Education Ministry asks for extra Bt30 bn

 Permanent Secretary Chinapat Phumirat said that the mega projects are concluded at the meeting with the Office of the Basic Education Commission, the Office of Higher Education Commission and the Office of the Vocational Education Commission.

 On the teacher-related programme, it would focus on creating more teachers, particularly those in "shortage" areas like mathmatics and science, for primary and secondary levels.

 On vocational education, state-owned schools would be upgraded with more educational equipment. Meanwhile, Thai universities would be improved to turn Thailand into the education hub in Southeast Asia.

 Chinapat noted that the ministry would tap the central budget of Bt100 billion. If that is denied, it would seek the funding from the emergency budget. In worst case, it may need to revise the 2009 budget for the ministry to finance these projects.