Some 1,230 people responded to the survey, conducted by Super Poll between December 18 to 23, on the recent Cabinet reshuffle and public confidence and concerns. More than 60 per cent acknowledged the reshuffle that took place last week.

Some 68 per cent said they had confidence in the new ministers but almost 80 per cent were worried that civil servants would be inactive despite the reshuffle, and focusing more on the upcoming election.

Nearly 70 per cent said education was a pressing issue needing an immediate reforms. The second most pressing issue was the price of agricultural products. Some 61 per cent of people surveyed said the state should help reduce costs for farm producers.

The exhibition will be held at Sanam Luang, and feature the late King’s royal works and some of his personal items.

PM’s Office Minister Ormsin Chivapruck, secretary of the command centre monitoring the mourning period for the late King, revealed yesterday that Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha would issue the invitation to the new King.

Since the passing of the late King, a huge number of people dressed in black have flocked to Sanam Luang each day to queue for the opportunity to pay their respects to him and lay prostrate before his body in the Dusit Maha Prasat Throne Hall at the Grand Palace.

Tomorrow, a biking event in tribute to the late King will start at 6am. According to the government’s Public Relations Department, the bike route stretches from the Provincial Electricity Authority headquarters in Chatuchak to Ngam Wong Wan Road, through Pongpetch Intersection, Tao Poon T-junction, Saphan Sung, Rama V Road, the Chitralada Royal Villa compound, Wat Benchamabophit Intersection, the Equestrian Statue of King Rama V, Rajdamnoen Avenue and the Phan Phiphop Lila Intersection, before ending at Thammasat University’s Tha Prachan campus.

On the same day, the 6th Thailand International Half Marathon will take place from 4-8am. Around 4,500 runners are expected to fill the route between Rama VII Bridge and Elevated Borommaratchahonnani Road.

The public are encouraged to avoid these routes as traffic will be blocked from entering them when these events are held.For more details, call the 1197 hotline.

THE Prime Minister has given more than 1,300 people in Nan the right to live in forestland in an effort to encourage people to live harmoniously with nature and tackle deforestation.

Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha visited Ban Nam Pak in Tha Wang Pha district yesterday to host a land-use permission ceremony for people who live in the preserved forest.

In total, some 1,358 people were given the right to live on 15,055 rai of the forest. They are expected to make a living by using the resources from their land according to HM King Rama IX’s initiative, without destroying more forest.

Prayut said he was glad to visit Nan and help relieve the burden of people who did not have their own land to make a living and tackle deforestation and forestland encroachment, which have been chronic problems for more than 10 years.

“The land-use permission for the people in five areas in Nan will associate with the land management method ‘planting three types of forest, getting back four benefits’, which was initiated by HM King Rama IX, in order to let people live sustainably with the forest and decrease deforestation by 90 per cent within the next 20 years,” Prayut said.

“Moreover, the cooperation between the state, entrepreneurs and people will move the country forward.”

Local governor to oversee project

Permission to use the forestland was given by Natural Resources and Environment Minister General

Surasak Karnjanarat to Nan provincial governor Paisal Wimonrat. The governor will give the landuse permission to people in the project.

The forestland that will be given to people is in five areas – Tha Wang Pha district, Ban Luang district, Song Khwae district, Na Noi district, and Chiang Klang district.After the ceremony, Prayut went to Phuka Pasak Mansion to meet

Kasikorn Bank chairman and CEO Banthoon Lamsam and Dr Boonyong Wongrakmit and discussed the deforestation problem in Nan.

He said later that he was glad a big entrepreneur like Banthoon was taking part in the government’s effort to tackle the deforestation problem in Nan. He said that from the discussion he saw that if farmers do not have knowledge, they cannot be innovative, so the main task was to educate the people to help the country move forward.

And the affiliated party of an offending member must pay a fine of up to twice the amount the member received while

the leader of the party and its board members face revocation of their electoral rights, CDC spokesman Udom Rathamarit said.

The new stipulation is an additional clause to the recently introduced rule requiring parties to declare MPs’ salaries to

boost transparency among political parties.Udom also said drafters had revised provisional clauses of the law so parties could better adapt to the new changes.

