Nyheter från thailändska tidningar (Jo-Be citerar nyheter på engelska)

[JBK.Ltd.]

Kamnan Poh moved back to hospital prison
13 Oct 2015 • WRITER: KING-OUA LAOHONG

Somchai Khunploem, alias Kamnan Poh, is taken to the Crime Suppression Division following his arrest at the Lat Krabang toll gate in February 2013.(Bangkok Post file photo)

Somchai Khunploem, better known as Kamnan Poh and "God Father of Chon Buri", has been moved from Chon Buri Hospital back to the Corrections Department's hospital in Bangkok, department chief Withaya Suriyawong said on Tuesday.

Mr Withaya said Somchai had been treated for a number of chronic diseases, including a heart ailment, diabetes and Parkinson's, at Chon Buri Hospital for a long time. Since he is a convict serving a sentence for crime the Corrections Department had to assign two officers to guard him around the clock -- a wasteful use of personnel.

He had therefore ordered that Somchai be moved back to the Corrections Department's hospital at Lat Yao in Bangkok, Mr Withaya said. Somchai, 78, once one of the most powerful figures in Chon Buri, was sentenced to 25 years for masterminding the murder of his political rival Prayoon Sitthichoke at a wedding reception in March 2003.

He was also sentenced to three years and four months in prison on a separate charge of abuse of power charge while serving as mayor of Saen Suk municipality. Somchai was out on bail and failed to show up when the Supreme Court delivered judgement in the first case, and the court issued a warrant for his arrest.

After six years on the run, Somchai was recaptured by Crime Suppressionn Division police on Jan 30, 2013 at Lat Krabang toll gate during surreptitious visit to Bangkok for medical treatment. He was initially imprisoned in Bangkok and later moved to Chon Buri Prison on Feb 4, 2013.

Because of illness, he was again moved, this time to Chon Buri Hospital for treatment while in detention.

 

[JBK.Ltd.]

Passenger traffic up 13% at overloaded Suvarnabhumi
14 Oct 2015 WRITER: AMORNRAT MAHITTHIROOK

(Photo by Narupon Hinshiranan)

The number of travellers using Bangkok's Suvarnabhumi Airport rose by 13% in the 2015 fiscal year and officials said it must be expanded quickly to relieve congestion. Sirote Duangratana, general manager of Suvarnabhumi airport, said on Wednesday that from October last year to September this year, the airport served 52.38 million passengers while its official capacity was set at 45 million.

The number of visiting passengers grew by 12.66% compared to the 2014 fiscal year. They comprised 43.94 million passengers on international flights and 8.44 million on domestic flights. The traffic on international flights rose by
15.55% and on domestic flights it increased by 0.34%. In the past fiscal year, Suvarnabhumi airport served 310,867 flights, 6.12% more than the previous year.

There were 242,953 international flights (up 7.09%) and 67,914 domestic flights (a rise of 2.81%). The airport handled 1.28 million tonnes of cargo, an increase of 0.75%, which was made up of 1.24 million tonnes on international flights (up 0.71%) and 40,586 tonnes on domestic flights (a growth of 2.08%).

Mr Sirote expected the amount of passengers using the airport to increase by 9.7% in the 2016 fiscal year.
Pending a new terminal, more benches, toilets, charging outlets and bigger airline lounges would be arranged to serve the growing number of passengers, he said.

A 55-billion-baht project to add a satellite terminal to Suvarnabhumi airport is set for completion in 2019 and will increase annual handling capacity from 45 million to 60 million passengers. Afterwards the second main terminal costing 27 billion baht will further raise the capacity by 20 million to 80 million passengers.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/transport/729884/passenger-traffic-up-13-at-overloaded-suvarnabhumi.

 

[JBK.Ltd.]

Thai man shot in buttocks at Malaysia-Thai border fence
The Star October 14, 2015

KANGAR: A Thai man with a gunshot wound on his buttocks was found tangled in a wire fence along the Malaysia-Thailand border on Tuesday, the Star quoted Bernama as reporting.

