Tham Luang rescue divers join Laos cave mission

10 Sept 09:03 Key points summarised by AI

Veteran cave divers Mikko Paasi and Norrased Palasing, heroes of the 2018 Tham Luang rescue, have joined a critical mission in Laos to free seven trapped men.
Seven Laotian villagers are stranded in a flooded subterranean gold mine in Xaysomboun province since May 19, facing rapidly rising water levels and challenging conditions.
The rescue effort is complicated by the cave's extremely narrow and complex passages, forcing multinational teams to crawl through flooded sections while exploring alternative access routes.
The arrival of the highly experienced Tham Luang divers significantly elevates hopes for a breakthrough in the difficult and time-sensitive operation.

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.