Over 46,000 suspected foreign-controlled firms under investigation

10 Sept 17:02 Key points summarised by AI

The Commerce Ministry has launched a major crackdown on over 46,000 suspected foreign-controlled companies using Thai nominees and dealing in substandard imports.
This initiative aims to protect local manufacturing, promote fair competition, and address issues that have persisted for over a decade due to obsolete laws.
In the past nine months, over 39,000 legal cases related to these problems have been reported, with 857 nominee-owned companies identified, causing an estimated 17 billion baht in damages.
The Ministry plans to propose amendments to the Foreign Business Act to increase penalties, including asset confiscation, for nominee-owned companies operating illegally in restricted sectors like tourism and real estate.

Examining Thailand’s four-part education revolution

Today 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.