Perlis police chief SAC Shafie Ismail said the man was later arrested by General Operations Force (PGA) personnel.

He said the foreigner was earlier seen with a group of seven or eight people who made a turn back to Thailand’s area through the border fence that had been cut, when they came across the PGA personnel at Post 24 at about 5am.

 

[JBK.Ltd.]

Angthong
Japanese man, 83, slain
The Nation October 14, 2015

An 83-year-old Japanese retired businessman was found dead in his residence in Angthong's Wiset Chaichan district yesterday.

The body of Kasuo Yoshitoka was found with multiple stab wounds and his throat cut in the second-floor bedroom at around 6am by his Thai wife Paranee Napadol, 48. She told police that Yoshitoka, who had returned from Japan six days ago, was alive when she left the house the previous night to stay at her mother's. She said her husband's cash was missing.

Police found signs of a break-in to the house through a window and the place was ransacked for valuables. There were also signs of a struggle with fingerprints and footprints, suspected to be from the killer, at the scene.

The police probe found a male relative of Paranee, who didn't get along with Yoshitoka and had allegedly been involved in drug abuse, left his house unlocked and there were bloodstains on the relative's house front. Another person told police the man had tried to borrow a motorcycle at 10pm but it didn't start, before he disappeared. Police are now looking for this person of interest.

Later yesterday, Wiset Chaichan superintendent Pol Colonel Peerapan Chanthian led the Japanese Embassy's second secretary and consul Kenichi Tsukagoshi and members of the foreign media to inspect the scene for clues and assistance with procedures regarding Yoshitoka's body.

 

[JBK.Ltd.]

Phuket-riot probe must be above suspicion
October 14, 2015 Writer: Burin Kantabutra

Premier Prayut's investigation into the deaths of two young people on a motorbike while being chased by police in Phuket must be above suspicion.

The youths reportedly ran a police checkpoint, but the cops then allegedly ran into them, which would mean the police are at fault. At best, it would be manslaughter, at worst murder.

Prayut has insisted he will not protect any wrongdoers. But, given that the military commanding officers of operations that led to wrongful killings at Krue Se (32 deaths), Tak Bai (73) and Nong Chik (four) have still not been charged after all these years, and that he's explicitly ruled out police reform despite holding absolute power, it's hard to believe he is willing to act against his brothers in uniform.

To be above suspicion, the investigation must be carried out by a mutually trusted third party, with Khunying Pornthip Rojanasunan, director of the Justice Ministry's Central Institute of Forensic Science, in charge of that part of the investigation, and strong participation by Phuket civic leaders. As defendants, the police cannot investigate themselves.

The cops, too, must come under rule of law.

 

[JBK.Ltd.]

Brother-in-law of slain Japanese businessman implicated in murder
THE NATION October 16, 2015

A male relative of a slain 83-year-old Japanese man's Thai wife has been arrested and implicated in the killing. The man's body was found on Tuesday in his home in Angthong's Wiset Chai Chan district, and it is alleged that the wife had taken out a contract on his life.
The Provincial Police Region 1 is scheduled to hold a press conference on this case today.

Angthong investigation superintendent Pol Colonel Seri Songkit said yesterday that Sampan Jaemjaeng, 47, was arrested while travelling on a public bus yesterday. The bus had stopped at a petrol station on Mitrapap Highway in Sara Buri province.

Sampan is accused of stabbing retired businessman Kasuo Yoshitoka to death on Monday night.

A police source said Sampan - former slaughterhouse worker with a prior conviction of a robbery-murder of an elderly person in Sing Buri province - initially confessed to the killing along with another man. He claimed he had been hired by the victim's wife Paranee Napadol, 48, to whose sister he is married. He claims she promised him Bt40,000 for the killing.

Wiset Chai Chan police yesterday summoned Paranee and another 40-year-old man for information - both of them have maintained their innocence. Police also had rescue workers dive down the victim's back-yard well where the suspect claims to have dumped the knife and ladder used in the murder. The divers found the ladder, but the knife was later found in Sampan's bag.

