NAKHON PHANOM — The cabinet has approved a 5.3-billion-baht budget to launch a charity lottery to fund a new scholarship initiative, Prime Minister Paetongtarn Shinawatra said during a cabinet meeting in this northeastern province on Tuesday.
The first phase of the Outstanding Development Opportunity Scholarship (ODOS) initiative will support seven programmes designed to enhance access to education, both domestically and abroad, she said.
Among the programmes are international short courses in technology and funding for students across all 878 districts nationwide.
The initiative also includes scholarships for undergraduate students in the science, technology, engineering and mathematics (Stem) fields — 60 for universities in the United States and 50 for institutions in the United Kingdom.
Additionally, 140 scholarships will be offered to vocational and undergrad students for study abroad, along with 90 scholarships specifically for undergraduate studies in Australia.
Domestic support for Stem students at both the high school and university levels is also part of the plan, according to Ms Paetongtarn.
Further details on the ODOS charity lottery are expected to be released soon.
Deputy government spokeswoman Sasikarn Wattanachan said ministers also approved nine economic stimulus projects for the upper northeastern provinces of Sakon Nakhon, Nakhon Phanom and Mukdahan with a combined budget of 400 million baht.
Four projects, each with a budget of 50 million baht and proposed by provincial administrations, include landscape improvement along the Mekong riverbank in Muang Nakhon Phanom and surrounding areas; Sakon Junction, a creative economy project in Sakon Nakhon; development of the Geo Park Centre at Tha Uthen in Nakhon Phanom; and the development of international relations and connectivity in Mukdahan.
The remaining five projects were proposed by the private sector and include a “phytotherapy city” to support wellness and cultural tourism along the Mekong River, the improvement of road surfaces and lighting on highways; and the promotion of local cities’ identities, Ms Sasikarn said.