Seven men nabbed for allegedly stealing stones to make Buddha images

13 Sept 23:48 Key points summarised by AI

Park rangers arrested seven men in Sam Roi Yot National Park for allegedly stealing "Phra That" stones, following a tip-off.
The suspects claimed the stones were for crafting Buddha images and decorative items due to customer preference, but denied cutting them directly from the mountain.

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.