Thai government under pressure to tackle scam city menace

14 Sept 12:38 Key points summarised by AI

Pressure mounts on the Thai government to prioritize the issue of Myanmar's "scam cities" on the national agenda, following the high-profile rescue of Chinese celebrity Wang Xing.
Thousands from 21 countries are held captive in these cybercrime hubs near the Thai-Myanmar border, forced to perpetrate online fraud schemes under severe physical and psychological abuse.
Thailand faces criticism for its role as a facilitator, with calls for stronger action and cross-border monitoring to rescue victims and suppress the growing network of criminal operations.
Prime Minister Paetongtarn acknowledges the crisis, directing ministries to coordinate internationally and address negative perceptions impacting tourism, while opposition urges a more comprehensive national strategy.

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.