Rescue team sees slim chance of extracting trapped miners by diving

15 Sept 21:30 Key points summarised by AI

Thai rescue team member Chakkrit Taengtang indicates SCUBA extraction for five trapped Laotian miners is "almost impossible" due to their lack of cave diving experience and a 30-meter flooded tunnel.
Rescue efforts are multi-pronged, involving intensified water pumping, searching for alternative vents, and a small team resuming the search for two other missing people, while authorities cut a road for heavy equipment.
International experts are joining the mission; Malaysian cave diving expert Lee Kian Lee is en route, and Finnish cave diver Mikko Paasi reports 95% of the cave searched without finding the two additional people, suggesting only five might have been initially trapped.
The local community is providing significant support, with Laotian social media influencers offering food, water, and substantial donations for essential rescue equipment despite difficult terrain.

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.