250 Thais promised farm jobs in Australia abandoned at Bangkok airport

23 Sept 07:03 Key points summarised by AI

Hundreds Duped: 250 Thai job seekers, aspiring for Australian farm work, were abandoned at Bangkok airport after paying 60,000-120,000 baht each for non-existent jobs.
Broker Identified: A broker, "Ms. Oy," collected payments but failed to appear, later claiming she transferred funds to another woman, "Ms. Fah," linked to an unpermitted employment agency.
Official Investigation: Thailand's Department of Employment confirmed the scam, stating the agency lacked a permit to send workers abroad and initiated an investigation to identify the main perpetrators.
Victim Support & Action: Officials are interviewing victims to gather evidence, promising to confiscate a 5 million baht surety for distribution to those affected, and advising victims to file complaints with the Crime Suppression Division.

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.