Tuesday, December 18, 2007

20,000 Burmese resettled

General News - Tuesday December 18, 2007

INBrief

20,000 Burmese resettled

REFUGEES : A total of 20,878 Burmese refugees from camps in Thailand have been resettled in third countries since their resettlement programme started in January 2005, according to the United Nations High Commission for Refugees.

The figure was as of Dec 10 and 3,471 more of the Burmese refugees whose resettlement has been approved have yet to depart.

The largest number, 11,737, have gone to the US, 2,154 to Australia, and 2,132 to Canada. Other resettlement countries are Finland, the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, New Zealand, Norway and Sweden.

Court clears interrogator

CAR BOMB PLOT :The Criminal Court yesterday threw out a complaint against a police interrogator filed by Maj-Gen Pairoj Theeraparp, a suspect in the alleged car bomb attempt targeting deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra in August last year.

The army expert earlier accused Pol Lt-Col Jarupat Thongkomol, an interrogator at the Phahon Yothin police station, of malfeasance for seeking an arrest warrant against him.

However, the court found that the interrogator's move was an act of duty while Maj-Gen Pairoj had intended to avoid police interrogation.

Jitrlada still mentally ill

SCHOOL STABBING CASE :The Bangkok South Criminal Court yesterday postponed the first hearing of the case in which Jitrlada Tantiwanitchasuk was charged with stabbing four Saint Joseph's Convent school girls in September 2005 because she is still mentally ill.

The court rescheduled the hearing to April 21 next year after acknowledging a report on Jitrlada's mental condition from the Galaya Rajanagarindra Institute.

The 36-year-old woman who reportedly suffers from schizophrenia, severely injured the school girls aged 12-14 with two long knives on Sept 9, 2005.

BMA makes book of maps

BANGKOK HISTORY :A book of maps recording changes in the capital over the past century has been produced by the city administration, Governor Apirak Kosayodhin said yesterday.

A joint effort with Chulalongkorn University, the book commemorates the 80th birthday of His Majesty the King.

The 98-page, 48x60cm book also marks the 100th anniversary of the first map of Bangkok, published in 1907 on the command of King Rama V.

The BMA will present an exclusive copy of the book to the King. A total of 1,000 copies will be sent to BMA agencies and public libraries. The city also plans to digitalise the book in the form of VCDs and distribute them to the general public, said the governor.

Den host gets jail time

ILLEGAL GAMBLING :Dusit District Court yesterday gave Paijit Thamrojpinit aka Por Pratunam a year and six months in jail and a fine of 12,000 baht for hosting an illegal gambling den in Bangkok.

Police nabbed him with 262 gamblers at Maiyalarp Market building in Ratchathewi district, Bangkok, on the morning of Feb 4 this year. The court released him on 600,000-baht bail yesterday.

Earlier, a court in Trat province had sentenced the man to 12 years in jail for unauthorised land reclamation.

Politician still missing

SALVAGED MEKONG BOAT :Authorities in Chiang Rai province yesterday salvaged a six-metre-long boat from the Mekong river but did not find local politician Prasong Pongpanyayuen and his friend.

Mr Prasong, 50, a former kamnan from Mae Chan district, and his Chinese friend, have been missing since an accident with a cruise boat last Friday.

Mrs Aporn Khamngern, Mr Prasong's wife, attributed his disappearance to conflicts over his construction contracts in Laos or politics.

Bangkok Post

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