ASEAN and China pushing signing of ACFTA 3.0 trade deal this year

23 Sept 02:00 Key points summarised by AI

ASEAN and China are actively working to finalize the updated ASEAN-China Free Trade Agreement (ACFTA 3.0) this year, following discussions at the 17th ACFTA Joint Committee Meeting.
The agreement could come into force within months, as seven ASEAN member states, including Thailand, have completed their domestic procedures, awaiting China's finalization.
Leaders from both sides are expected to endorse the agreed protocol at the ASEAN-China Summit scheduled for November.
China has maintained its position as ASEAN's top trading partner for 16 consecutive years, with bilateral trade reaching over US$916 billion in 2025 and exceeding US$238 billion in the first quarter of this year.

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.