#Policy

A landmark court ruling has struck down a half-century-old Education Ministry rule that tightly controlled how students in public schools could wear their hair. The Supreme Administrative Court declared the 1975 regulation invalid, ending a long-running dispute that pitted parents, teachers, and students against one another. The decision is final and immediate, signaling a major shift in how schools across the country will administer student grooming rules. The ruling arrives as Thailand continues to recalibrate the balance between uniform expectations and personal rights in a society that prizes family harmony, respect for authority, and social order.

Across Asia’s high-performing property markets, a troubling consensus is taking hold: housing is increasingly unaffordable for ordinary households, and policy efforts so far have not tackled the deeper forces driving skyward prices. The leading cities—from Hong Kong and Singapore to Shanghai, Tokyo, and Seoul—have enjoyed economic dynamism and urban magnetism, yet the same forces fueling growth are now making homes an ever more distant dream for many residents. The overarching message from researchers and international policymakers is clear: if governments do not address the root causes, affordability will continue to erode social cohesion, choke mobility, and threaten the very benefits urbanization promises.

Depression in the United States has reached a level that many health officials describe as alarming, with more than one in five adults either suffering from depression or receiving treatment in recent years. The trend did not appear overnight; it traces back to a sharp rise that began around 2020, a turning point tied to the COVID-19 pandemic but not limited to it. For Thai readers, the numbers offer a sobering mirror: mental health challenges are not confined to one country, and societies with rapid change, economic stress, and social fragmentation face similar pressures. The Newsweek reporting on U.S. data, drawing from polling by Gallup and insights from leading psychiatrists, underscores how broad, persistent, and multifaceted the depression landscape has become—and why Thailand should pay heed to these international findings as it refines its own mental health strategies.

Across the United States, a quiet but mounting crisis is reshaping what students study and what colleges offer. In a pattern that reads like a cautionary tale for education systems worldwide, major programs—especially in the humanities and other non-professional fields—are disappearing or being scaled back as universities grapple with tighter budgets, shifting political winds, and enrolling shortfalls. In one coastal Massachusetts program, a Boston University satellite campus on Cape Cod announced it was ending in-person studies, a decision validated by dwindling enrollment and the harsh math of keeping courses viable. The human story behind that closure is stark: students who chose a future in social work, therapy, or other helping professions now face the unsettling prospect of either finishing online, transferring, or walking away from a years-long investment in a local community.

A new wave of national assessment data shows that United States students are grappling with what analysts are calling a devastating setback in reading and mathematics. The latest long-term trend results for nine-year-olds indicate a drop of about five points in reading and seven points in mathematics since the pandemic-era benchmark of 2020. The declines are the largest seen in reading in more than three decades and mark the first time math scores have fallen in the long-term trend record. The findings echo concerns raised by educators and researchers around the world about learning losses during extended school shutdowns, remote instruction, and uneven access to support services.

A new wave of research is prompting a hard re-think about East Asia’s declining birth rates. Rather than simply attributing shrinking families to economic hardship or high living costs, a growing body of work suggests a deeper social dynamic: when societies push for every child to be a flawless masterpiece, the decision to have more children becomes even more fraught. The debate, sparked by a provocative commentary on East Asia’s demographic trajectory, asks whether the real bottleneck is not just fertility, but the cultural and institutional burdens placed on parenting in hyper-competitive environments.

More than a billion people around the world are living with mental health disorders, including anxiety and depression, according to the latest assessment from the World Health Organization. The numbers mark a sobering reminder that mental health is a universal public health issue, affecting people across ages, incomes, and settings. For Thai readers, the message lands with particular urgency: demand for mental health services is outpacing supply, and the country’s communities face the same daunting gaps seen in many regions of the world. The news comes as governments prepare for high-level discussions on noncommunicable diseases and mental well-being later this year, underscoring that turning policy promises into real-life care remains a work in progress.

A new Gallup poll shows that Americans still prefer families with more than one child, with the average ideal number around 2.7 children. This comes even as the United States’ actual birth rate sits at historic lows, roughly 1.6 children per woman, suggesting a widening gap between what people say they want and the choices available or feasible in daily life. The survey’s finding — that four in five adults still consider at least two children ideal — highlights enduring cultural beliefs about family, alongside real-world constraints like cost of living, housing, and work-life balance.

