The highs and lows of Thailand’s new holistic approach to drug rehabilitation

14 Sept 16:34 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand is implementing new holistic (Matrix program) and community-based (CBTx) drug rehabilitation approaches, moving away from medication and criminalization towards empowerment, counseling, and community support.
These programs have shown success in transforming communities, with one Bangkok neighborhood evolving from a 'red zone' to a 'white zone' through befriending addicts and offering support networks and job opportunities.
Despite innovative efforts, overall success rates remain low (around 20% for Matrix, many not completing CBTx), primarily due to participants relapsing upon returning to their old environments and the challenges of limited effectiveness for hardcore addictions.
Voluntary participation, strong community leadership, and sustained support are identified as critical factors for success, while experts recommend consistent government engagement, closed-system rehab centers, and job creation for former abusers to prevent relapse.

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.