#Policy

Public school enrollment across the United States continues to decline, with new data showing student numbers have not bounced back to pre-pandemic levels—a trend that is accelerating nationwide and sending ripples through education systems globally. The latest findings, reported by the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES), indicate that K-12 public school enrollment peaked at 50.8 million in autumn 2019 but is projected to drop by nearly four million to just 46.9 million by 2031, representing a significant 7.6% fall in enrollment over the next several years (Virginia Mercury via WTOP).

A recent analysis of the world’s largest tourism economies underscores the immense financial impact of travel on nations’ prosperity, with the United States and China leading the global hierarchy in 2024. Data published by the World Travel & Tourism Council (WTTC) and visualized by Visual Capitalist shows that the U.S. tourism sector generated a staggering US$2.36 trillion this year, while China followed as a rapidly growing market at $1.3 trillion Visual Capitalist.

A recent nationwide study ranking America’s most and least educated metropolitan areas has revealed that several Texas cities are near the bottom of the list, underscoring growing concerns about regional educational disparities. Compiled by personal finance website WalletHub, the 2025 report compared the 150 largest U.S. metropolitan areas based on educational attainment and the quality of education, with four Texas metros ranking among the bottom 11 and one Texas city, Austin, placing prominently among America’s best-educated urban centers.

A remarkable coalition of over 250 CEOs—including leaders from Microsoft, Airbnb, and Uber—has issued a joint call urging policymakers to make computer science and artificial intelligence (AI) education a mandatory part of school curricula in the United States. Their concerns arise as China directs children as young as six to attend formal AI classes, fueling fears that nations lacking such initiatives may fall dangerously behind in global technological competitiveness (Fortune).

A wave of new research is shining a spotlight on cycling as a powerful tool for healthy aging and longevity, with findings that offer compelling motivation for Thai individuals of all ages to embrace the bicycle, both for recreation and as a form of daily transportation. According to a recent 10-year study out of Japan’s University of Tsukuba, as well as a large-scale analysis in Scotland published in BMJ Public Health, the humble bicycle may well be the secret to a longer, healthier life—especially for older adults and commuters. These developments warrant attention given Thailand’s aging society, its urban transportation challenges, and the ongoing public health push toward more active lifestyles.

As global travel rebounds with unprecedented force, new research warns that the benefits of mass tourism may be shadowed by serious costs—both for beloved destinations and their residents. In 2024, a staggering 1.4 billion people traveled internationally, according to the United Nations World Tourism Organization, accounting for roughly one in six people worldwide. For many communities, this surge has been a mixed blessing: while it has brought economic prosperity, it is also overwhelming town centers, fracturing local cultures, inflating living costs, and jeopardizing the pristine sites that first drew visitors from afar (UNWTO).

China’s bold experiment in introducing artificial intelligence (AI) education to primary schoolers is sending shockwaves through classrooms—and corporate boardrooms—around the world. As six-year-olds in Beijing begin learning about the building blocks of AI, over 250 chief executives from top global companies, including Microsoft, Airbnb, and Uber, are demanding similar lessons for American students in the hopes of unlocking economic and social benefits on a global scale (Fortune, MSN). The move marks a pivotal moment not just for the United States, which is now scrambling to keep pace, but for Thailand and the wider world, where the question is no longer whether AI belongs in childhood education—but when and how.

A new Eurostat report reveals that 5.8% of young people aged 15–29 in the European Union faced severe material and social deprivation in 2024, highlighting persistent challenges of youth poverty and exclusion across one of the world’s wealthiest regions. These findings are particularly relevant for Thai society, where the realities of economic hardship among youth mirror disturbing global trends and raise urgent questions about social safety nets and opportunities for the next generation.

In a sweeping move to uphold the integrity of its gaokao college entrance examinations, China’s leading artificial intelligence companies temporarily suspended several AI chatbot services during the nation’s high-stress exam period, according to multiple reports including The Verge and Bloomberg. This sudden deactivation of key AI features marks a significant line of defense in the global battle against high-tech academic dishonesty, with important implications for countries like Thailand, where similar challenges are poised to reshape the educational landscape.