In the new revision, political parties have to report to the Election Commission changes in their membership numbers within 30 days. Previously, it was required that parties report only the number of current members, the spokesman said.

With regard to verification of active members, the CDC extended the period members had to pay their first membership fee of at least Bt50 from 150 to 180 days, he said.The permanent clause still stipulates that they must pay a Bt100 membership fee in the following years.

Parties with less than 500 members, should make up the shortfall and have everyone pay the fee, he said. If they don’t, they would be ineligible to field candidates in a poll, he said.

Combined with 158 previously filed charges, the total number now stands at 173 cases, most of which

were for buildings erected without permission.

The temple claims structures in its vast compound were for religious purposes and were thus exempt from having to seek permission under the Building Act.Yesterday afternoon a handful of Muang Tha Khlong Municipality officials put up notices saying

“Criminal evidence: do not use, move or damage” at the temple’s buildings, while temple lawyer Thatchanon Pornbaiyok and disciples looked on.Many police complaints have been filed against the controversial temple recently as the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) and police were ready to carry out a search to arrest its fugitive former

abbot Phra Dhammachayo.

The monk is wanted on charges of money laundering and receiving stolen items, linked to an embezzlement case involving the Klongchan Credit Union Cooperative, as well as a separate land encroachment case in Nakhon Ratchasima.

DSI chief Pol Colonel Paisit Wongmuang said that the agency continued to analyse the situation as new Justice Minister Suwaphan Tanyuvardhana had given a clear direction for the DSI to enforce the law strictly.

However, the DSI wanted the National Office of Buddhism (NOB) and administrative monks to step forward and take a more active role in pressuring Phra Dhammachayo, who was believed to be in the temple, to surrender. Society should also press the suspect to enter the justice process to avoid a raid that could lead to confrontation and violence, Paisit said.

The DSI chief also said he expected Suwaphan, who used to oversee the NOB, to co-ordinate with related parties to have Phra Dhammachayo surrender.

Paisit said that his agency was also checking a report that Ong-art Thamnita – the spokesman of the Dhammakaya disciples group who failed to meet police in response to his arrest warrant citing defamation and inciting the public unrest – had fled abroad.

He said officials had not found any immigration information about him leaving the country although no one had seen him recently.

Officers are now focused on arresting gang members, including 4,000 “helmet gang” debt collectors and 1,000 officials identified by nicknames, phone numbers and affiliated agencies, Justice deputy permanent secretary Pol Colonel Dusadee Arayawuth told a press conference yesterday at the Department of Special Investigation (DSI) office.

DSI chief Pol Colonel Paisit Wongmuang said arrest warrants would soon be issued for 2,000 to 3,000 peoฌple allegedly involved with the gang.

Dusadee said the Justice Ministry had sent a list of 3,000 officials and influential figures allegedly involved in the illegal loan business to the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO). Borrowers were charged up to 300 per cent in annual interest fees.

Dusadee said earlier this week the multiagency teams raided 26 locations in Pathum Thani, Chiang Mai, Songkhla and Khon Kaen that were linked to the Pathum Thanibased syndicate that reportedly overcharged interest and employed debt collectors to harass overdue borrowers.

The raids led to the seizure of 26 cars, 86 motorcycles, 14 safe boxes with cash in various currencies and valuables, five landtitle deeds, four guns and 309 rounds of ammunition, as well as freezing the gang’s 28 bank accounts. The impounded assets were worth about Bt150 million.

Next week, the DSI, Army, police and Justice Ministry officials will meet to discuss how to crack down on illegal moneylenders, while the names of 170,000 borrowers will be given to the NCPO, police and local officials so they can provide them security, Dusadee said. He said he would ask investigators to check on a report that some 1,600 motorcycles were used in illegal debt collection and the department might offer a reward to those giving informaฌtion on such vehicles, believed to park at malls and fairs.

Alleged gang leader Wichai Panngam remains at large, as he went on a trip abroad with his family earlier this week. The gang’s computer website administrator Chaiwuth Wiwattanaareekul was in custody, according to DSI deputy chief Pol Major Suriya Singhakamon, who said they had been investigating this network for two years.

Suriya also urged anyone who kept assets in their names for the gang to step forward.