Poisoned cat scene sparks outrage over animal cruelty in Thai series

11 Sept 13:05 Key points summarised by AI

A Thai historical series, “The Empress of Ayodhaya,” ignited widespread outrage for a scene depicting a cat's apparent poisoning, drawing accusations of animal cruelty.
Actress's clarification that the cat was sedated, not poisoned, intensified public backlash, as animal experts condemned sedation for filming as an unnecessary act of cruelty.
Netizens launched a boycott campaign against the series, prompting the director and Channel ONE31 to issue apologies, confirm the cat's safety, and pledge to prioritize animal welfare in future productions.

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.