Council of State makes digital wallet look even harder

14 Sept 05:02 Key points summarised by AI

The Council of State issued a subtle but firm warning against the government's Bt500 billion digital wallet borrowing bill, emphasizing strict compliance with fiscal discipline laws that require a genuine crisis and economically viable projects.
Initially misinterpreted as approval, the advisory body's opinion is now widely understood by experts and the opposition as a polite rejection, signaling significant legal and political hurdles for the controversial scheme.
Critics, including the Move Forward Party, challenge the government's justification for the digital wallet, arguing it lacks a clear definition of the economic crisis it aims to solve and a robust technical defense, leaving the Pheu Thai party in a difficult political and legal dilemma.

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.