The Assets Scrutiny Committee (ASC), which will be wound up today, considers itself a success and said it achieved its target of tackling alleged corruption cases, despite immense political pressure during its 21 months in office. ASC chairman Nam Yimyaem said that if the ASC had to be rated, it should get eight out of 10 as it was able to conclude 14 of its 24 cases within a limited timeframe.
LPG STOCKS
Ahead of a partial float of the gas price tomorrow, Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej has complained about profiteering by hoarding liquefied petroleum gas (LPG), resulting in a shortage of retail supplies.
DRUGS
Police killed two drug traffickers in a gunfight after luring them into selling crystal methamphetamine at a forest in Mae Sai district in Chiang Rai. The two were suspected of being members of a drug gang linked with Red Wa guerrillas in Burma, which is notorious for smuggling drugs into northern Thailand.
Residents of the Wat Kanlaya community in Thon Buri yesterday kicked off a campaign to oust the temple's abbot, who has cleared many historical structures at the temple and attempted to evict tenants from temple land. The eviction plan, which is aimed at developing the landscape, has strained relations between residents and the abbot, Phra Dharma Chedi, for some time.
POLITICS
The military is sitting on its hands as a close aide of former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra tries to befriend the army chief, the People's Alliance for Democracy (PAD) claimed yesterday. PAD leader Sondhi Limthongkul said Sudarat Keyuraphan, a former Thai Rak Thai party executive with close ties to the former prime minister, was trying to get close to Pravit Wongsuwan, the retired army chief.
POLITICS
A public law expert insists the granting of an injunction against the Foreign Ministry's support for Cambodia's proposal to list Preah Vihear temple as a World Heritage site is not within the scope of the Administrative Court's authority, but the Constitution Court.
POLITICS
Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej yesterday asked the Medical Council of Thailand if it is proper for doctors-turned-politicians to diagnose House members during House sessions. He made the call after Malinee Sukvejworakij, a Democrat MP who is a doctor of medicine, told the House during the recent censure debate that Mr Samak showed symptoms of a mental deficiency and behaviour disorder.
ENVIRONMENT
PHETCHABURI : Residents in Kaeng Krachan district have protested against a move by the government to approve a new mining project near Kaeng Krachan forest, which will be proposed as a World Heritage site next month. Provincial officials are preparing to issue a mining permit to a company which wants to dig for dolomite deposits on 600 rai of land near the Kaeng Krachan national park, according to a Phetchaburi natural resource and environment conservation group.
SURAT THANI : The holders of Sor Khor 1 land rights documents for about 5,000 land plots on Samui island have been given until Feb 6, 2010, to have their documents upgraded to title deeds as authorities try to end the rise in land encroachment on the resort island. Deputy Interior Minister Sitthichai Kowsurat said Sor Khor land rights documents for about 5,000 plots of land on Samui island have not yet been verified.
DECENTRALISATION
Moves are being made to enable tambon administration organisations (TAOs) across the country to take responsibility for town planning in their jurisdictions, Somchai Choomrat, the director-general of the Civil Works and Town Planning Department, said. Mr Somchai, who was speaking to 100 TAO chiefs at a workshop on town planning, said the move is part of the government's decentralisation scheme.
EDITORIAL
The decision by North Korea to stop its nuclear weapons programme with a bang is encouraging. Blowing up the five-megawatt reactors at Yongbyon was a dramatic line separating the old, secret hermit and - one hopes - the new, outward-looking country.
COMMENTARY
It was really a bad week for the People Power party and its de facto leader, former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra. In just one week, they were dealt three crippling blows, including one which landed squarely across Mr Thaksin's face.
COMMENTARY
What a difference a day made? Sunday, June 15, provided an ominous insight to the motoring perils that Bangkok denizens are exposed to on a daily basis.
UNITED STATES
At the new Centerra Shopping Centre facing high-speed Interstate 25 highway in Loveland, Colorado, you can pick up pretty well everything you need on a Saturday afternoon: clothes at Macy's, a birthday present at Build-A-Bear, a latte at Starbucks and a new Smith & Wesson .357 Taurus at Dick's Sporting Goods... "You'll need a couple of boxes of ammunition with that, sir."
SPOTLIGHT
Members of the Assets Scrutiny Committee (ASC) say they won't bow to pressure and are determined to do their jobs until their last day in office comes to an end.
POSTBAG
Tom Hritz in his letter (''Major News Ignored'', Postbag, June 28) shows incredible arrogance about what he thinks is important news for the Bangkok Post to carry.
IN MEDIA
One of the good ideas introduced by the previous Thaksin government was the proposed creation of a Suvarnabhumi metropolis to administer the area around the new airport.
CENSURE DEBATE
Most people are satisfied with last week's censure debate and have applauded the opposition party for being informative and well-organised, according to the Suan Dusit Poll.
