North, northeast on high alert as Mekong River waters rise

14 Sept 02:36 Key points summarised by AI

Northern and northeastern provinces are on high alert due to continuous rainfall, causing Mekong River levels to rise and prompting accelerated drainage efforts and resident warnings.
Nakhon Phanom and Bueng Kan face critical situations, with water levels near warning thresholds, leading to submerged farmland, impassable roads, and affected homes.
While Nong Khai sees a slow recession, other areas like Mukdahan anticipate further rises, keeping authorities on 24-hour standby with pumps deployed to prevent flash floods and manage backflow.

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.