Suspected insurgents detonated a car bomb at a road junction in Su-ngai Kolok, Narathiwat, with CCTV showing the driver fleeing before the explosion, fortunately causing no injuries.
Separately, a bomb disposal squad neutralized a suspected improvised explosive device found in a gas cylinder at a railway crossing in the same district, following a week after a deadly fireworks warehouse explosion in the area.
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.