Meanwhile, Paranee's younger brother Theerapong defended his sister, saying there was no reason for her to have had her husband killed because the couple had a loving relationship. He said Sampan might be implicating her out of anger because she had refused to become a guarantor for the purchase of a motorcycle.

 

[JBK.Ltd.]

Bangkok
Number of beggars, homeless people on the rise
THE NATION October 16, 2015

The Social Development and Human Security Ministry yesterday said the number of homeless people and beggars in Bangkok had risen by 5-10 per cent on a yearly basis.

A survey by the ministry's Centre for Prevention and Solving the Issues of Street Beggars and Homeless Persons and the Issarachon Foundation found that there were 2,856 homeless people in 2012, 3,140 in 2013 and 3,249 in 2014.

In February, the ministry reported that Thailand had 1,186 beggars, 436 of whom were foreign and 147 of whom were children. Bangkok, Chon Buri, Nakhon Ratchasima, Chiang Rai and Nakhon Sawan have the largest number of beggars.

 

[JBK.Ltd.]

Rice-Pledging Scheme
Yingluck gets 30 more days to explain herself
THE NATION October 16, 2015

THE committee set up to probe ex-premier Yingluck Shinawatra over her government's controversial rice-pledging scheme has given her an additional 30 days to explain her actions.

Deputy Prime Minister Wissanu Krea-ngam yesterday said there were some more questions the committee wanted to ask Yingluck despite the process' original deadline passing last month. He did not elaborate. Wissanu insisted that Yingluck was negligent in allowing the scheme to inflict huge losses on the country.

The government is expected to seek up to Bt500 billion in compensation from Yingluck due to the damage caused to the country by the scheme. However, according to the law a defendant can negotiate to reduce the compensation figure, Wissanu said.

Government Spokesman Maj-General Sansern Kaewkamnerd expressed displeasure over Yingluck and her lawyer Norrawit Larlaeng's decision to write an open letter to Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha in which Yingluck appealed to him.

"Why do they give hints to the plaintiff [the government]?" he said. "They could just let us blunder on so they are at an advantage if the court sees their point of view." Norrawit said Yingluck had appealed to Prayut in several letters but was yet to receive replies and that was why she had written an open letter to him.

He added that the working procedure of the investigation committee was not fair to Yingluck. The committee created its own schedule to question witnesses without caring whether a witness was available, he said, adding that when a witness was not available the committee cut them from the process.

'Action against her necessary'

Yingluck on Tuesday had her lawyer submit the open letter to Prayut in response to the PM's move to issue an administrative order to make Yingluck pay compensation - a decision Yingluck's camp believes could be an abuse of authority motivated by politics.

Wissanu said the premier did not need to sign the order and could leave the matter to the finance minister. Sansern said the government needed to take action against Yingluck as the National Anti-Corruption Commission had submitted the case against her to the Finance Ministry in February.

He said Prayut and the finance minister had set up the investigative committee as per the Liability for Wrongful Act of Officials Act. That was done as Article 4 of the Act stated the legislation covered civil servants, officers, employees and other kinds of government workers. Yingluck, as prime minister, was head of the National Rice Committee.

Sansern said although Article 4 stated it was not applicable to Parliament and the Cabinet, Yingluck could not be exempted as her actions were done on an individual basis, not as a Cabinet member.

The fact-finding committee had previously invited Yingluck a couple of times to explain her actions but had received terse written replies, he said, adding that this might be because the former premier tended to give rambling explanations in speech. "She chose this [written] way of communication to buy time," he said.

Yingluck was welcome to submit more evidence regarding the case, because what had been submitted so far is unusable, he added.

 

[JBK.Ltd.]

Wat evicts family for abbot transfer plea
16 Oct 2015 | WRITER: SIRINYA WATTANASUKCHAI

Ravipas Sittirung became the latest resident evicted from the Wat Kalayanamit community on Oct 15, and her house demolished. (Photo by Pawat Laupaisarntaksin)

A community member living near Wat Kalayanamit was forced to move out of her house Thursday for signing a petition requesting the abbot's transfer.

