Weekend news shorts | Bangkok Post: learning

News shorts

Three short news stories from Friday's Bangkok Post for your weekend reading.

Photo APICHART JINAKUL

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Tiger, tiger burning white

One of a pair of one-month-old white tiger cubs, the newest members of Dusit Zoo, made a pre-public appearance on Thursday before becoming the showcase of the zoo’s Children’s Day celebrations. The zoo is open to children free of charge throughout January.

cub – a young bear, lion, fox, etc  ลูกของสัตว์
appearance – an act of appearing in public การปรากฎตัว
showcase – the best qualities or parts of something จุดเด่น
celebration – a party or special event at which you celebrate something การฉลอง

Customs Department chief Prasong Poonthanes examines ivory tusks which were seized at the cargo terminal at Suvarnabhumi airport. SOMCHAI POOMLARD

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B10m in elephant tusks seized at airport

Sixty-nine elephant tusks and four smaller pieces of ivory, worth 10 million baht and smuggled from Mozambique, have been seized at Suvarnabhumi airport.

The Customs Department said yesterday the tusks were found on Wednesday at the airport in two boxes bound for Laos, although officials believe the tusks were due to be reimported to Thailand. They were declared as personal goods.

‘‘They declared that the shipment was destined for Laos to fool customs authorities but the tusks were to be returned to Thailand over the border,’’ customs chief Prasong Poonthanes told local television news.

The ivory weighed 435 kilogrammes.

No arrests have been made, another official said, as nobody had come forward to claim the shipment, which is illegal under international laws that ban the trafficking of endangered species and their products.

Wildlife experts say Thailand is a commonly used transit point for the illegal trafficking of animal parts and also a centre for the carving of ivory. AFP

tusk – either of the two long pointed teeth which stick out from the mouth of some animals such as elephants งาช้าง
ivory – the yellowish-white bone that an elephant’s tusks are made of สีงาช้าง
seize – to take something using official power ยึด
cargo – things that are being sent by ship, plane, train or truck  สินค้าที่บรรทุกและจัดส่งโดยเรือ เครื่องบินหรือรถไฟ
terminal – a building or set of buildings at an airport
smuggle – to take things or people to or from a place secretly and often illegally  ลักลอบนำเข้า
Customs Department – a government department which checks and collects taxes on goods leaving or entering the country กรมศุลกากร
bound for – going to มุ่งหน้าไป
import – to buy or bring in products from another country นำเข้า
reimport – to bring something into a country for a second after taking it out
goods – things that are produced to be sold; possessions that can be moved สินค้า, สิ่งของ
declare – to tell customs officers (= at the border of a country) the kind of goods you are carrying แจ้ง, เปิดเผย
destined – on the way to มุ่งหน้าไปทาง
fool – to trick somebody into believing something that is not true หลอกลวง, ลวงให้เข้าใจผิด
authorities – people who have the power to make decisions or enforce the law เจ้าหน้าที่ผู้มีอำนาจ
border – the official line separating two areas, regions or countries  เขตแดน อาณาเขต
arrest – (of the police) ฟารืเ someone to a police station because they are believed to have committed a crime การจับกุม
claim – to demand or ask for something because you believe it is your legal right to own or to have it  อ้างสิทธิ, ยืนยัน
illegal – against the law  ผิดกฎหมาย
ban – to say officially that people must not do, sell or use something การประกาศห้าม
trafficking – dealing in illegal goods, like drugs, weapons or in illegally moving humans from one place to another การค้าสิ่งที่ผิดกฎหมาย
endangered species – a type of animal or plant that may soon become extinct (=disappear from the world) สัตว์ป่าหรือสิ่งมีชีวิตที่ใกล้จะสูญพันธุ์
wildlife – animals, birds, insects, etc. that are wild and live in a natural environment สัตว์ป่า
transit – the act of moving something from one place to another  การส่งผ่าน
carve – to cut from something like stone, wood, or in this case, ivory   แกะสลัก

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Police say man used fake pistol to rob gun shop

A 23-year-old man has been arrested after he allegedly used a fake pistol to rob a gun shop in Bangkok’s Phra Nakhon district.

Wirat Paiphat of Klong Toey allegedly broke into Mitraphab gun shop on Treethong Road about 4pm yesterday, police said. They said Mr Wirat pointed a pistol at shop owner Weerasak Termrungruangroj, 34.

Mr Weerasak noticed the gun was fake and tried to grab the man. He and his brother, Nattanon, sustained minor injuries in the ensuing struggle.

fake – made to look like something real to trick people ปลอม
pistol – a small gun that you hold in one hand ปืนพก,ปืนสั้น
allegedly – claimed to have done something wrong, but not yet proven ที่กล่าวหา
grab – to take or hold somebody/something with your hand suddenly, firmly or roughly จับ,ฉวย,คว้า,แย่ง
sustain – to experience, injury, damage, loss, etc. ประสบกับ (ความสูญเสีย การเจ็บป่วย)
minor – not important; small; having little influence or effect เล็กน้อย
injury – physical damage done to a person or a part of their body อาการบาดเจ็บ
ensue – to happen after something else, often as a result of it ที่ตามมา
struggle – fighting somebody or trying to get away from them 

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