Bt1.7bn budgeted for launch of 50-50 tourism promotion program

11 Sept 01:23 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's Cabinet approved a 1.7 billion baht budget for the "50:50" tourism program, designed to stimulate domestic travel during the rainy season.
Thai citizens can register from July 1st to October 31st for significant discounts on hotel rooms, offering 50% off on weekdays and 40% on weekends, capped at 3,000 baht per night for up to five nights.
The program also provides daily 50% discounts on food, travel, shopping, and spa services (up to 500 baht per applicant) within 100km of their hotel, with 500,000 entitlements available from July 4th to October 31st.

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.