A recent BBC report reveals that school-based anxiety has soared to what mental health experts describe as “epidemic” levels in Northern Ireland, with tens of thousands of youths missing significant classroom time due to overwhelming emotional distress, autism, ADHD, and bullying. The scale of the crisis has prompted calls for urgent review of both mental health supports and how schools address students’ individual needs. With Thailand facing rising cases of adolescent mental health problems after the pandemic, these findings carry crucial implications for Thai educators, parents, and policymakers.

An American high school counselor’s viral testimony about students’ “alarming lack of basic knowledge” has sparked renewed global debate about learning loss and declining educational readiness, with direct resonance for Thai educators and policymakers. This counselor shared their experience of students struggling with basic information—such as their parents’ jobs, their own zip code, or differentiating between “area code” and “county”—problems that would once have been unthinkable in high school settings (Buzzfeed). This anecdotal evidence is supported by mounting international research showing that, since the pandemic, gaps in foundational knowledge have reached crisis levels for a generation of students, including those in Thailand.

A landmark international study has found that despite twenty years of climate pledges, the global tourism industry has made scant progress towards reducing its greenhouse gas emissions, calling into question the sector’s commitment and strategies for climate action. The research, carried out by teams at Sweden’s Linnaeus University and Canada’s University of Waterloo, analyzes the effectiveness of climate declarations from leading tourism organizations and governments since 2003. The findings reveal that while climate commitments abound, meaningful results—especially in terms of emissions reductions—remain elusive, raising urgent concerns for countries like Thailand where tourism is a national economic pillar and environmental sustainability is increasingly central to policy and public debate (Skift).

A new analysis in medical research has illuminated a crucial aspect of the battle against mental health stigma: there are two very different—and deeply misunderstood—types of stigma affecting people with mental illnesses, each requiring distinct approaches to overcome. The findings, published this week in STAT News, call for nuanced strategies in advocacy and policy to ensure that the global response to mental health challenges is both effective and compassionate.

For Thailand, where mental health issues have traditionally been shrouded in silence and misconceptions, these insights could be game-changing for healthcare providers, educators, and policymakers striving for a more inclusive and supportive society.

International tourists, once a familiar sight at American landmarks and city centers during the peak summer vacation months, are increasingly opting to take their holidays elsewhere, according to the latest news analysis and tourism research. With North America’s iconic destinations now reporting fewer foreign visitors—particularly from Canada, Europe, and other long-standing source markets—the trend signals a shift with broad implications for both the global and Thai tourism sectors (Wall Street Journal via MSN).

A growing wave of scientific research is sounding the alarm on the increasing health risks linked to cannabis use among older adults, as usage climbs to record levels amidst expanded legalization and shifting social attitudes. The latest analysis, published in the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA), reveals a sharp uptick in cannabis consumption by individuals aged 65 and older, igniting urgent debate among health experts about the safety, efficacy, and regulation of cannabis use in Thailand’s rapidly aging society.

A recent article in Psychology Today challenges widespread assumptions about what it means to be “neurotypical,” sparking renewed conversation about diversity, inclusion, and the way Thai society identifies and supports individuals with different neurological profiles. The piece, written by a clinical psychology expert, questions the utility of binary labels like “neurotypical” and “neurodivergent,” and urges for a broader understanding of human experience centered on individual control, preferences, and agency (Psychology Today).

A new research study from Uppsala University sheds fresh light on the long-held belief that higher physical fitness dramatically reduces the risk of premature death, suggesting these benefits might not be as substantial as previously thought. The findings challenge established wisdom in the fields of health and public policy, carrying important implications for how Thai society and policymakers approach physical activity initiatives (Uppsala University).

The prevailing narrative—supported by countless observational studies—has been that individuals with higher fitness are far less likely to die prematurely from causes such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, or all causes combined. The new investigation, however, warns that these links may be significantly overstated due to hidden factors in earlier research designs, and highlights the need for a more nuanced conversation as Thailand continues its campaigns promoting widespread exercise and healthy living.

