DBD talking to banks about preventing registration of nominee-owned firms

15 Sept 14:19 Key points summarised by AI

The Department of Business Development (DBD) is engaging Thai banks to connect databases, enabling real-time financial scrutiny of Thai partners in foreign co-invested companies.
This initiative aims to leverage the DBD's AI system to identify genuine Thai investors from nominees, thereby preventing the registration of illegally nominee-owned firms.
The DBD suspects approximately 80,000 companies are nominee-owned, primarily in real estate and service sectors, and will forward suspicious cases to law enforcement for further investigation.
This move is part of broader efforts to tighten registration controls and digitize the company registration process, despite a recent increase in foreign investment due to streamlined permit procedures.

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.