Kenyan man escapes scam centre in Myanmar, runs over hills to Thai border

23 Sept 02:20 Key points summarised by AI

A 30-year-old Kenyan national, James, was trafficked to Myanmar after being lured by a fake job offer as a cook in Thailand, only to be smuggled across the border.
He was forced to work in a scam call center, tasked with luring potential victims into cryptocurrency investments, and endured physical abuse, including beatings and electric shocks, for refusing to comply.
James made a daring escape, running barefoot for approximately six kilometers over mountains from the call center to the Thai border.
Thai police are assisting him and have contacted the Kenyan Embassy, as James claims many other foreigners from various countries are also trapped in similar scam operations.

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.