A wave of recent research is painting a sobering picture for the United States as a global travel magnet. The decline in international tourism to the U.S. is framed by researchers and industry observers as a self-inflicted injury — the result of policy choices, bureaucratic friction, and costs that have made the world’s biggest economy look less welcoming to visitors than it once did. The narrative, already gripping policymakers and business leaders, has echoes for Thai readers who watch global travel trends closely, given Thailand’s strong role in international travel, student exchanges, and regional tourism flows that often revolve around the United States as a destination, a hub for connections, or a market for Thai cultural experiences abroad.

An argument that has dominated the education conversation in recent weeks centers on how artificial intelligence is transforming, and in some voices destabilizing, how students learn, test, and demonstrate knowledge. The Atlantic’s eye-catching framing—AI Has Broken High School and College—cites a provocative exchange about classrooms evolving into environments where students can access powerful writing and problem-solving tools with a few taps, potentially eroding traditional forms of assessment and the pleasures of sustained, independent thinking. For readers in Thailand, where schools are navigating a rapid shift toward digital learning and where high-stakes testing remains a central pathway to higher education and career opportunities, the debate hits close to home. The question is no longer whether AI belongs in the classroom, but how to harness its benefits while safeguarding authentic learning, integrity, and equity.

A new wave of research is drawing a clearer line between cannabis potency and mental health outcomes, suggesting that highly potent cannabis products may significantly raise the risk of psychosis, including conditions such as schizophrenia, as well as increasing the likelihood of cannabis use disorders. While the headline sounds stark, scientists emphasize that the story is nuanced: potency matters, but individual risk is shaped by age, frequency of use, genetic susceptibility, and the social environment. For Thailand, where conversations about cannabis are evolving and families juggle concerns about youth, mental well-being, and cultural norms, these findings land with urgency and a need for careful, compassionate action.

A fresh analysis drawing on international mortality data shows a startling trend: Americans aged 25 to 44 are dying at higher rates than their counterparts in every other wealthy nation. In 2023, researchers reported that a sizable share of those deaths qualify as “excess” deaths—deaths that would be unlikely if the United States experienced the same death rates as its affluent peers. The findings come from a long-term comparison of death records spanning several decades, using publicly available data and a widely used mortality database. The headline is provocative, but the message goes deeper: life expectancy gaps between the United States and its global peers are not simply a matter of overall wealth. They reflect structural forces—economic inequality, access to care, and social conditions—that disproportionately weigh on younger adults.

A new study surveying teachers about equitable grading policies has surfaced with a clear split in opinion. Many educators say these policies can make assessments fairer by focusing on what students actually know and can do, rather than penalizing them for imperfect timing or incomplete attempts. Others warn that if not implemented carefully, such policies could loosen accountability, blur what grades actually represent, and place a heavier burden on teachers to document and justify every decision. For Thai readers, the debate has immediate resonance: classrooms in Thailand and across Southeast Asia are contending with how to balance rigorous standards with inclusive teaching, and how grading practices influence students’ motivation, mental health, and future opportunities.

Charlie Warzel argues that generative AI can create a collective sense of unreality. (He calls it a “mass-delusion event.”) (The Atlantic).
The claim matters because Thai society faces rapid AI adoption in schools, offices, and daily life.

Warzel opens with a disturbing example of a reanimated teenager.
The interview used AI to mimic a dead voice with family consent. (The Atlantic).

The example shows how generative tools can cross moral lines.
The story also shows how deep grief and technology can mix in harmful ways. (The Atlantic).

A former Google executive says long degrees in law and medicine risk becoming obsolete.
He warns that AI may match or surpass human expertise by the time students graduate (Yahoo/Fortune).

This claim matters for Thai students and policymakers planning careers and education investments.
Many Thai families view professional degrees as secure paths to social mobility and stable incomes.

The former Google AI team founder made the remarks in recent interviews with business press.
He said doctoral and long professional programs take years while AI evolves rapidly (Yahoo/Fortune).

A prominent technology industry veteran who previously led artificial intelligence initiatives at Google has sparked intense debate across Thailand’s education sector with provocative warnings about the future relevance of traditional professional degrees. Speaking during recent high-profile media interviews, this former executive delivered a stark message that could fundamentally reshape how Thai families approach their children’s educational investments and career planning strategies.

The core argument centers on a compelling temporal mismatch between the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence capabilities and the extended duration required to complete prestigious professional programs. According to this technology leader’s analysis, students entering law school or medical programs today may discover that artificial intelligence systems have achieved or exceeded human-level expertise in these fields by the time they complete their degrees and begin practicing.

A senior technology analyst warns that generative artificial intelligence could trigger a “mass-delusion event” — a shared sense of unreality that challenges society. For Thailand, speeding AI adoption in schools, offices, and daily life makes this warning especially timely. The country’s government and universities are advancing AI strategies, while communities weigh benefits against ethical and social risks.

