Thai PM begins official visit to Malaysia

10 Sept 16:26 Key points summarised by AI

Thai Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra commenced her inaugural official visit to Malaysia, invited by PM Anwar Ibrahim, to reaffirm and strengthen bilateral friendship and collaboration.
The '7th Annual Consultation' will address various aspects of cooperation, including economy, trade, infrastructure, tourism, political and security matters, and socio-cultural exchanges.
The leaders witnessed the exchange of two Memoranda of Understanding (MoUs) focusing on rubber industry development and cooperation in culture, arts, and heritage.
Thailand is a crucial economic partner for Malaysia, ranking as its sixth-largest trading partner in 2023, underscoring the significance of their ongoing trade relations.

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.