Anutin vows to revoke ITD contracts despite court risks

16 Sept 15:27 Key points summarised by AI

Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul insists on revoking contracts with Italian-Thai Development Plc (ITD) for high-speed rail and Rama II motorway projects due to public safety concerns following fatal accidents.
Anutin has instructed the Transport Minister to explore all options, including administrative orders, to terminate the contracts.
He dismisses concerns about potential lawsuits from ITD, suggesting court proceedings could expose further blunders and irregularities by state agencies.
The Administrative Court is prepared to accept lawsuits from victims or their families seeking additional compensation for injuries or deaths on state projects within 12 months.
Families of victims from the Nakhon Ratchasima crane accident will receive 1.6 million baht each from the State Railways of Thailand, ITD, and insurance.

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.