"Goosebumps Festival" kicks off at century-old Bangkok train factory

13 Sept 14:04 Key points summarised by AI

The "Thailand Goosebumps Festival 2024" launches in Bangkok, aiming to invigorate low-season tourism by focusing on cultural heritage and belief-based experiences.
Hosted at the historic Makkasan Factory, a century-old former railway hub, the festival leverages its eerie atmosphere to promote the site and attract visitors.
Featuring over 80 local vendors, spooky-themed food, and entertainment, the free-admission event anticipates generating over Bt300 million and setting new tourism trends.

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.