The Central bank defends its decision to increase policy rate

13 Sept 10:51 Key points summarised by AI

The Bank of Thailand (BOT) defended its decision to maintain the policy rate at 2.50%, asserting it prevents hindrances to economic growth, financial stability, and the inflationary framework, despite Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin's criticism.
Piti Disyatat, BOT assistant governor, explained that the policy rate was adjusted gradually, in line with global trends, and used a football analogy to illustrate the central bank's role as a 'goalkeeper' focused on maintaining stability.
The central bank stated its openness to divergent views from all stakeholders, particularly the Finance Ministry and government, when reviewing future policy rate decisions.
The BOT is addressing concerns regarding vulnerable borrowers and the wide interest rate spread, committing to discussions with commercial banks to find solutions.

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.