(Photo by Pawat Laupaisarntaksin)

Ravipas Sittirung, a long-term tenant, and two other members of her family were given two days to vacate the property. Her house is scheduled to be demolished today. Her house is among 54 houses to be razed by Wat Kalayanamit, as part of a plan to claim the surrounding land for landscape development. Twelve houses were earlier bulldozed on Sept 9.

Ms Ravipas said she was given little notice to move out yesterday, despite an agreement with the temple to allow her, and a handful of other tenants, to stay until the end of November so their children could finish the school term. A temple representative, known in the community as Pornchai, told Ms Ravipas she was being evicted early because she "broke her promise" to the temple by signing a petition with other residents, she said.

The petition -- which was submitted to the Sangha Council on Sept 10 requested the transfer of the abbot from the monastery. Ms Ravipas said she had signed the petition long before the agreement was made with Mr Pornchai. Mr Pornchai, who declined to give his full name, claimed to be assigned by the temple to supervise evictions and confirmed to the Bangkok Post by telephone the deadline was advanced because Ms Ravipas did not keep her word.

Ms Ravipas did not remove her name from the petition, he said. "It was Ms Ravipas who had turned the community against the temple," he said, adding that "she also gave interviews to local media, saying the temple has evicted the tenants". The controversy between the community and the temple was sparked in 2003 when the current abbot took up his position.

In 2006, he cancelled all the leasing agreements for the tenants. When the residents refused to move out, the temple filed a lawsuit in 2008. "The temple won the court case," said Mr Pornchai. "It allowed the tenants to stay for many years without even paying any rental fees. "Now they refuse to move out, but the temple wants to claim the land back for landscape development." Mr Pornchai added tenants would receive different deals, based on negotiations and the financial situation of each household.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/731692/wat-evicts-family-for-abbot-transfer-plea.

 

[JBK.Ltd.]

Two forest poachers surrender
•18 Oct 2015 • WRITER: ONLINE REPORTERS

Two of the three men suspected to have shot to death a forest protection official in Phu Khieo Wildlife Sanctuary in Chaiyaphum province on Oct 14 have surrendered to authorities, reports said. The two - Arthit Klangsin, 31, and Song Klangthong, 38 - surrendered to the authorities at a forest protection unit at Ban Huay Rahong in Khon San disrtrict of Chaiyaphum province at 2am on Sunday.

The other suspect, Boonleng Saithongkhoo, 48, was still at large.

Police, military and forestry officials had launched a manhunt for the three, believed to have shot to death Prasit Khummoo, 49, a forest protection official, while they were trying to illegally fell protected eaglewood or mai kritsana trees near Ban Huay Rahong, which is located in the adjoining area of the Phu Khieo Wildlfie Sanctuary in Chaiyaphum and the Nam Nao National Park in Phetchabun, on Oct 14.

After their surrender, Mr Arthit and Mr Song were taken to the Region 3 Provincial Police headquarters in Nakhon Ratchasima for questioning. The two reportedly admitted to taking part in trying to steal protected earglewood trees but denied shooting the forestry official.

Mr Boonleng, who was said to be responsible for firing the shot that killed Mr Prasit, was believed to be still in hiding in the jungle of nearby Phetchabun province.

 

[JBK.Ltd.]

Khon Kaen ATM scam snares 11
17 Oct 2015 WRITER: ONLINE REPORTERS AND CHAKRAPAN NATANRI

Eleven people in Khon Kaen have reported big holes in their bank accounts after they used their cards at an ATM in the northeastern province.

The ATM in question belongs to Siam Commercial Bank (SCB) and police suspected it might have had a skimmer installed, Thai media reported. Pimpaka Panomsiri reported on Friday that when she used her Krungthai Bank ATM card to withdraw some cash from an ATM, she found her balance sharply lower than it was supposed to be.

