Amid rising costs from floods, Thailand faces imperative need for action
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Amid rising costs from floods, Thailand faces imperative need for action
11 Sept 01:57Key points summarised by AI
Devastating floods in Hat Yai caused extensive property damage, significant economic losses (estimated up to 25 billion baht), and human suffering, exacerbated by inadequate early warning systems and slow rescue efforts.
Thailand's recurring flood disasters stem from systemic issues including fragmented water management, insufficient prevention, and underinvestment in disaster risk reduction, with climate change driving increasingly severe weather events.
Experts urge immediate, comprehensive action focusing on upgrading critical infrastructure like drainage systems and pumping stations, alongside enhancing disaster preparedness through improved early warning systems, clear evacuation plans, and robust emergency response.
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.