Leading examples illustrate how AI can blur reality. In a controversial scenario, a deceased teenager’s voice was digitally reanimated for an interview, with family consent but raising questions about consent, dignity, and the boundaries of AI in sensitive moments. Such cases show how AI can tap into grief and emotion, reminding Thai readers to consider cultural and spiritual perspectives on remembrance and representation.

A former Google AI executive has sparked national debate in Thailand by questioning the long-term relevance of traditional medical and legal degrees in an AI-driven era. The provocative message challenges decades of Thai family expectations that prestigious credentials guarantee prosperity and status.

The core argument centers on a timing mismatch: AI progress may outpace the lengthy timelines of professional education. Students entering medical or legal programs today could graduate into markets where AI systems already perform tasks at or beyond human capability. This reality unsettles families who have long sacrificed substantial resources for these paths, associating them with middle-class security and social prestige.

Researchers warn that organised scientific fraud now acts like an industry. (How bad science is becoming big business)

This trend threatens trust in evidence used in health and education. (How bad science is becoming big business)

The problem goes beyond lone bad actors. (How bad science is becoming big business)

Paper mills now sell fake papers and authorships as commercial products. (How bad science is becoming big business)

Brokerage services guarantee publication for a fee in some cases. (How bad science is becoming big business)

A new wave of sophisticated academic fraud now threatens Thailand’s research credibility and public health. Experts warn that Thai universities and hospitals face challenges that could alter treatment guidelines, education policy, and tourism strategy if left unchecked.

Leading researchers describe a global fraud ecosystem that transforms plagiarism into a commercial service. Paper mills produce fake studies and sell authorships as ready-made products, often with fabricated data and convincing analytics. These operations cloak themselves with labels like publication consulting and manuscript enhancement, creating an illusion of legitimacy.

A sophisticated network of academic fraud now operates like a commercial enterprise, putting Thailand’s research credibility and public health at unprecedented risk

Scientific misconduct has evolved beyond isolated incidents of researcher dishonesty into a thriving global industry that threatens to undermine decades of progress in evidence-based medicine and education policy. Leading research integrity experts warn that Thailand’s academic institutions now face an existential challenge that could compromise everything from hospital treatment protocols to national education strategies.

Recent evidence suggests classroom mindfulness can help Thai students with attention, emotional regulation, and social skills. Yet researchers warn that benefits are not guaranteed and that careful design, monitoring, and evaluation are essential before any wide rollout. Short, kid-friendly practices show potential, but effectiveness hinges on age, delivery quality, and program structure.

Thailand’s schools face a timely opportunity to address widespread student stress and behavioral challenges. Meditation programs could expand support where access to clinical mental health services is limited, especially outside major cities. Yet premature, poorly designed adoption could waste resources or cause unintended harm. A measured approach—pilot programs, teacher-led curricula, robust outcome tracking, and clear referral pathways—offers the best path forward. Thailand’s Buddhist cultural familiarity with meditation provides a natural entry point, but expectations must be managed to keep education and faith distinct.

A new New York Times roundup of 21 concrete ways people are using artificial intelligence at work shows how rapidly generative models and custom A.I. systems have moved from curiosity to daily tools — speeding routine tasks, augmenting specialist skills and nudging whole professions to rethink how work gets done ( New York Times interactive: “21 Ways People Are Using A.I. at Work” ). From chefs choosing wines and designers fixing photographs, to doctors dictating clinical notes and prosecutors checking paperwork, the examples make a clear point: A.I. is not a single future event but thousands of small, pragmatic changes already affecting work lives. For Thai employers, educators and policymakers, the challenge is to capture productivity gains while managing risks to equity, skills and public trust.

A quiet revolution is sweeping through Thailand’s corporate landscape, fundamentally altering how millions of professionals approach their daily responsibilities. From the gleaming towers of Bangkok’s financial district to bustling family restaurants in Chiang Mai’s old quarter, artificial intelligence has evolved from experimental novelty to indispensable business tool, driving unprecedented productivity gains while creating new pathways for economic advancement across the kingdom.

Recent workplace transformation studies reveal twenty-one distinct AI applications now transforming Thai professional environments, demonstrating measurable impacts on efficiency, creativity, and strategic decision-making. These technological innovations are reshaping entire industries while generating critical insights for Thai employers, educational leaders, and government officials seeking to harness AI’s potential while safeguarding workforce development and maintaining public trust in emerging technologies.