She earlier had 7,400 baht but the ATM showed only 400 baht available. When she checked with Krungthai Bank where she had the account, she was told the money was withdrawn a day earlier in Chiang Mai. Pol Lt Col Norawat Kampilo, deputy police chief of Muang district, said 11 people had reported similar incidents with damages ranging from 7,000 to 80,000 baht, totalling 200,000 bath.

What the victims all had in common was that they used their ATM cards at the SCB machine.Later, there were reports that SCB had voided all of its ATM cards in Khon Kaen. The bank later denied the report, saying it had voided only cards at risk or those used at the machine in Khon Kaen around the time the incidents took place. The victims reportedly were repaid the missing amounts.

Adul Kamchoo, a director at the Bank of Thailand's northeastern office, told the Bangkok Post on Saturday that he would ask SCB branch managers in the affected area for more information. Customers whose accounts and ATM cards were frozen can apply for new cards and passbooks at all branches, he said. He added that the bank insisted only seven people were affected by the scam.

"We also asked all banks to check the readiness and security of their ATMs. SCB customers who are not satisfied with the bank's solutions can call the 1213 hotline around the clock," he said.

"SCB customers who are not satisfied with the bank's solutions can call the hot line 1213 around the clock," says Mr Adul. (Photo by Chakrapan Natanri)


Skimming is done by installing a small device about the size of a deck of cards in an ATM to collect data from customers' cards. The devices can also be used along with a stealth camera to record PIN key sequences.

Alternatively, a thin film can be used to cover the keypad and collect the pressed key sequences. With the card data and password, a scammer can make new cards and withdraw money from any machine. Aware of the problem, the central bank has encouraged all banks to switch from magnetic-strip cards to chip-based ones for which the chance of fraud is drastically reduced.

Banks are phasing out their magnetic-strip cards but the major problem that discourages consumers from using chip-based cards is that they can only be used at the issuing banks' machines at the moment. To date, most of the scamming cases in Thailand have involved foreign gangs.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/business/news/733312/atm-scam-hits-11-in-khon-kaen.

 

[JBK.Ltd.]

Woman and young son die in parked car in Bangkok

THE SUNDAY NATION October 18, 2015

The bodies of a 49-year-old woman and her five-year-old son have been submitted for autopsies after they were found dead in their car with the engine running at a restaurant parking lot in Bangkok's Lat Phrao district on Friday night.
Boonnam Dussadee rushed his wife Sutthida Sakul-eiw and son to Paolo Memorial Chaokchai 4 Hospital after he found them unconscious in the car at about 9.30pm - but they were already dead.

Boonnam ate with friends at the restaurant for about an hour while the wife and son waited in the car.

There was no sign of a struggle in the car and the bodies had no wounds, said Chokchai Police Station superintendent Colonel Chairop Junnawat yesterday.

The car in which the mother and son died will be checked to see if a malfunction caused their deaths.

 

[JBK.Ltd.]

Arrests and drug seizures in Bangkok, Rayong, Bueng Kan
THE SUNDAY NATION October 18, 2015

Narcotics Suppression Bureau raids at 32 locations nationwide resulted in 16 arrests - seven of who were youths - and the seizure of some 322,000 'yaba' pills.
Bureau chief Lt-General Rewat Klinkesorn yesterday said most of the seized drugs - some 250,000 pills - came from a raid at an apartment n Bangkok's Lat Phrao district on Friday night.

Two men aged 27 and 22 were arrested in connection with that raid.

Some 72,000 pills were seized on October 14 in Rayong's Nikhom Pattana district, with two men aged 65 and 25 arrested.

In related news, two men aged 22 and 30 were arrested and 494 kilograms of marijuana seized in a police raid in Bueng Kan's So Phisai district early yesterday morning.

 

[JBK.Ltd.]

Lat Phrao named worst property theft district

THE SUNDAY NATION October 18, 2015

Deputy police chief General Pongsapat Pongcharoen inspected crime prevention work yesterday at Lat Phrao Police Station in Bangkok after the precinct recorded the highest rate of property theft crime over the past 12 months.