A surge of international and Thai research confirms that regular physical activity delivers powerful mental health benefits, reducing stress, anxiety, and symptoms of depression. Recent studies, highlighted in the article “The Mental Health Benefits of Exercise: How Movement Reduces Stress,” and new research from Thai academic institutions, show that integrating movement into daily routines is an essential—and accessible—strategy for safeguarding psychological well-being, especially in high-pressure environments such as universities and healthcare education.

A decade after its introduction, the EAST framework—representing Easy, Attractive, Social, and Timely—remains a powerful guide for anyone seeking to encourage positive behavior change, from individuals to organizations and governments. First developed by leading behavioral scientists to synthesize a vast body of research on human behavior, EAST has maintained its relevance according to recent reports and continues to shape contemporary strategies for driving change in health, education, and beyond. As the world and Thailand face complex challenges that often hinge on helping people change daily decisions and routines, understanding EAST’s principles is more critical than ever.

A recent report by UNICEF has revealed that while Japanese children excel in physical health, their mental well-being remains among the poorest in the developed world. Ranking 32nd out of 43 developed and emerging nations, Japan’s position is largely attributed to a troublingly high youth suicide rate, despite improvements in other areas of child development. This stark finding underscores an urgent need for both national awareness and targeted policies to address the mental health crisis among Japanese youth, offering important lessons for countries across Asia, including Thailand.

A new analysis by a California-based nutritionist has reignited global debate about rising obesity rates, highlighting how changes in food habits, physical activity, and daily routines have reshaped public health since the 1960s. With obesity affecting 43% of Americans in 2024—more than triple the 13% rate recorded in the 1960s—the findings resonate well beyond the United States, including among Thais increasingly exposed to Western fast food, sedentary lifestyles, and evolving sleep habits. The nutritionist’s insights, summarised from recent media interviews and supported by scholarly research, remind us that slimming secrets from the past could offer crucial lessons for preventing modern health crises in Thailand and across the globe (Daily Mail).

A wave of cutting-edge scientific research has triggered global alarm bells over the dangers of sugar, with health experts comparing its addictiveness and health impact to those of nicotine and even cocaine. As new findings highlight the biochemical and psychological hold of sugar on the brain, Thailand is both a consumer and battleground, taking concrete policy steps to help curb this ‘sweet danger’ before it causes a wider epidemic of obesity, diabetes, and mental health disorders.

Rising food prices in the United States are making it harder for Americans to maintain a healthy diet, according to a recent Pew Research Center survey that highlights the growing challenge of nutritious eating amidst persistent inflation. With 90% of American adults acknowledging that the cost of healthy food has climbed in recent years, and nearly 70% saying these prices are directly impacting their ability to eat well, the survey reveals an urgent national health concern that has ripple effects far beyond US borders, including in Thailand.

A wave of educational innovation is breaking down barriers to computer science, making coding more accessible to both students and teachers globally, with direct relevance to Thailand’s evolving education landscape. At the 2025 Future of Education Technology Conference (FETC) in Orlando, experts highlighted the impact of block-based programming tools and a shift in teaching philosophy that could help close Thailand’s digital divide and inspire the next generation of coders.

Across the world, computer science is increasingly recognized as a core future skill. However, many Thai students face steep entry barriers: English-based coding languages, lack of resources, and a shortage of trained teachers. These challenges mirror wider global concerns, but new research and classroom strategies suggest a promising path forward. Block-based programming—where users snap together visual code blocks to build programs—eliminates the intimidating syntax of traditional text-based coding. According to the director of computer science education at VEX Robotics, block-based languages support learning in students’ native tongues and reduce linguistic obstacles: “When you do traditional text-based programming like Pascal, C++, or Python, you’re essentially programming in English, but with block-based programming, you can do it with Chinese, Spanish, Arabic or your native language. It reduces a barrier for them to just get their steps in and say, ‘Hey, I’m able to program’” (PBS NewsHour Classroom).