Anwar to meet Myanmar junta chief and Thaksin during Bangkok trip

11 Sept 22:34 Key points summarised by AI

Malaysian PM Anwar Ibrahim is scheduled to visit Bangkok to meet Myanmar's Senior Gen Min Aung Hlaing and Thaksin Shinawatra.
Anwar's primary objective is to advocate for an extended ceasefire in Myanmar between the military government and resistance groups to aid earthquake relief efforts.
The meeting with the junta leader is categorized as a humanitarian engagement, not a formal ASEAN interaction, as Myanmar's political representatives remain barred from bloc meetings post-2021 coup.
Both the junta and resistance groups declared ceasefires for relief efforts, yet each side accuses the other of violations, with the junta appealing for international aid following the devastating March 28 earthquake.

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.