From October 1 last year to September 30 it reported 701 property crimes.

That was followed by Thong Lo (575 cases); Min Buri (542 cases); Bang Khen (461 cases); Bang Na (413 cases); Tha Kham (389 cases); Bang Sue (386 cases); Bang Khun Thien (367 cases); Prawet (338 cases); and Pathumwan (343 cases).

In Bangkok there are 672 theft hotspots including Soi Lat Phrao 101, the Klongchan flats area and the Klong Saen Saeb concrete walkways.

Pongsapat said police would dispatch patrols and volunteers more often to theft hotspots and ask related agencies to install CCTV cameras and lights in those areas in a bid to reduce crime by at least 20 per cent in three months.

Citing the police chief's wish for all 1,467 precincts nationwide to serve the public better and become truly "police stations for people", he said each precinct must arrange at least four parking spaces for the public.

This would be done by turning spaces reserved for superintendents and their deputies into public spaces.

Pongsapat said each precinct should allow people to pay fines around the clock.

Meanwhile, acting Metropolitan Police Bureau chief Sanit Mahathaworn said police would launch a project called "If you don't lock your car, we will do for you" to help prevent car theft in risky areas.

He said if anyone had their vehicle locked by police while it was parked in car-theft hotspot, they could contact the responsible precinct so the vehicle could be unlocked at no charge and without being fined.

 

[Anonym]

Vilket jobb du lägger ner Jo-Be, inte för jag läser alla artiklar men ögnar i varje fall rubrikerna!

 

[Berralund]

Vilket jobb du lägger ner Jo-Be, inte för jag läser alla artiklar men ögnar i varje fall rubrikerna!

Instämmer med föregående talare!

 

[JBK.Ltd.]

Vilket jobb du lägger ner Jo-Be, inte för jag läser alla artiklar men ögnar i varje fall rubrikerna!

Här sitter man och tragglar igenom olika nyhetssidor, för att i slutänden lägga upp dessa här för er att läsa. Sen har ni mage och säga ni bara läser rubrikerna, sickna svikare!!

Näe! Ingen större fara, @Janne, tack för de uppmuntrande orden och jo, det tar lite tid att lägga upp intressanta (som jag tycker) artiklar/nyheter för er TS:are och försöka hålla er hyffsat uppdaterade om saker och ting som händer i vårt älskade LOS..

 

[JBK.Ltd.]

Khao Yai National Park
Angry elephants stop man on motorbike
October 19, 2015

http://www.nationmultimedia.com/national/Angry-elephants-stop-man-on-motorbike-30271171.html

The hottest subject among social network users on Monday was a video clip showing a herd of angry wild elephants surrounding a man on a road down form Khao Yai national park. Originally riding a motorbike, he abandoned the vehicle during the confrontation.

The motorist was seen in the video "waiing" the animals and netizens seem to think that was why he was not harmed during the confrontation.

The video, which was posted on Sunday by Khao Yai News, went viral with 278,867 people viewing it. Khao Yai News give it the title "Elephant herd attack motorbike".

The video shows three elephants walking on the road when the man arrives on his motorcycle. When one of the animals sees the man, it runs towards him and blocks him. Other elephants, including two calves, surround the man who gets off his bike and "wais" the elephants who appeared to be very angry.

However, it is believed the man survived the confrontation.

The incident took place on a road on the way down from the national park in Nakhon Ratchasima province.

The elephants' anger was said to have been caused by the sounds of vehicles, probably modified big bikes, which used the road before the illfated man.

 

[JBK.Ltd.]

Bangkok's green lung slowly being eaten away
Writer: Pratch Rujivanarom The Nation October 19, 2015

A land owner in Bang Krachao in Samut Prakan put up this sign to sell his plot. Signs like this are more frequently seen in Bang Krachao as the land price rises.

