocates 80 million baht to renovate seventeen 100-year-old Buddhist temples in the restive Deep South.
Renovations will proceed in two phases, prioritizing ten spiritually significant temples before addressing seven more remote ancient sites.
These temples, among 138 needing repair, have suffered neglect due to decades of armed conflict in the Muslim-majority provinces.
The initiative aims to enable minority Buddhists to practice their faith, promoting diversity and peaceful co-existence among various religious communities.
The government also conserves ancient masjids and establishes Islamic cultural centers, demonstrating a broader commitment to religious heritage.

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.