Former police officer Santhana apprehended in 4-year-old abduction case

11 Sept 09:03 Key points summarised by AI

Santhana Prayoonrat, a controversial former police officer, was arrested in Bangkok for his alleged involvement in the 2019 abduction and 93 million baht ransom demand of a Taiwanese businessman.
Santhana denies the accusation, claiming he was double-crossed by senior police officers and politicians after exposing their alleged connections to online gambling operations.

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.