M4 rifles seized from Chinese suspect are not state property - Police

13 Sept 13:18 Key points summarised by AI

Police confirmed that two M4 assault rifles seized from Chinese suspect Sun Ming Chen were custom-assembled, not official government property, ruling out theft from state arsenals.
Forensic examination revealed no erased serial numbers but found mismatched internal components, indicating the weapons were modified rather than standard issue.
The broader investigation into Sun uncovered a vast financial network of over 600 bank accounts linked to more than 4,000 online fraud cases, causing an estimated 815 million baht in damages.
Authorities have made 11 arrests across seven cases, including key members of a Cambodian call-centre scam network, and plan to charge Sun with transnational organized crime and money laundering.

Examining Thailand’s four-part education revolution

Today 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.