AI is dramatically changing classrooms, with tools like Microsoft Immersive Reader boosting student focus and engagement. This nationwide revolution in AI skills is significantly driven by Microsoft Elevate, Microsoft’s initiative to empower educators and students across Thailand.

Through this program, teachers are experiencing a transformation. AI-powered tools free them from routine tasks, allowing more time to focus on student growth and progress.

Wattana Wittaya Academy, Thailand’s oldest girls’ boarding school, exemplifies this shift. By joining the Microsoft Showcase School program under Microsoft Elevate, the school enhances “digital competitiveness of both our teachers and students,” according to Manager Lantip Dvadasin.

Committed to digital equity, Microsoft delivers Elevate through strong partnerships with government agencies like OBEC and OVEC. Their ambitious goal: train and certify over 150,000 educators this year, amplifying digital capabilities nationwide.

The initiative has already shown tangible results. Teachers are gaining valuable AI skills, creating engaging lessons and dynamic worksheets in minutes, not hours. A recent AI Impact Survey found 67.2% of 1,414 educators use AI in classrooms, saving an average of four hours weekly – equivalent to 95 full-time teachers annually. This frees time for student-focused learning.

Beyond efficiency, 76.3% report increased student engagement, and 88.6% of schools are developing AI guidelines, signaling a clear shift towards practical, responsible AI integration. Students are also using AI to brainstorm, summarize, and show improved exam performance.

In schools like Dhammajarinee Wittaya, Microsoft Elevate empowers visual, interactive learning, from creative Cover Dance to Python coding, with students achieving national recognition.

AI, facilitated by the program, also upgrades teacher skills, shifting their role to guiding students in critical thinking, data evaluation, and ethical AI use. Teachers also emphasize teaching students to “use AI responsibly.”

The School Director Dr. Aunampai Passakchai concludes: “The Microsoft Elevate program is definitely designed to help address this need,” equipping students with essential AI skills for a successful, self-reliant future.

Bangkok – Thailand’s Senate Committee on Agriculture and Cooperatives is proposing a new approach to managing Blackchin tilapia, shifting the focus from eradication alone to systematic utilization and value-added processing as a way to reduce ecological impacts while creating income opportunities for farmers, fishers and local communities.

The proposal was discussed at an academic seminar titled “A New Dimension in Blackchin Tilapia Management: Utilization and Value Creation,” held at the Parliament Building on May 14, 2026. The event was presided over by General Kriangkrai Srirak, First Vice President of the Senate, and organized by the Senate Committee on Agriculture and Cooperatives, chaired by Thawat Suraban.

The seminar brought together policymakers, academics, farmers, community enterprises and relevant agencies to explore practical ways to manage the large population of alien species now found in natural water sources, while transforming the issue into an economic opportunity.  Backed by research highlighting the fish’s high nutritional value, the committee aims to promote policy measures supporting procurement and value-added processing to create sustainable income opportunities for farmers and local communities.

Mr. Thawat said Thailand must recognize the practical reality that complete eradication of Blackchin tilapia is unlikely. The more urgent question, he said, is how to manage the species responsibly and convert the existing population into useful raw material.

He said Blakchin tilapia could become an upstream raw material for several value-added products if supported by proper procurement systems, processing standards and risk-control measures. Potential applications include fermented fish products, chili paste, fish sauce, bio-fermented products, animal feed, bio-fertilizer and other processed goods that can support women’s groups, community enterprises and small-scale fishers.

In some provinces, blackchin tilapia is already being used as feed for crabs and seabass, helping farmers reduce feed costs while converting the invasive fish into a useful resource. Thai researchers have also succeeded in extracting calcium and other valuable compounds from the fish, further expanding its potential for value-added applications.

Policy Support and Controlled Movement

Mr. Thawat also called for a review of existing regulations to allow inspected and controlled blackchin tilapia, which no longer poses a risk of further spread, to be transported outside restricted areas for industrial use, including fishmeal production.

He said such measures would help create a more practical management system by combining ecological control with economic value creation.

“It depends on perspective and value creation,” he said.

Research Points to Value-Added Potential

Research presented at the seminar indicated that Blackchin tilapia has potential for further development in several areas, including animal feed production, bio-fertilizer, collagen extraction and food processing.

