All mega-projects now require strategic environment assessment

13 Sept 12:17 Key points summarised by AI

The government has mandated that all mega-projects must now undergo a Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA), in addition to existing environmental and health impact assessments, to prevent conflicts between developers and local communities.
A new 13-member SEA committee, chaired by the Prime Minister, will be established to set policies, guidelines, and promote the full implementation of these assessments.
SEAs emphasize comprehensive stakeholder involvement, ensuring affected communities have access to relevant information and can assess the suitability of project locations.
This new regulation aims to address past issues, such as the Chana district protests, by applying SEAs to a wide range of mega-projects including industrial, agricultural, energy, and infrastructure developments.

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.