Andaman News Thursday 7 Feb

[NBT TV Phuket]

MiniVDO: Gold price hike results in slow sales during this year’s Chinese New Year.

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The sales of gold at local gold shops in Phuket are inactive during the Chinese New Year this year. A local gold shop operator Chaiyut Prayoonyong, who is also a chairman of goldshop club in Phuket, pointed out that the gold price hike diverts people to choose other gifts this New Year for Chinese families. Meanwhile another gold shop operator Benjamas Thanate-Thanasombat said clients usually come in to trade the old gold accessories with new ones or to sell so that they get cash to spend during this New Year. She also puts her hope for the new government to revive the country’s economy.

MiniVDO: Economical goods fair is arranged in Ranong in support of consumers during Chinese New Year.

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Many types of consumer products and community products are being put on sale at a multi-purpose ground in the municipality area of Ranong province. The Ranong Governor Kanjanapa Keeman said the local authority aims to provide economical shopping choices for consumers during the Chinese holiday period by having as many as 142 booths of goods available. Career demonstration is also displayed. Free vaccination for cats and dogs are also made available at the fair to be held until January 8th.

MiniVDO: The check point at Tha Chartchai in Phuket is scheduled to open in March.

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Phuket Vice Governor Worapote Ratasrima yesterday inspected the construction of Phuket Check Point at Tha Chart Chai and held a meeting with related officials. The construction of the new check point, which cost 38 million baht to build, is now 95% in progress. Only electricity, telephones and traffic lines still need to be worked on. The Vice Governor expects the check point to be completed and open for use in early March. Mr. Worapote explains that this check point will be comprehensive having all related agencies stationed there. These include Live Stock Development, police and Highway officials to provide one –stop-service for travelers, Thai and foreigners alike.

MiniVDO: Foreign laborers flocked in to Wachira hospital in Phuket for health check ups as part of procedure to obtain work permits.

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Employers in Phuket who are hiring foreign laborers of Burmese, Laos and Cambodian nationalities brought their employees to have health check ups at Wachira hospital as part of a procedure to renew or seek permits to work in Phuket for another year. In Phuket more than 10,000 foreign workers need to renew their permits within February. This results in around 500 – 1,000 of them visiting the hospital per day for medical check ups. The laborers are mostly in factories and construction sites. The health officials at the hospital take blood tests, have their chest X-Ray and check for tuberculosis elephantiasis and pregnancy stage. The hospital deputy director Dr. Werawat Yorsangrat said some diseases have not been found in Thailand for a long time, but return when found in the foreign laborers group. They include elephantiasis and Malaria. He also voiced his concern saying that Thai businesses may save costs by hiring foreign laborers, but take risks in public health issues.

MiniVDO: The Town and Country Planning Department focuses on a conservation theme in town planning at Phi Phi and Lanta islands in Krabi.

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The Town and Country Planning Department is emphasizing on the growth control for the town planning of Lanta and Phi Phi islands in Krabi to make sure that they serve the local community’s lifestyles. The department Director General Somchai Chumrat said the department will support the local government for technical aspects and ensure that the local governing body abides the law, especially keeping the green or natural area. If not it would adversely affect Krabi’s tourism in the long term. Mr. Somchai also mentioned about the bridging to link Lanta Noi and Lanta Yai islands saying that one bridge may be proposed to the government, not two as they may have environmental impacts for the area.

MiniVDO: Local residents in Ranong objected to limestone mining.

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Residents in Nai Wong Nua and Nai Wong Tai sub-district of Ranong’s La-Un district voiced their opposition against a proposed plan of limestone mining. The villagers expressed their objection when the provincial authority arranged a public session for stake holders to have a say in the proposed project. The session followed 3 companies’ requests for concessions to operate Limestone mining in the area. The majority of the villagers are reported to disagree with the plan. The village headman of Nai Wong Nua said around 3,000 people are residing in Nai Wong Nua and they are farmers. The mining would adversely affect their crops and coffee plantation while the leader of Nai Wong Tai village said the planned mining is located in the community forest. If the authority allows the concession, it would damage the fertile forest.

