NLA to debate 'strategy' body bill
politics: The National Legislative Assembly yesterday accepted for deliberation a bill on the establishment of an economic and social development council which will replace the current National Economic and Social Development Board.
The bill's scrutiny was approved by a unanimous vote of 179. A vetting committee has been set up to look into the bill, which was proposed by the government.
Under the bill, the council would comprise one chairman and 15 members, including the finance permanent secretary, the secretary-general of the Council of State, the secretary-general of the Civil Service Commission, the secretary-general of the Public Sector Development Commission, the director of the Budget Bureau and the Bank of Thailand governor.
The council's main tasks would include laying down frameworks for economic and social development in line with the 20-year national strategy.
Waste disposal steps up a gear
Environment: An additional 3,815 hazardous waste disposal areas have been designated across Bangkok to improve waste separation in a bid to reduce adverse effects on people's health and the environment.
Pollution Control Department chief Sunee Piyapanpong said yesterday the measure focused on five types of toxic waste: mobile phones, their batteries, dry cells, fluorescent lamps and chemical contaminated containers such as aerosol cans.
The measure comes under a state hazardous waste separation project supported by both public and private sectors including grocery stores and shopping malls. Ms Sunee said Bangkok alone produces 29 tonnes of hazardous waste a day. Most is thrown away with general garbage and piles are burnt, resulting in air pollution.
Court wants share info from Don
Charter: The Constitutional Court has told Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai to clarify his wife's shareholdings by Aug 7 so it can decide whether he can remain in office.
There are suspicions the amount of shares she owns may violate the 2017 charter.
Undeterred by pressure on him to resign, the minister earlier clarified the issue with the Election Commission which brought the case to the court. However, the judges want to hear directly from him before handing down a ruling.
The EC found his wife held more than 5% of shares in a family company which Mr Don failed to declare in their joint statement of assets and liabilities when he took office. This is viewed by the election watchdog as being in contravention of the 2017 charter, but a court ruling is needed because Mr Don took office before it was promulgated on April 6 of last year.
Ratchayothin work ahead of schedule
CITY: Construction of the underpass at Ratchayothin intersection is expected to be completed and handed over to City Hall on Oct 31, Deputy Bangkok governor Chakkaphan Phewngam says. The underpass is likely to be finished three months early, he said.
It is being built as part of a contract to construct the BTS Green Line electric train project. The underpass crosses under the rail link at the busy Ratchayothin intersection.
In the opposite direction, a flyover on Phahon Yothin Road passing over the intersection, as well as the nearby Kaset overpass, are expected to be opened no later than December, according to the deputy governor.
Teacher in soup for pet neglect
Nakhon Sri Thammarat: The provincial livestock office is filing legal action against a teacher for leaving behind pet dogs and cats, some of which have died, in a townhouse in Muang district.
The office and the Muang district municipality were alerted by a Facebook user named Thanyaporn Wichian who claimed to be living nearby and couldn't put up with the noise and smell. Officials later found three cats in poor health locked up in a kennel. They also stumbled on two seriously ill dogs and two dead cats.
Thanawat Pansanit, head of the provincial livestock office, said the office is filing an animal cruelty complaint against the former home owner.