Srisuwan sentenced to four years for demanding 1.5 million baht in bribes

11 Sept 01:05 Key points summarised by AI

Political activists Srisuwan Janya and Yoswaris Chuklom were sentenced to four and six years in prison, respectively, for attempting to extort 1.5 million baht from a former Rice Department director-general.
The pair demanded the bribe to prevent filing a corruption complaint, but the victim reported them, leading to their prosecution and subsequent bail with travel prohibitions.

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.