From rural schoolteacher to House speaker: the rise of Sophon Saram

10 Sept 21:03 Key points summarised by AI

Sophon Saram, a veteran seven-time Bhumjaithai MP, secured election as Thailand's 26th House Speaker with overwhelming coalition support, receiving 289 votes.
His political journey began as a rural schoolteacher for two decades, fostering strong community ties before entering Parliament in 2001.
Sophon transitioned through several major parties—Chart Thai, Thai Rak Thai, and People Power Party—before becoming a key figure in Bhumjaithai, maintaining strong ties with its founder, Newin Chidchob.
As Speaker, he pledges to modernize Parliament by introducing effective laws and repealing outdated ones to address national challenges, upholding democratic principles.

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.