Cyanide control: Thailand seeks to draw out the poison after serial-killing scare
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Cyanide control: Thailand seeks to draw out the poison after serial-killing scare
13 Sept 21:17Key points summarised by AI
Thailand's Department of Industrial Works is implementing stricter controls on cyanide following a suspected serial poisoning case, exposing the chemical's easy availability.
Actress Preechaya Pongthananikorn faced police scrutiny for purchasing industrial cyanide online to poison monitor lizards, highlighting public ignorance and the dangers of misusing the potent chemical.
Current regulations allow small-scale users to obtain cyanide without permits or declared use, a significant loophole authorities aim to close through new registration and declaration requirements.
Proposed tighter rules include requiring importers to list buyers, mandating registration for small-scale purchasers, and seeking cooperation from e-commerce platforms to ban online cyanide distribution.
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.