In Thailand English-language News for September 25, 2017, Newsline presenter Cholaphansa Narula tells us about:
00:00 | A replica of the royal crematorium being constructed at Wat Siri Chanthanimit Worawihan in the capital district of Lopburi Province is now 70 per cent complete, with artisans now painting and decorating it. Meanwhile, volunteers in Nakhon Pathom Province have made 700 sandalwood flowers for use during the royal cremation ceremony of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej.
01:35 | Five villages in Tambon Nadee, Muang District of Surin Province have made use of a Bt2.5 million (about US$75,597) budget allocation under the Project 9101 programme aimed at restoring agricultural initiatives in honour of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, by growing organic vegetables and manufacturing organic fertilizer, with the initiative creating jobs and and generating income in the community.
02:39 | A mass ordination ceremony has been held in memory of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej at Wat Rai Khing in Nakhon Pathom Province. Deputy Prime Minister, Air Chief Marshall Prajin Junthong, gave a full set of Buddhist monk’s robes to each of some 65 novices, who will stay in the monkhood until October 4.
03:37 | Spokesperson for the Office of the Prime Minister (OPM), Lieutenant General Sunsern Kaewkumnerd, reported yesterday that Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha has ordered the arrest of a senior police officer who allegedly masterminded the flight of former prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra ahead of a court verdict relating to her alleged malfeasance in the so-called ‘rice pledging scheme’ case. In addition, the PM instructed related agencies to investigate the corruption scandal surrounding several Buddhist temples, instructing those involved to conduct their investigations with absolute transparency.
04:58 | Deputy government spokesperson, Lieutenant General Werachon Sukondhapatipak, said yesterday that Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha will visit the White House in October, attributing the delay to the on-going United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) meeting. Meanwhile, in response to the call by Myanmar State Counselor, Aung San Suu Kyi for the world community to help resolve the Rohingya crisis, he said that Thailand will not intervene in other nations’ internal affairs, but will abide by the framework and treaties of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean).
06:02 | National Legislative Assembly (NLA) President, Pornpetch Wichitcholchai, said yesterday that legislators have been asked to study the draft organic members of parliament act and the draft organic members of the senate act ahead of their tabling in December. He said that deliberations and the vetting process will be completed within 60 days before the two acts will be passed into law. Once the ten organic laws have been passed the Election Commission will have 150 days to stage a general election.
07:13 | The Faculty of Medicine at Siriraj Hospital, Trat Hospital, and Khon Kaen University are just three organisations who took part in celebrations to mark Mahidol day on October 24th to commemorate the life’s work and death of Prince Mahidol of Songkla, regarded as the father of medicine in Thailand.
11:05 | The National Research Council of Thailand (NRCT) has highlighted its latest technologies and innovations derived from studies at an event in Bangkok. According to the NRCT, while more than 300,000 studies have been conducted in Thailand – with the academic sector accounting for about 40 per cent – only about 5 per cent of the findings have been implemented
12:06 | The Electricity Generating Authority of Thailand (EGAT) has commenced a third round of public forums regarding the proposed enhancement of a coal-fired power station in Lampang Province. More than 2,000 people who may be affected by the propossal to increase the generating capacity of Units 4-7 of the Mae Moh Power Plant from 600 to 655 megawatts attended. The forum will run until October 8th, after which the results will be incorporated in an Environmental Health Impact Assessment (EHIA) Report for submission to the Office of Natural Resources and Environmental Policy and Planning (ONEP).
13:27 | Traffic Police Division chief, Police Major General Jirasan Kaewsaengake, said that a pilot programme currently being trialled allows traffic violators to avoid paying their fines by attending a one-hour training course on traffic regulations. The courses are held on Saturday’s between 10am and 11am, with the programme running through until the end of the year.
14:18 |Â A road safety campaign by Chanthaburi Highway police on Saturday saw officers handing out crash helmets to helmet-less motorbike riders instead of tickets. The campaign was aimed at reducing the number of road fatalities and to encourage riders to obey road rules.
15:12 | The Meteorological Department has warned that persistent heavy rains across the kingdom may trigger flash floods. Meanwhile, the Governor of Kalasin Province, Suwit Kamdee, has led a team of aid workers to distribute rice to 1,450 households affected by the release of water from Lam Pao Dam.
16:45 | The Royal Irrigation Department (RID) has instructed local irrigation projects to divert water into natural water catchment areas of the Chao Phraya river basin (‘monkey cheeks’) until the dry season to enable a second round of rice cultivation.
18:09 | Tourism revenue of Bt1.65 trillion ($49.9 billion) has seen Thailand placed third by the United Nations’ World Tourism Organization (UNWTO) for the 2016-2017 year. The 16.9 per cent year-on-year (YoY) revenue increase came from a record 32.6 million visitors over the 12 months, an 8.9 per cent YoY rise, resulting in Thailand being ranked ninth globally in terms of inbound tourist arrivals.
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Newsline is a daily Thailand English-language news and current affairs programme produced by the National News Bureau of Thailand (NNBT) under the Thailand Government Public Relations Department (PRD) for *NBT World, the NNBTs 24/7 English language television service delivering Thailand government news and information to the Thai, Asean, and wider Asian communities via cable and satellite. It is also available via android and iOS apps. AEC News Today publishes Thailand English-language News M-F. Â