INTRODUCTION
Short and to the point
If you are ever in a big hurry to get the day's main news, just turn to the back page of the front-section of the Bangkok Post. There, from Monday to Saturday, you will find a summary of the main home, international, business and sports news. In addition, there is a weather report, a "quote of the day" and a short piece of news from the Bangkok Post of 40 years ago.
This week I want to introduce you to the news summaries. Unlike many other newspapers, the Bangkok Post uses true summaries. They are specially written to give you the best possible introduction to the complete story. In other newspapers, the "summaries" are often just a copy of the first one or two paragraphs of the actual stories.
The summaries in the Bangkok Post are the responsibility of Alan Dawson, one of our most experienced journalists. Alan, you will quickly notice, has a good sense of humour and this is often reflected in his writing. Let's look at an example of his work.
Below I have included both Alan's summary and the complete story as it appeared in the Bangkok Post. Notice how well he was able to condense the stories into a title and a single paragraph while adding a touch of humour along the way.
Summary
Off to the races
Samak Sundaravey is training his considerable vocal guns on the Royal Turf Club. He says it is a major vice den, a gigantic gambling den. The Crown Property Bureau is considering whether to renew the lease on the RTC. Mr Samak says it should be turned into a public park, and horse racing should be banished to Chachoengsao.
Story
End to horse racing sought
Mongkol Bangprapa
The Prachakorn Thai leader is seeking an end to horse racing at the Royal Turf Club in Nang Lerng, which he called a "major den of vice."
Samak Sundaravej said he would ask the Crown Property Bureau, which owns the land on which the course is located, not to renew the lease contract, due to expire next month, with the RTC.
Mr Samak added the compound should be turned into a public park.
He said the RTC committee, of which Interior Minister Sanan Kachornprasart is a member, was lobbying hard for the contract renewal since horse races, held only on Sundays, yielded a huge profit of at least 700,000 baht each week.
The outspoken opposition MP described the RTC as "a gigantic gambling den where crime is rampant".
"I have never seen anyone come out [of the place] rich," he added.
Mr Samak estimated a cash circulation of about 110 million baht inside the RTC each week.
He suggested the race course be relocated to Bang Nam Priew district in Chachoengsao, about 50 km east of Bangkok.
He also challenged Prime Minister Chuan Leekpai to a television debate if the government wants to keep the club where it is.
| training | aiming |
| vocal guns | ability to speak against something |
| vice den | a place where criminal activities (e.g., gambling, prostitution, etc.) occur |
| lease | a rental agreement |
banished | sent away (usu. as a punishment) |
| expire | to come to an end |
rampant | out of control; widespread |
Building an important skill
The ability to summarise effectively is an extremely important skill and I'm going to give you an opportunity to get some practice in this lesson. Instead of beginning with the summaries, we are going to begin with the stories and then try to write our own summaries. You will have a chance to see how Alan Dawson summarised each story, but make sure you try your own summary first.
Here is how I suggest you do this activity. Begin by reading and understanding the story. Then decide which points in the story are the most important, i.e., which points need to be included in your summary. Look through the whole story, not just the opening paragraphs. Then write your title and your summary. Try to limit the summary to one paragraph. If it gets too long, cut the least essential information.
When you are finished, look at Alan's summary. Don't consider his version to be the "right answer", however, since there are many ways of writing summaries. Yours may be perfectly acceptable.
OUR STORIES FROM THE BANGKOK POST
Slump leads to better air quality
The slump has produced at least one benefit for Bangkok residents -- the air is cleaner because there are fewer dust particles and exhaust fume emissions.
According to the Pollution Control Department, reduced construction activity has cut the amount of dust in the air which is below standard in residential areas.
Automobile emissions, although they remain twice as high as the acceptable standard, have improved considerably compared to two years ago when the emissions were seven times higher.
However, Bangkok residents are still at risk from increasing ozone in the atmosphere in the past two years.
Although the ozone layer in the stratosphere protects the Earth from dangerous ultraviolet radiation, ozone in the lower atmosphere poses a health hazard.
Ozone content in the atmosphere above Bangkok has been measured at between 0.25 and 0.28 milligramme per cubic metre of air compared to the acceptable standard at 0.2 mg/cubic metre, according to Sirithan Pairojboriboon, director-general of pollution control department.
He said the situation would deteriorate in summer, particularly in the northern part of Bangkok which is downwind.
Vehicle emissions containing hydrocarbons as well as nitrogenoxide from fuel burning react under heat and release ozone into the atmosphere.
Mr Sirithan said controlling hydrocarbon emissions, benzine vapour from tanks and petrol stations can reduce ozone in the lower atmosphere.
| slump | a weak economy |
| exhaust fume emissions | waste gases |
| hazard | danger |
deteriorate | to get worse |
![[elephants on dock]](jumbos.jpg)
Fanfare greets jumbos' return
Atthaya Chuenniran
Phuket
Five Thai elephants, stranded for about a year in Indonesia, returned home yesterday to a warm welcome and a huge feast.
Also arriving were 16 recently-released fishermen, veterinarians and mahouts.
After about 30 hours voyage from the port of Medan in southern Indonesia, the Sindhu Phuket freighter arrived at Phuket deep-sea port in Ao Makham shortly after midnight.
On hand at the port to receive the animals were Wattana Muangsuk, secretary of the minister of PM's office, Phuket MP Anchalee Theppabutr, Padet Insang, the provincial governor and representatives of several tour companies and conservationist groups.
