TAO vice chair and one other arrested with 216,000 meth pills in Kalasin

14 Sept 21:46 Key points summarised by AI

A Tambon Administrative Organisation (TAO) vice chairman, Yutthaphol, and another man, Narongsak, were apprehended in Kalasin province.
Police seized 216,000 methamphetamine pills hidden in their car, intended for distribution in Khon Kaen, Roi-et, and Kalasin provinces.

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.