Commerce Ministry steps in to rescue coconut farmers as prices plunge

10 Sept 21:31 Key points summarised by AI

Coconut prices have plummeted due to market oversupply, drought-affected low-quality yields, and processing plant capacity issues, leaving farmers with unpurchased crops.
The Commerce Ministry secured an agreement with coconut milk manufacturers to urgently absorb 8.8 million backlogged nuts from major growing regions.
Importers and processors are urged to temporarily defer scheduled imports, prioritizing domestic produce to alleviate the market glut.
The ministry will closely monitor purchasing activities and strictly regulate imports to safeguard local farmers' interests.
Long-term strategies aim to strengthen Thai coconut exporters' global competitiveness by upgrading production, ensuring consistent supply, and implementing traceability systems.

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.