German businessman remains missing in Thailand

14 Sept 15:33 Key points summarised by AI

German businessman Hans Peter Ralter Mack, 62, has been missing in Thailand since July 4th, prompting his family to offer a Bt3 million reward and seek police assistance.
Mack disappeared after reportedly going to meet a foreign broker for a land deal, with his Mercedes Benz later discovered abandoned and showing signs of extensive cleaning.
Suspicious text messages, uncharacteristic of Mack, were sent from his phone to his partner after his disappearance, raising concerns about his safety and whereabouts.

Examining Thailand’s four-part education revolution

Yesterday 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.