Former PM Srettha Honored for Education Initiative at State House
Former PM Srettha Thavissin received a special award on July 24 for initiating the Thailand Zero Dropout Plus program, which has reduced out-of-school children from one million to 600,000 through multi-sector cooperation.
Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul presided over the Thailand Zero Dropout Plus (TZD+) awards ceremony on July 24, 2025, at Government House's Pakdi Bodin Building to honor individuals and organizations driving efforts to bring out-of-school children back into education. Former PM Srettha Thavissin, who initiated the Thailand Zero Dropout program as a national agenda, received a special award for his role in creating opportunities for marginalized youth.
This marked Srettha's first visit to Government House in nearly two years since leaving office on August 14, 2023. Anutin gave Srettha a tour of his Thai Together Building office before the ceremony, the two men emerging together in good spirits. Anutin told reporters with a smile, "Look who came," gesturing toward Srettha.
In his opening remarks, Anutin expressed pride that his former superior had visited and acknowledged working under Srettha as education minister. He congratulated all award recipients and emphasized that multi-sector cooperation can transform youth quality of life and the nation's future. Anutin stressed the government's commitment to educational equity, noting that human potential is Thailand's most important development resource.
Anutin highlighted that the Thailand Zero Dropout Plus program goes beyond simply returning children to classrooms—it aims to equip them with market-relevant skills and stable futures. He noted satisfaction that the initiative has reduced out-of-school children from one million to 600,000, demonstrating what collective effort can achieve.
