Yotchanan gave a special lecture at Khon Kaen University, highlighting five hopes to radically transform Thai education. He pointed out that building a wealthy and sustainable Thailand must start with developing people's potential.
12 Sep 2026 GMT+7 Yotchanan Wongsawat, Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Higher Education, Science, Research and Innovation (MHESI). He presided over the award ceremony for the education innovation contest for sustainable development, "ED Quality Share & Learn Fair 2026," under the theme "Innovation for Sustainability." The event included Sutthin Klangsang, a party-list MP from the Pheu Thai Party, alongside Khon Kaen University executives, staff, researchers, students, and over 400 attendees at the Faculty of Education, Khon Kaen University.
In his special lecture titled “Building People, Building Knowledge, Building Innovation: The Direction of Thai Education Towards Sustainability,” Yotchanan stated that transforming Thai education must begin by instilling hope in learners, showing that education can improve lives. He emphasized connecting education at all levels with industry and related agencies, providing equal learning opportunities for all ages, and elevating education to become the country's “new infrastructure” or Human Development System accessible to everyone.
The five hopes for Thai education are:
1. Hope to Discover: Offering learners the chance to discover their potential through Personalized Education and AI.
2. Hope to Learn: Promoting lifelong learning and skill development through Credit Bank, Micro Credentials, and Skill Certificates.
3. Hope to Work: Linking learning directly with labor market needs.
4. Hope to Rise: Valuing people based on skills and abilities, not background or academic degrees.
5. Hope to Dream: Encouraging learners to become problem solvers and innovators who apply knowledge to create value for their communities and the nation.
“Building a wealthy and sustainable Thailand must start with developing people's potential by shifting from standardized education to Personalized Education, using AI as a tool to create opportunities and reduce inequality. Education should change from being age-specific to lifelong learning. If we can build the ‘Hope of Thai Education,’ it will lead to the ‘Hope of Thailand’ and make the country a hopeful nation for future generations.”
