The minimum wage: Thailand’s hidden election issue

10 Sept 13:01 Key points summarised by AI

Thailand's current election campaigns conspicuously avoid significant minimum wage hike pledges, a stark contrast to past elections where it was a central issue.
Political parties have pivoted their worker policies, now emphasizing skill development, improved welfare, and social security reforms over direct wage increases.
Experts and industry leaders largely support skill-based pay and upskilling initiatives, arguing these are more beneficial for economic growth and worker advancement than blanket wage hikes.
Unskilled workers face a cycle of low pay and limited access to training, underscoring the challenge of improving their economic standing without direct wage intervention.
Labour activists criticize the lack of clear minimum wage commitments, asserting its fundamental role in setting overall labour standards and ensuring dignified living conditions.

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.