Key flyover in use again – big day for water buffalos
Thai-Belgian flyover reopened
IT might help Bangkok drivers ease up traffic stress to know that the Thai-Belgian flyover near Lumpini Park in Bangkok, damaged by fire on February 28 and has undergone repair ever since, finally reopened since past Thursday.
The fire was caused by a homeless man Samran Muangkhiew’s lit cigarette tossed onto leaves near trash bins under the construction. He was arrested on March 23.
Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA) governor Pol General Aswin Kwanmuang said the bridge reopened 22 days earlier than planned and also just in time before the common school term starts mid-May.
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Top: Thai-Belgian flyover is usable again after repairs were completed. Photo: Posttoday.com
Every buffalo has his day
SPEAKING of mid-May, the coming Sunday May 14 will be the first time Thai water buffalos are to be recognized and given more importance they long deserve. The Thai cabinet resolved to declare May 14 as the Water Buffalo Conservation Day, a day to commemorate the preservation of rare buffalo species.
The inspiration came from the late HM King Bhumibol Adulyadej’s comments about setting up the Cattle Bank on May 14 decades ago. Head of Wildlife Conservation Office Kanchana Nittaya said that among measures for conservation was a plan to better care for the endemic species of wild water buffaloes, known as Bubalus bubalis.
She said only 69 Bubalus bubalis are found in Huai Kha Khaeng Wildlife Sanctuary in Thailand’s Uthai Thani province from total of around 4,000 across the whole world and efficient monitoring and surveillance for sustainable conservation needed to be planned.
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Above: The humble water buffalo shines on a special day. Photo: Thailand-painting-holidays.com
Rangae police attacker arrested
LAST Friday, chief of Naratiwat police Pol Maj Gen Manat Siksamat said that Amran Sama-ae, 19, was arrested and confessed to being a lookout for six gunmen who fired on the police morning assembly in this southern province’s Rangae district police station on March 30 which resulted in five wounded and one dead police officer.
During interrogation, Mr Amran claimed he had never joined the gang before nor received any money from Mr Suedee whom he implicated. He also said that Mr Suedee forced him to join and assigned him as a lookout.
In tears, he expressed his guilt, pointed to poverty, confessed to his misguided act and mentioned how glad he was at being caught otherwise he might be shot dead in the end. Pol Maj Gen Manat Siksamat had provided him some money and promised to take care of him.
Warrants for the 5 of the 6 remaining suspects were issued while evidence was being gathered to issue a warrant for the 6th suspect. One of the suspects is a known member of a heavily-armed group with long lists of insurgencies committed.
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Above: A policeman shoots back at the attackers in front of Rangae police station after insurgents opened fire on the morning parade on March 30. Photo: Security authorities’ CCTV
Aircraft tech education increased
BECAUSE of the growing airline industry and these increasing aircraft unable to fix themselves, the Office of the Vocational Education Commission (Ovec) has increased its aircraft maintenance training centers from two in Phuket and Chon Buri to six locations in Samut Prakan, Bangkok, Ubon Ratchathani and Khon Kaen to catch up with the growing demand for aircraft maintenance technicians in Thailand.
Ovec’s deputy secretary-general Wanich Oumsri said, “Earlier, Thailand had the capacity to train less than 100 aircraft maintenance technicians a year. But with the 4 new training centers, the number produced by Ovec can be raised to 180 per year,”
He also said that the number is still far from the ideal 500 technicians a year and another factor that is holding back the expansion is the lack of teachers in the field of aerospace engineering and he would choose to expand slowly but steadily to properly handle quality control.
Boeing, the world’s largest airplane manufacturer, estimated that air travel in the Asia Pacific will triple over the next two decades and it will generate demand for 13,000 new planes worth approximately 66. trillion baht.
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Above: More Thai aircraft technicians in future. Photo: Sanook.com
By Piboon Awasdaruharote
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