Outgoing PM Prayut Chan-o-cha concluded his nine-year tenure at Government House, marking his final day of work there, though he remains caretaker until the new Srettha Thavisin cabinet is sworn in.
He performed a final ritual at sacred shrines, expressed prayers for national peace, and shared a farewell lunch with reporters.
Prayut advised against angry social media arguments and reflected on his time, emphasizing love, unity, and learning from past mistakes for the country's benefit.
His departure was marked by officials presenting red roses and a band playing 'The Impossible Dream,' a song composed by King Rama IX.
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.