Will tax breaks help the Thai economy change gear?

14 Sept 02:36 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand launched the "Easy E-Receipt" tax deduction scheme (Jan 1 - Feb 15) offering individuals up to 50,000 baht off taxable income for purchases from VAT-registered businesses or specific OTOP/book vendors, aiming to stimulate consumer spending.
The government projects the scheme will boost spending by 70 billion baht and increase GDP by 0.18 percentage points, while also encouraging businesses to adopt electronic tax systems to improve tax collection.
Despite the incentive, certain items like alcohol, vehicles, fuel, utility bills, and long-term services are excluded, and economists express concerns about the scheme's potential for only short-term economic impact and its limited benefit for small businesses.

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.