Thai workers ponder their future amid changing economic landscape

13 Sept 11:38 Key points summarised by AI

Widespread Job Insecurity: Thailand grapples with significant underemployment (reduced hours) and rising job losses, particularly in labor-intensive sectors and among new graduates, despite low official unemployment figures.
SME Crisis & Chinese Competition: Small and medium-sized enterprises face a severe crisis, with factory closures exceeding pandemic levels, driven by fierce competition from cheaper Chinese imports and tight credit access.
Economic Transition & Policy Challenges: While new, larger factories suggest a manufacturing shift and job creation, the influx of Chinese goods and SME struggles complicate government initiatives like minimum wage increases and central bank monetary policy.

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.