Garbage dump near temple and tourists hurt in zipline ride
Beautiful temple tainted with illegal dump site
WAT Pha Sorn Kaew, a popular attraction in Campson subdistrict, Khao Kho district, Phetchabun province famous for its uniquely beautiful pagoda and constructions has recently added one more challenge to tackle beside the traffic problems during this holiday season, the garbage.
Complaints were made by tourists about the bad smell from illegal garbage dump site found on a plot near the famous Buddhist temple. Many black plastic bags with garbage inside, many torn apart, scattering the eyesore appearance, spreading the foul smell and attracting increasing numbers of flies.
The location of the dump site is above the watercourse which is the origin of Nam Chun irrigation network. There were also reports of nearby shops discharging untreated waste water into the watercourse.
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Top: The illegal garbage dump site near Phetchabun’s Wat Pha Sorn Kaew. Photo: www.matichon.co.th
Three foreign tourists hurt in zipline accident
AN accident happened while three Israeli tourists, a seven-year-old boy included, were using a zipline service in Mae Kampong village, Hua Kaew sub-district, Mae On district, Chiang Mai province.
For a still unclear reason they collide into the back of one another while gliding along the zipline, causing them to fall from the supposedly secured safety equipment to the ground. After they were rushed to the hospital, the two adults had to stay over while the boy was treated for shoulder injuries and discharged.
Flight of the Gibbon Co, the zipline operator which also operates in Chon Buri, Koh Phangan (Surat Thani) and Siem Reap (Cambodia) has its Chiang Mai facility operation suspended by the authorities for further investigation
On October 11 last year, Flying Squirrels, another zipline operator, also had a female Chinese tourist fall to her death.
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First inset: Tourists getting ready for a zipline ride. Photo: www.treetopasia.com
Government to draw more foreign investment
AFTER easing up regulations for foreign investment in commercial banks, representative offices of foreign banks, and life and non-life insurance earlier this year, the government is now planning to loosen up more.
Using the type of industries that the Board of Investment (BOI) aims to attract as a reference, Banjongjitt Angsusingh, director–general of the Business Development Department, said authorities are studying the possibility of loosen up more of the Foreign Business Act (FBA) which requires foreign companies to apply for and obtain a foreign business license before commencing any business activities.
Regulations related to innovation, digital economy and advanced technology are to be considered as well in conjunction with government’s investment promotion under the Thailand 4.0 economic development model.
The exact details on which business sector will open a wider door to foreign investment are to be release early next year.
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Second inset: Business Development Department boss Banjongjitt says the government is moving to further ease up foreign investment rules. Photo: www.tnamcot.com
Country’s tallest sightseeing tower
Amid the country’s current financial depression, the Finance Ministry is planning to spend around 4 billion baht to build a 459-meter-tall sightseeing tower by Chao Phraya River as a public-private partnership project by letting the Treasury Department study the plan’s implementation.
Solving education woes in five years
NEW Education Minister Teerakiat Jareonsettasin said past Tuesday that he will completely adhere to the His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn’s suggestion to follow in his father’s (the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej) footsteps on education development and he thought it should take no more than five years.
He also said that the regional offices of the Office of the Basic Education Commission (Obec) has already received his policies and guidelines to find solutions to the most pressing education problems which, according to him, are the long-term shortage of teachers and instructional materials or teaching aids.
The five-year plan will not interfere with or change other policies by the former minister such as class hour reduction, promoting vocational education, or improving English competencies, only to improve them without immediate change. Serious legal measures will also be considered to tackle corruption in the ministry as well.
Apart from the five-year plans, the ministry will also have a short plan (one year) with both rhyming with the 20-year national strategy consisting of six areas — security, competitiveness enhancement, human resource development, social equality, green growth and rebalancing and public sector development.
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Below: New Education Minister Teerakiat has a five-year target. Photo: www.moe.go.th
By Piboon Awasdaruharote
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