The decision was conveyed to them during a meeting with PM’s Office Minister Suwaphan Tanyuvardhana in Chiang Mai province.

“It is just a break in the battle but we will closely monitor the situation. We have high hopes that it would be a happy ending,” Teerasak Roopsuwan, coordinator of the network, said. He added that the meeting with Suwaphan reached what he described as a satisfactory result that no one would use the 45 houses and nine nearby buildings.

The network will closely monitor the government’s next moves to see whether it keeps its promises, he said.

The two-hour meeting chaired by Suwaphan agreed that a committee would be set up to look into what to do with the houses under construction.

“The public and people’s network have campaigned to have all the housing buildings demolished and the site reforested. However their wishes face difficulties with law,” he said.

Teerasak said that there would be a channel after the site is returned to the Treasury Department and the department gives it to Forestry Department to turn it into a national park.

“Forestry-related laws could possibly be applied to demolish the houses and the buildings,” he said.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha had assigned Suwaphan to travel to resolve the much-publicised feud over the presence of court officials’ houses and buildings on 147 rai of land at the foot of Doi Suthep. Several people’s networks had campaigned for their demolition, arguing that the construction had destroyed the forests to provide homes for the judges.

A series of protests were organised to vent their anger over the buildings, which were built with a budget of close to Bt1 billion.

The protesters claimed that the construction encroached on forestry-protected land but the Court of Appeals Region argued that the site was state property under the jurisdiction of the Treasury Department and the construction of the buildings had been approved by the authorities concerned.

Meanwhile, Suwaphan told reporters that the meeting resolved that no one would be allowed to use the site in question.

The Treasury Department’s Chiang Mai branch will survey and measure the site to know the location to be rehabilitated.

“The government will be responsible to find a new location and budget for the judges,” Suwaphan said.

“The 33rd Military Circle in Chiang Mai is preparing its soldiers to plant trees in the area, starting on May 27 which is Visaka Bucha Day,” he said.

Suwaphan reiterated that the Justice side had handed over the matter to the government and promised to respect and implement the government’s decision.

“After searching 259 shops at this market, we have found that 186 of them sold suspicious products,” Deputy National Police Commissioner Pol General Wirachai Songmetta said yesterday. He was speaking at the end of a search lasting several days.

Hundreds of policemen, policewomen and officials from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) joined forces to scour the market in the wake of scandals exposing that even widely-known local brands such as Magic Skin, which hired several celebrities to endorse its products, were allegedly producing substandard items.

Donmuang Modern Market became the focus of a probe because it is a large base for cosmetics distribution.

As the probe has dug deeper, the market operator has apparently fallen into bigger trouble.

Police are now planning to press five charges against the market operator. Among the charges relate to encroaching on the Prem Prachakorn Canal and modifying buildings without permission. Although the market operator has leased the large plot of land from the Treasury Department, an inspection by authorities revealed the market operator had also constructed a building that overlaps the adjacent canal.

Bancha Seubkraphan, public-works chief of the Don Muang District Office, said his office had now ordered the operator to remove the encroaching structure within 15 days.

“If the operator does not comply with our order, it will face an additional penalty for non-compliance,” he said.

Wirachai said the Anti-Money Laundering Office (Amlo) would also probe the market operator because occupying a public area for commercial purposes is an offence under the anti-money laundering law.

“Ill-gotten gains will be seized and turned into state properties. Those involved in money laundering face up to 10 years in jail,” he said.

Wirachai believed some influential figures might have been behind the market.

Pol Lt-Colonel Santhana Prayoonrat, a former deputy superintendent at the Special Branch Police Division, last week tried to prevent police from conducting an in-depth search, saying that they affected the market’s operations. He is an advisor to the market operator.

Wirachai said the market operator had leased the 18-rai plot of land from the Treasury Department for just Bt63,000 a month.

Tenants at the market have altogether paid the market operator more than Bt7.5million in monthly rents.

The Treasury Department is expected to re-examine its contract with the market operator to determine if it has engaged in any breaches.

NONG BUA LAMPHU, where many cases of a “flesh-eating disease” have been detected in recent years, has kickstarted a province-wide research project on environmental contaminants in what looks set to become a model for other provinces.

With a start-up fund of Bt1.3 million from the provincial government, researchers say the study aims to protect the health of locals from potentially harmful farm chemicals and result in an overall better local environment.

