Will this general election come down to policies or personalities?

13 Sept 22:43 Key points summarised by AI

Thai political parties are campaigning for the upcoming general election primarily with populist economic policies, such as wage increases and cash handouts, showing little policy differentiation among them.
Analysts suggest that the election's outcome will likely depend more on the popularity and charm of individual politicians rather than the realism or distinctiveness of their policy offerings.
The focus on personalities over policy substance contributes to the common practice of 'party-hopping' and is seen as a characteristic of 'Thai style democracy'.
Long-term reforms, like in education or social welfare, are often overlooked in campaigns because they don't yield immediate results that politicians can claim for electoral success.

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.