Phuket set to be a new model for food waste disposal

13 Sept 12:31 Key points summarised by AI

Phuket is pioneering a new food waste disposal model, driven by the Thai Organic Consumer Association (TOCA) and local hotels, to combat the critical issue of escalating food waste from its recovering tourism industry.
TOCA's initiative encourages hotels to transform organic waste into high-quality compost using shredders, which can be used for their gardens or sold to organic farmers within TOCA's network, aligning with Thailand's BCG (Bio-Circular-Green) Economic Model.
This sustainable food waste ecosystem, which also leverages a blockchain-based platform, is planned for expansion to other major tourist destinations like Samui Island and Chiang Mai province.
Beyond composting, other organizations such as Scholars of Sustenance (SOS) and various delivery platforms are actively working to redistribute edible surplus food from businesses to communities in need, further minimizing waste.

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.