As foreign investors exit bond market, Thai government faces fund-raising challenge

20 Sept 23:36 Key points summarised by AI

Foreign investors are exiting the Thai bond market, selling 34.3 billion baht in Q1, primarily due to the significant interest rate gap between Thailand (2.5%) and the US (5.25-5.5%), which offers much higher yields.
The weakening baht and global high interest rate policies further precipitate capital outflows, increasing the cost of borrowing for the Thai government.
This creates a fund-raising challenge for the government's 693 billion baht budget deficit, potentially forcing it to offer higher coupon rates on new bonds amidst competition with private firms.
While investors prioritize higher-quality bonds and emerging markets like India draw capital, the local market is deemed resilient with ample liquidity to support fund-raising.

Examining Thailand’s four-part education revolution

Today 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.