Thai national football team coach Anthony Hudson acknowledges the formidable challenge of facing China on their home turf but assures his 'War Elephants' squad is mentally prepared.
The friendly match against 94th-ranked China serves as crucial preparation for the upcoming Asian Cup, testing the Thai team against a well-balanced Chinese squad.
Special regulations for the friendly include up to 11 substitutions, active VAR, and a strict five-second limit for throw-ins to maintain game tempo and assist officials.
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.