People’s Party, Natthaphong lead in NIDA, Rajabhat polls

17 Sept 09:21 Key points summarised by AI

The People’s Party and its leader Natthaphong Ruengpanyawut consistently led two major public opinion surveys (NIDA and Rajabhat polls) for both prime ministerial preference and party support ahead of the general election.
Natthaphong secured 29.08% in the NIDA poll and 36.7% in the Rajabhat poll for prime minister, while the People's Party topped party preferences for both constituency and party-list MPs in both surveys.
Voter decision-making was primarily influenced by economic livelihood issues and corruption, with a significant majority supporting a constitutional amendment referendum and intending to vote for both MP types from the same party.
Surveys indicated voters prioritize party policies over individual candidate qualifications when deciding on both party-list and constituency MPs.
Regionally, the People's Party garnered the highest support in most areas, while Pheu Thai led in the Western region and the Democrats in the South.

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.