Researchers from Naresuan University will start gathering soil and water samples before the end of this month in collaboration with several other universities, including Suranaree University of Technology.

“All government units in the province will join this research,” said Nong Bua Lamphu governor Thanakorn Ungjitpaisan. “We are set to dig deep into the causes of people’s health problems.”

The research project, which is often referred to as the “Nong Bua Lamphu model”, is being launched because a 2017 research report hinted at a possible link between health problems and leftover farm chemicals.

“I hope this full-scale research will become a model for other northeastern provinces that have plenty of sugarcane plantations. Such farms usually use a quite high amount of chemicals,” Thanakorn said.

The governor said he did not want people to be panicked but rather become well aware of possible dangers from farm chemicals. He believes that awareness will guide people towards the right, healthy path.

The story of the scare over a flesh-eating disease in Nong Bua Lamphu began years ago.

In Nong Bua Lamphu, 213 cases of necrotising fasciitis and 2,468 cases of cellulitis have been detected each year between 2013 and 2017.

At Nong Bua Lamphu Hospital in this northeastern province, about 120 people have been diagnosed with necrotising fasciitis, or the flesh-eating disease, each year since 2014. The disease causes deaths and amputations in severe cases. Patients reported long-time exposure to water in public water sources and paddy fields.

Worried about these cases, the Nong Bua Lamphu public-health office commissioned research on farm-chemical leftovers in the local environment. The research was conducted last year, with Tambon Boontan in the province’s Suwannakhuha district chosen as the target area.

There are about 14,437 rai (2,310 hectares) of farmland in Tambon Boontan. Of that, 9,000 rai are rubber plantations, 2,345 rai are sugarcane plantations, and 1,424 rai are planted in cassava. Most-used chemicals are Ametrine (10,540 litres per year), Glyphosate (5,012 litres per year) and Paraquat (4,486 litres per year).

Paraquat focus of attention

Paraquat has posed concerns because local farmers were found to have used over-concentrated paraquat mixtures, four times higher than the recommended amount, in sugarcane plantations.

At least 10 people in Tambon Boontan have suffered from chronic necrotising fasciitis.

“The 2017 research has led to the Nong Bua Lamphu model,” said research head Associate Professor Puangrat Kajitvichyanukul from Naresuan University.

After heading the 2017 research, she has now taken a leading role in the upcoming environmental research for the whole province.

“This time, several universities will join the research team,” Puangrat said.

The overall team will include teams from Naresuan University, Suranaree University of Technology, Rajamangala University of Technology Isan, Silpakorn University, Khon Kaen University and Mahidol University.

“We will start the research with the Bt1.3 million budget from the Nong Bua Lamphu provincial government. But later on, we will seek funding from the National Research Council of Thailand,” Puangrat said. “Our research project will be really comprehensive.”

According to Puangrat, the team from Naresuan University will be in charge of science, environment and technology aspects and Mahidol University will help with medicine-related issues.

In addition to studying environmental contaminants, researchers will look into land use, address zoning and assess the need to designate buffer zones.

“In Nong Bua Lamphu, farmland is not far away from residential zones. They lie along houses, temples, and health stations,” Puangrat noted.

Leftover chemicals

She hoped that with the research, technological solutions would also be introduced to remove leftover chemicals from the water destined for tap-water services.

“In the end, we will not focus just on the flesh-eating diseases but also all other health issues and quality of life,” Puangrat said.

In regard to social communications and policies, she said the Khon Kaen and Silpakorn universities would take a leading role.

“They will communicate with locals to create a good understanding,” she said.

Puangrat said in the final analysis, she hoped that the research would create sustainable solutions for people.

“We will also collaborate closely with local government agencies so that after the end of the research, they will know what to do when problems arise and how to solve them,” she said.

Although her 2017 research has sparked serious debate over whether to ban paraquat in Thailand as many other countries have done, Puangrat said her aim was to inform the public and recommend solutions.

“When people know about problems, they will be naturally keen to embrace solutions,” Puangrat said. “My upcoming research will present organic farming, eventually.”

According to the Nong Bua Lamphu governor, the use of farm chemicals had reduced

since local farmers in Tambon Boontan had learned about the high concentration of paraquat residues in the local environment.

Brahmin priests and elephant masters will perform the rituals.

