Cigarette butt causes small fire in parliament building

13 Sept 11:43 Key points summarised by AI

A discarded lit cigarette butt ignited a small fire on the 4th floor of the parliament building, near the Senate wing.
The fire caused minor damage to flooring and ceiling before sprinklers contained it, prompting an investigation into the incident in the designated smoke-free zone.

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.