Turkey earthquake a daunting debut for Thailand’s international rescue team

13 Sept 08:02 Key points summarised by AI

USAR Thailand, the country's newly recognized national urban search and rescue team, faced its challenging inaugural international mission responding to the devastating Turkey-Syria earthquake.
The 42-member multi-agency team, including two certified sniffer dogs, successfully retrieved 25 bodies and provided medical assistance to injured residents in Hatay, Turkey.
Working alongside 86 other international teams, USAR Thailand showcased its enhanced capabilities in humanitarian aid and urban search and rescue, earning a hero's welcome upon their return.

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.