NINETEEN Thais have beaten more than 5,000 young candidates from Asean countries for places in an upcoming workshop on the future of Asean education.

EDUCATION and teaching standards are the key factors to unite the Asean Community and prepare it for the world stage, former Asean secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan said. Pointing to rote-learning practised in most Asean countries, he said they should inst