"Welcome home to Thailand for our elephants" screamed a huge welcoming banner at the port.
A huge crane was employed to lift the five elephants, one after the other, out of the ship and onto the port yard.
The five beasts, namely Sakbai, Paichit, Uthen, Yunee and Kwan Muang were each given a lei which was hung on its neck. Their mahouts, too, were also given the lei.
Then came the feasting time. The animals feasted on banana, sugarcane and pineapple until they were full, after which they were taken for a bath.
The five elephants and a sixth, Sinual, which died in Indonesia, were sent there under a contract that the animals and their mahouts would help train their Indonesian counterparts to catch wild elephants. The idea failed when Indonesia was hit by the economic crisis and the mahouts were sent home, leaving behind the animals.
Padet Insawang, the provincial governor, said the elephants would be given a check-up before they were trucked home to Surin province. Kwan Muang, in particular, will receive medical treatment for wounds to its head which will take a month.
| counterparts | people in another organisation, country, etc. who have the same job |
| wounds | injuries |
Air crash boy may survive cancer
Sirikul Bunnag
![[Apichart]](apichart.jpg)
The boy who helped save other passengers in the Thai Airways crash in Surat Thani last year stands a good chance of surviving cancer, said a German specialist.
Apichart Petcharat, seven, may be cured of intestinal cancer if he goes to Germany for a new treatment programme, said Dr Gerein Valentin, of the University Children's Hospital in Hummensbach.
Dr Valentin is here to examine the cancer which is in the final stage and has spread to the brain.
In Germany, Apichart will be treated with a programme that involves Methotrexet, a powerful drug that can fight the disease in the brain, said Dr Valentin.
Apichart, or Nong Arm, is suffering from the B-Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma type of cancer.
Methotrexet is not available in Thailand and the drug has several side-effects, said the specialist. Cancer patients who use this formula must receive other medication to prevent side-effects.
Apichart should receive treatment as soon as possible, he said. The new programme will take at least six months.
According to Dr Valentin, Apichart only underwent chemotherapy because his family was opposed to radiation therapy.
Somjai Kanjanapongkul, who is in charge of Apichart's case at the Children's Hospital, expressed hope for the young patient.
"He has a very slim chance of being cured here. The cancer has gone into the final stage and less than 30 per cent of patients in this stage live longer than two years.
"I believe if he is treated in Germany, he stands a good chance of living longer or even being cured. They have medication we don't have and alternatives to cure cancer such as bone marrow transplants," she said.
Apichart's family has reportedly agreed to send the boy to Germany. He would be accompanied by his aunt and a doctor from Children's Hospital who will act as a co-ordinator.
All expenses will be covered by German Parent Organisation of Children With Cancer.
The charity offered to provide the boy with free treatment after learning of his heroic action in helping rescue passengers in the plane crash in December.
Apichart pulled his aunt from the wreckage, ran to find rescuers and helped them locate his parents and other passengers. However, his father was killed and his mother seriously injured.
They were returning to Surat Thani after he spent 13 days in Children's Hospital undergoing chemotherapy for his cancer.
| side-effects | unplanned, usu. unpleasant results of a course of action |
| chemotherapy | treatment of diseases using chemical |
| therapy | treatment of a disease or injury |
| bone marrow | the soft fatty tissue in the centre of a bone |
| transplant | a procedure which take a body part from one person to put into another person |
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FOLLOW-UP
Alan's summaries
As promised, here are Alan's summaries for the three stories. Do you agree with his choice of points to cover?
Breathe deeply
Pollution experts say there has been one good thing to come out of the recession - people's lungs are having a breather. The Pollution Control Department says less building work means dust levels are now below normal safe standards. Fewer vehicles has also brought down exhaust fume levels. They are still above safety levels, but not seven times over, as they were two years ago.
Home at last
Five elephants stuck in Indonesia for a year without their mahouts were treated to a feast on their return to Thailand yesterday. Sakbai, Paichit, Uten, Yunee and Kwan Muang, who were sent to Indonesia on a training mission that went wrong, came home aboard the freighter Sindu Phuket after a 30-hour voyage from Medan.
Arm's fight
A German cancer specialist says the 7-year-old hero of last month's Surat Thani air crash may win his fight against intestinal cancer. Apichart Petcharat, known as Nong Arm, helped passengers out of the crashed Thai Airbus. The doctor says the boy needs a powerful drug and six months of treatment to beat the cancer.
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Teacher’s Note
This week I have prepared what I hope will become another "template" for you to use in using the Bangkok Post for your class. A template, of course, is a type of pattern that you can copy. In this case, you can use exactly the same lesson, but with stories that you choose yourself.
I suggest, however, you begin by using the stories I have chosen because I think they are particularly good for helping your students build skills in summary writing. Once again, the activity would be very good for group work.
Don't expect your students to write perfect summaries from just this single lesson. This is an advanced skill and can be difficult even for native speakers. Notice that I have suggested several steps for your students to follow: 1) reading and understanding, 2) selecting the main points, and 3) writing the summary. If this is your first attempt to teach summary writing, I would stress the first two steps. The actual writing is just a bonus.
•This lesson was prepared by Acharn Terry Fredrickson, BA Stanford, MA (TESL) University of Minnesota, Manager of the Educational Services Department at the Bangkok Post and general editor of this programme.
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Winner
of PANPA Award for Excellence
