House panel summons Paetongtarn to testify about leaked phone call

23 Sept 06:06 Key points summarised by AI

The House State Security Affairs Committee has summoned suspended Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra to testify regarding her controversial June 15th phone call with Cambodian strongman Hun Sen.
The committee invoked a new Act, citing the phone call as a breach of diplomatic protocol and an issue of national interest impacting Thailand-Cambodia relations, following previous unheeded attempts to engage Paetongtarn.
Other high-ranking officials, including the Acting Prime Minister and Foreign Minister, are also called to testify on various problems related to Cambodia.
The leaked phone call previously triggered political fallout, resulting in Paetongtarn's suspension as prime minister by the Constitutional Court.
A committee member will also question Paetongtarn about unfulfilled promises regarding the construction or improvement of bomb shelters in schools along the Cambodian border.

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.