Cambodia says to resume military drills with US next year

11 Sept 12:27 Key points summarised by AI

Cambodia and the United States will restart their joint military exercises, 'Angkor Sentinel,' in 2027, marking the first drills in a decade.
Prime Minister Hun Manet announced the resumption, aiming to strengthen Cambodia-US ties that have been strained by Phnom Penh's increasing closeness to China.
The decision follows Cambodia's cancellation of US drills in 2017 and its subsequent engagement in larger-scale military exercises with China.
The US, while concerned about China's influence and the Chinese-funded Ream Naval Base, seeks to expand its defense partnership with Cambodia in a pragmatic spirit.

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.