A centre to promote good behavior in teenagers is set up in Phuket.

A centre to work as a coordinating body for youth behavior is set up in all 3 districts of Phuket. The centre is established by a provincial Social Development and Human Security Office aiming at easing problems caused by minors. According to records, during May – September 2007, 271 local students were reported to show inappropriate behavior in public parks, cinemas, shopping arcades, game shops and restaurants. The authority also gets strict with website providers not to reveal personal information of minors to internet users.

Ranong province held World Wetlands Day boosting the theme ‘Healthy Wetlands, Healthy People’.

Having 3 locations listed as wetlands or Ransar sites, Ranong province on February 2nd joined the world to celebrate the World Wetlands day. The Kapur water mouth, Laemson National Park and Kra Buri waters in town are listed as wetlands under or Ransar Site under the under the Convention of Wetlands since August 14th, 2002. It arranged the event under the theme ‘Healthy Wetlands, Healthy People’ at Laemson national park. Environmental conservation activities and shows were staged there including a play on mangrove forest conservation, planting beach trees, turtles and shrimp release and garbage collecting. The Convention on Wetlands, signed in Ramsar, Iran, in 1971 is an intergovernmental treaty which provides the framework for national action and international cooperation for the conservation and wise use of wetlands and their resources.

Special - Soi King Kaew community in Rasada, Phuket, project to preserve mangrove forest

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The villagers in Soi King Kaew in Rassada sub-district of Phuket’s activity are another good example of preserving natural resources in the community. What do they do? Find out more from our special report

This community of Soi King Kaew in Rasada sub-district gathers and carries out a project in preserving the mangrove forest which is public land in their community. In raising awareness of the conservation of natural resources which they know are great food chains, they arranged what they called an ordination for the forest there. This means the area will be exempted from being cut down or exploited for new development. The villagers know that fertile mangrove means aqua lives, food chains, wave walls and helps reduce the global warming. “We wanted our group to mobilize the strength so we came up with the project. We went out at sea, but that did not cover the cost as we could catch only 5 kilograms of marine lives compared to 10 kilograms in the old days. We used to exploit natural resources and took it for granted. So I went to consult the Provincial Fisheries Chief and got some budget to launch the project.” : Charun ThanyaUdorn – local community conservation group leader

The mangrove forest ordination may sound weird for many, but these people apply the principle of Buddhism promoting mercy, sharing, refraining from killing animal lives or cutting trees. They also took the opportunity to release 1,500 crabs at the mangrove area as well as mature crabs for breeding at a crab bank aiming at adding the crab population for the area. These farm cages belong to the local crab bank. They are working as a nursing cage for the crab eggs. When local fishermen catch crabs with eggs outside its shell, they would put the crabs in the bank, wait until the eggs slide away from the mothers, then take the crab for sale. Each mother crab produces around 500,000 eggs, but the surviving chances are only 10% or 50,000 eggs. “The mangrove forest ordination ceremony and the crab bank are relying on each other, just like the mother and father who need to interact. If there is no forest we would not have good fisheries. So that’s why we need to conserve our natural resources.” Both mangrove and crab banks are lifecycles of nature and lives which include humans who have to learn to live sustainably with nature.

Interview - Simon James, Race Officer for Puravarna Phang Nga Bay Regatta

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Our interview is with Simon James, Race Officer for the Puravarna Phang Nga Bay Regatta, during the final registration for yacht crews & Opening Party at Chandara Resort, Ao Po, yesterday Wednesday 6 Feb. Today the sailing races begin from Ao Po to Chong Lat, tomorrow they sail to Krabi, on Saturday to Phi Phi and end on Sunday at Nai Harn, Phuket, with a grand party at Puravarna Royal Phuket Yacht Club. But first he tells us about his role in the attractive fun races; ……. www.BayRegatta.com

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from Andaman News TV11 (VHF dial) at 8.30am & local Cable TV channel 1 + maybe FM90.5 Radio Thailand 6pm, broadcast to Phang Nga, Krabi & Phuket provinces, & possibly FM108 Mazz Radio 7.30pm in Phuket, Thursday 7 February 2008 & http://news.prd.go.th