Cabinet approves 3.78 trillion baht budget ceiling for 2026 fiscal year

13 Sept 12:24 Key points summarised by AI

The Thai cabinet approved a 3.78 trillion baht budget ceiling for the 2026 fiscal year, marking a 27.9 billion baht increase from the previous year.
The government anticipates a 2.92 trillion baht revenue, resulting in an 860 billion baht shortfall (4% of GDP) to be covered by borrowing.
Expenditures are allocated across permanent spending (70%), national reserves (3.3%), investments (22%), and loan repayments (4%).
The Finance Ministry is instructed to enhance revenue collection, while other state agencies must ensure wise and effective budget utilization.
State enterprises and ministries are urged to accelerate infrastructure investment disbursements to attract foreign and domestic private sector investments.

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.