Former police get five years for demanding bribes from tourists

14 Sept 16:01 Key points summarised by AI

Four former Bangkok police officers were sentenced to five years in prison for malfeasance and corruption, stemming from demanding bribes from Taiwanese tourists.
The officers extorted Bt27,000 from three tourists, who were stopped for illegal electronic cigarettes and not carrying passports, in exchange for dropping charges and avoiding detention.
The widely reported incident, which included an actress among the victims, led to the officers' dismissal from police service and subsequent prosecution, though two other involved officers were acquitted.

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.