Govt to cap electric train fares at 45 baht by 2027

10 Sept 21:32 Key points summarised by AI

The Transport Ministry will launch a new common ticketing plan by early 2027, capping electric train fares between 17 and 45 baht per trip to reduce living costs and encourage public transit use.
The current Rabbit card system will transition to an open-loop EMV standard, enabling commuters to use standard credit or debit cards for seamless tap-in and out across all rail lines.
The common ticketing system will expand to public buses and passenger boats by mid-2027, aligning with the acquisition of 1,520 new electric buses to serve as feeder services.
The Mass Rapid Transit Authority of Thailand (MRTA) will become the 'single owner' of the entire network, absorbing lines like the Green and Gold, to streamline fare management and subsidize operators, requiring an initial annual taxpayer subsidy of approximately 600 million baht.

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.