From power to probation: The rice and fall of Boonsong Teriyapirom

11 Sept 15:05 Key points summarised by AI

Former Thai Commerce Minister Boonsong Teriyapirom was paroled after serving over seven years for malfeasance in a fraudulent government-to-government rice deal.
A key Shinawatra loyalist, Boonsong was convicted for falsifying rice contracts during Yingluck Shinawatra's administration, involving fake Chinese companies and unexported rice from the controversial rice-pledging scheme.
His initial 42-year sentence (later 48) was significantly reduced by royal pardons to 10 years and 8 months, leading to his recent release under electronic monitoring and probation.

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.