SRT to pay 300k-baht compensation to families of Asoke rail crash victims

11 Sept 13:42 Key points summarised by AI

The State Railway of Thailand (SRT) has pledged 300,000 baht in compensation to the families of each victim killed in the Asoke rail crash and will cover all medical expenses for the injured, funded directly from its official budget.
Police are meticulously investigating the fatal collision, analyzing CCTV footage and questioning 14 individuals, including train and bus drivers and signal control officers, to determine criminal liability and adherence to operational protocols.
The inquiry revealed two SRT train drivers tested positive for illicit substances, leading to separate criminal charges for drug use, and initial findings indicate that railway authorities did not send a prior notification or coordination request for traffic flow on the accident day.
The Department of Rail Transport (DRT) will file formal complaints against motorists who obstructed railway traffic by parking or straddling the tracks, while an SRT survey identified 19 high-risk "Red zones" among Bangkok's 71 level crossings, including Asoke.

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.