As more sell agricultural land in Bang Krachao, groups promote eco-tourism
THE AGRICULTURAL image of Samut Prakan's Bang Krachao area is set for a radical change as more lands are being sold to property developers, forcing activist groups to encourage development of the area as an eco-tourism spot so as to protect the green lung of Bangkok.

Bang Krachao, the preserved green area south of Bangkok in Samut Prakan's Phra Pradaeng district, is threatened by rapid urbanisation because of its ideal location just across the river from the capital's bustling business districts of Yan Nava, Klong Toei and Bang Na. As a result, investors sense great prospects for real estate development.

Phongsak Taewtuean, a coconut farmer and the last coconut sugar producer in the area, disclosed that his rented coconut farm had been sold to a property developer by his landlord to build an urbanised village.

"I will have to move out from this land soon, as my landlord has already sold this coconut farm for a high price. I cannot grow more coconut trees and most of the coconut farms in the area have already vanished," Phongsak said.

As the price of land in the Bang Krachao area has been increasing fast in recent years and the change in the city plan allows housing development in former green agricultural areas, many orchards have been neglected. In some places, the land was being graded to prepare for construction.

Phongsak revealed that the price of land on the main road was a minimum of Bt50,000 per four square metres and the cost of riverside land was as high as Bt1 million per rai, a steep jump from the Bt5,000 to Bt8,000 per four square metres a decade ago. As his rented land had been sold, he and his family have to move to a nearby plot. He insisted that he would carry on with coconut sugar production but he realises that it will be much harder for him to find the coconut nectar source

Jakkaphan Thruadmarakha, Big Tree Project campaigner and also a Bang Krachao local, attributed the change in the people's lifestyle and the pressure from both outside and inside for more housing development as factors behind the developments.

"Many people don't see the value of their agricultural identity and the surrounding green environment anymore, so they sell the land and live the urban life in Bangkok. This has combined with population growth in the area and the outside need for housing projects near Bangkok. Therefore, we have seen the gradual decrease in green space in Bang Krachao," Jakkaphan said.

In order to protect the green lung of Bangkok, The Centre for People and Forests, Big Trees Project, and Rak Kung Bang Krachao group have introduced community-led eco-tourism to encourage people to protect the local identity and to push Bang Krachao as an eco-friendly tourism spot.

"The project is intended to let the local people learn to use their resources to promote eco-tourism, which will not only generate more income for the people but also raise awareness among the locals to love and protect their hometown, their heritage and the green space," he said.

 

[JBK.Ltd.]

Scholarships on environment, science to get top priority
Writer: Visarut Sankham The Nation October 19, 2015 1:00 am

Recognising the need to prepare for natural disasters, the Office of the Civil Service Commission (OCSC) plans to give priority to students seeking scholarships in the fields of environment and science.

"There have been so many natural disasters recently and its a concern that needs to be addressed soon," Thanida Techachokwiwat, director of OCSC's Education and Training Abroad Centre, said last week.

She explained that priority would also be given to students seeking scholarships in law and human-resource management as these fields responded to the needs of government agencies and national strategies.

There are up to 250 scholarships up for grabs this year, including those under Royal patronage, government schemes, schemes under the Foreign Ministry as well as the One District, One Scholarship scheme.

There are also 3,923 grants for students and government officials to study and undergo training overseas under the supervision of OCSC. Thanida added that the OSCS also offers 80 full scholarships to third-year university students who wish to work with government agencies after graduation.

Information about all available scholarships will be provided at the upcoming OSCS International Education Expo 2015, to be held on November 14-15 at Siam Paragon shopping centre.

Participating will 315 leading institutions from 23 countries, including Australia, Canada, the United Kingdom, United States, Turkey, Singapore, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, the Netherlands, Malaysia, France, China, Ireland, Italy, Hong Kong and Germany.

Representatives from different institutions will provide details and advice on what's up for offer.

Thanida said that this is the first time for Turkey and the Netherlands to join the event.

The OCSC International Expo 2015 is held under the "Me and My Future Education" concept with the purpose of encouraging students to explore educational opportunities and get information on studying and living overseas.