Bangkok election budget soars to Bt294m as voter base expands

13 Sept 11:54 Key points summarised by AI

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) projects a 2026 election budget of 294.1 million baht, marking an 86 million baht increase from the 2022 polls.
Eligible voters are expected to expand by over 100,000 since 2022, reaching a total of 4,507,523 for the upcoming elections.
Despite the growing voter base, the BMA plans to consolidate election infrastructure by reducing the number of polling stations by 188 to 6,629.
The race for Bangkok governor is anticipated to remain highly competitive, with a candidate field expected to mirror the 31 contenders from 2022.

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.