Located in Ayutthaya’s Muang district, the Ayutthaya Elephant Palace & Royal Kraal is a tourist attraction and was a shooting location for the hugely-popular TV series, BuppeSanNivas, which ended last month.

Arunsak Kingmanee, who heads the Fine Arts Office for Ayutthaya, said this site was where elephant-catching shows were staged in the old days.

“Elephants were hugely important animals in the past. They were vessels for royals and aristocrats,” he said. “They were also military tanks in battle.”

Ayutthaya Elephant Palace & Royal Kraal’s manager Ittipan Khaolamai said today’s rituals must be held in line with ancient science to ask permission from sacred beings to start the renovation or development efforts.

Following the renovation, relevant authorities will increase promotion of the Ayutthaya Elephant Palace & Royal Kraal among tourists.

“I will re-assemble the house and keep it in its original condition. It will exhibit antiques and serve as a learning centre,” Praiyada Suthongsa, the owner of Saban-nga Resort in Loei’s Phu Rua district, said on Saturday.

The old home is worth the efforts to conserve it.

It was built in 1893, a time when areas of current-day Laos were a part of Siam.

Made of quality Burmese Sal wood, it is a two-storey house. The first floor features a hall and one bedroom. The second floor has two bedrooms and a hall.

“Inside the house, I have also found an old wooden wardrobe,” said Praiyada. “It must be over 100 years old. It is engraved with the national flag of Thailand.”

According to her, a teacher by the name of Mek built the house.

“I’ve heard it was constructed on October 3. That’s my birthday. So, I am truly inspired to conserve this house,” said Praiyada, who loves antiques.

She bought the house for Bt100,000 last year and is now going ahead with its relocation.

“In one area, rabies infection was confirmed in the case of a pig and in another area, rabies was found to have infected a cat,” he added, advising animal owners to quickly clean the wound if their animals suffered dog bites.

“Following the cleaning, take it to the vet and monitor it for at least 10 days,” he said.

Livestock Development Department’s acting director general Soravit Thanito confirmed that a crossbreed animal, born from a boar and a pig, died of rabies on April 13 in Muang district.

“Its owner said a stray dog bit it in the neck before it succumbed,” Soravit said.

He said detailed test showed the five-month-old crossbreed was infected with rabies.

The owner does not have any other pigs.

“No one has seen that stray dog. But there’s no report that it bit other victims,” Soravit said.

Following the death of the crossbreed pig, authorities vaccinated all dogs and cats within a kilometre radius.

The goal of this collaboration is to create students that have the skills and potential desired by industry, along with creating an education system which matches curriculum to the demands of industry.

The result is expected to decrease the unemployment rate among students. By using the “Sattahip Model,” students will also increase their skill sets and be equipped to keep up with technological advancements.

The MoU between the four players represents an earnest intention to mutually create a new breed of students with the skills to fit with what the 10 targeted industries have demanded, said Kanit Sangsubhan, secretary-general of the Eastern Economic Corridor Office of Thailand.

The MoU covers four issues. The first is collaboration between the four parties in pushing forward the centres of education and higher education, and the EEC electing research faculty to serve as EEC personnel. Second is the collaboration between the Office of the Vocational Education Commission, Office of the Higher Education Commission, and the Board of Investment of Thailand (BOI) in modifying the education system and creating short-course training for both students and instructors. Third is collaboration between the Office of the Vocational Education Commission, Education Centre, and BOI in using the Sattahip Model to create students who would fit with what the industries have demanded. And fourth is collaboration between the EEC and BOI over private sector investment and participation in student development.

More than 25,000 people queued up for the herbal capsules, produced based on the formula of Mor Saeng or Saengchai Haelerttrakul.

Saengchai has never received formal training as a physician but he is referred to as “Mor”, which means a doctor, because of the herbal concoction he hands out for free with claims that it can help cancer patients.

Among the crowds in the queue this weekend were national artist Naowarat Pongpaiboon and famous drama director Phairat Sangworibut.

“I have been under stress for many days as my herbal concoction has been attacked,” Saengchai said, “I am worried for patients who have put their hope in my herbal solutions.”

He claims to have handed out about 200,000 herbal capsules each time.

From May 5 to May 6, 25,614 people queued up in Prachin Buri province for the herbal capsules of Mor Saeng. Of them, 1,644 were first-timers. The rest were those had relied on the herbal capsules for a long time.

Saengchai is preparing to hand out free capsules again on May 20.