Preliminary studies also found that the bones of Blackchin tilapia contain significant nutrients, with some qualities comparable to certain commercial marine fish species. This opens up potential opportunities for use in food, health and agricultural industries, provided that safety standards and proper processing controls are applied.

Toward a Circular Economy Model

The Senate Committee plans to compile recommendations from the seminar into a policy report for submission to the government and relevant agencies.

The report is expected to propose measures such as continuous procurement mechanisms, local processing centers, community-level value-added production and regulatory adjustments to support safe utilization of blackchin tilapia.

The committee said the goal is to build a circular economy model that turns blackchin tilapia from burden into a commercially viable raw material — helping reduce pressure on natural ecosystems while generating economic circulation in local communities.

S Hotels & Resorts Public Company Limited (SHR), a leading international hotel and resort management company under Singha Estate PCL (SET: S), reported the financial results of the first quarter of 2026 with net profit THB 264 million, increased 51% from the same period last year. The continued growth was driven by outstanding performance across its properties during the peak tourism season in Thailand and the Maldives.

For the first quarter of 2026, SHR reported total revenue from hotel business and services of THB 2,634 million, strongly driven by hotels in Thailand. During the quarter, the portfolio maintained a robust overall occupancy rate of 87%, while successfully increasing its average daily rate (ADR) by 9% YoY to THB 13,951.

Meanwhile, SAii Laguna Phuket continued to deliver outstanding performance, with revenue per available room (RevPAR) increasing by 19% to THB 13,114 and consistently maintained the No.1 ranking in the Revenue Generation Index (RGI). The Maldives portfolio also maintained a high overall occupancy rate of 89% in the first quarter of 2026 with ADR rising by 18% YoY to USD 532, despite the escalation of the conflict in the Middle East since late February 2026, which impacted travel sentiment and raised concerns among global travellers during March.

In addition to strong performance across its core hotel portfolio during the peak travel season, the Company has also implemented targeted marketing strategies for properties operating in the low season. As a result, Castaway Island, Fiji, successfully expanded its Chinese customer base, leading to a 5% increase in revenue per available room (RevPAR) to FJD 740 despite the monsoon season.

Mr. Michael Marshall, CEO of S Hotels & Resorts, stated that “For the first quarter, our performance reflected strong growth in line with our strategic plan. This was driven by effective branding and marketing initiatives that successfully attracted high-spending tourists, alongside efforts to further diversify our customer base. Operational efficiency also continued to improve, as reflected in the increase in gross profit margin to 40.9% from 39.6% in the previous year. In addition, our financial expenses decreased by 16% YoY, supported by ongoing cost management and continuous negotiations with financial institutions. As a result, we recorded a new quarterly profit high of THB 264 million in the first quarter.

Regarding the impact of the Middle East conflict, the effects are expected to vary across the regions in which we operate. In the second quarter, there may be increasing pressure on travel demand and higher travel-related expenses in certain markets. However, for hotel portfolios in peak seasons during the second quarter, such as those in Fiji and the United Kingdom, the impact is expected to be relatively limited. This is supported by a strong base of short-haul and domestic travellers. Therefore, we expect to continue sustaining growth in RevPAR going forward.”

In February, The Grand Hotel Leicester by The Unlimited Collection resumed operations following renovation works and rebranding efforts aimed at elevating its market positioning. The Company expects performance to return to a satisfactory level as the hotel has resumed normal operations. Similarly, Mount Royal Hotel Edinburgh by The Unlimited Collection continued to deliver strong performance in the first quarter, with revenue per available room (RevPAR) increasing by over 50% to GBP 73. In addition, hotels in Manchester and Glasgow are currently undergoing renovation and rebranding into the lyf brand, a lifestyle hotel concept designed to cater to modern travellers and well-aligned with their central city locations. These properties remain partially open while refurbishment works continue in accordance with the planned schedule.

“The Middle East conflict remains a key factor exerting pressure on the Company’s overall operating performance. In response, we have adopted a more prudent approach to operations, alongside proactive marketing strategies to identify and capture alternative markets. We also continue to focus on efficient cost management and believe that these strategies will help maintain business stability and support overall 2026 performance growth as targeted” concluded Mr Marshall.