Thai actress insists she was unaware that possessing cyanide without a permit is illegal
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Thai actress insists she was unaware that possessing cyanide without a permit is illegal
14 Sept 13:28Key points summarised by AI
Thai actress Preechaya Pongthananikorn publicly apologized for ordering potassium cyanide online, claiming she was unaware that possessing the lethal chemical without a permit is illegal.
She clarified her intention was to poison snakes and monitor lizards in her backyard, which had attacked her pet dogs, not to use the chemical to harm herself.
Preechaya and her mother reported the cyanide purchase to Bang Khen police, stating their desire to cooperate and their ignorance of both the illegality of cyanide possession and the protected status of monitor lizards.
The actress is now facing questioning by Thai police regarding her acquisition of the controlled substance.
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.