Bangkokians urged to join Bangkok Car Free Sunday

BANGKOK, 9 July 2011 (NNT) – The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration (BMA), the Bangkok Bicycle Campaign network and related organisations have invited Bangkok city dwellers to take part in the First Bangkok Car Free Sunday at Lumphini Park this Sunday morning.

According to BMA Spokesperson Jate Sopitpongstorn, the Bangkok Car Free Sunday activity is jointly organised by the BMA, the Bangkok Bicycle Campaign network, the Bangkok Big Trees group and the Green World Foundation. It will be arranged this Sunday, 10 July, from 7.00 to 14.00 hrs.

The activity is to encourage people to travel in a low carbon and pollution-free mode. Participants will be able to collect scores in a bicycle rally to win special discounts for bicycles and related equipment. The rally will go along Wireless Road, Ploenchit Road, Ratchadamri Road, Silom Road and Sathon Road.

The event will feature riding on a historical route in Lumphini and Bangrak areas to visit many important places such as Convent Church, Christ Church, Christian cemetery where the BMA will develop as a new green space of the capital.

Other attractions along the cycling route are the Neilson Hays Library, the great banyan tree at Re-Café which won the recent 100 City-Trees Award as well as the bird watching spot at Lumphini Park.

Interested participants can bring their own bicycles and take the BTS sky train to travel to the event’s venue. Bicycles will also be available for rent from 8.30 hrs onwards. Also, cycling tours will be arranged in groups to be accompanied by voluntary guides specialized in Bangkok’s history.

Interested participants can ask for more details of the event and the cycling route or may register online at www.facebook.com/BangkokBicycle, www.facebook.com/BIGTreesProject and www. greenworld.or.th.

-- NNT 2011-07-09

Songkhla still blanketed by haze from Indonesian forest fires; ongoing haze not disrupting flights at Hat Yai International Airport /MCOT

Singapore releases, deports British author

Singapore - A British author was released from prison and deported Saturday after serving more than a month for contempt of court, Channel News Asia reported.

Alan Shadrake's lawyer M Ravi said the 76-year-old was released early from his sentence for good behaviour and sent to London.

The author went to jail on June 1 after losing an appeal against his six-week sentence. He was also ordered to serve two additional weeks in lieu of paying a fine.

Shadrake was convicted of contempt of court for passages critical of the country's judicial system in his book Once A Jolly Hangman: Singapore's Justice In The Dock

-- The Nation 2011-07-09

Bangkok named World’s Best City 2011 by leading travel magazine

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Yala school teacher shot dead

YALA, July 9 – A school teacher died on Saturday after suffering severe injuries from a shooting attack this morning in the restive province of Yala.

Prayat Chuphet was gunned down by two unidentified gunmen while he was riding his motorcycle from home to Pattana Islam Wittaya School, according to Pol Lt Prapas Tongma of Lam Mai Police Station.

After being attacked, the critically injured 47-year-old victim was transferred to Yala Hospital, but died later.

An initial investigation found that two assailants on motorcycle followed Mr Prayat and fired at least two gunshots to his head when the teacher had nearly arrived at the school.

Meanwhile, a local investigator team collected an unidentified spent cartridge case found at the crime scene as evidence for further investigation.

Police presume that the shooting attack was aimed at inciting unrest in the province.

The insurgency in the deep South, particularly in Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat, has intensified since 2004 and claimed more than 4,300 lives of local residents and authorities. (MCOT online news)

-- TNA 2011-07-09

Rally in KL Malaysia, 672 participants arrested. Crowd begins to disperse.Police fire another round tear gas at crowd /Nation

2-yr-old boy held hostage by drug-crazed man in Prawase district today was killed by his captor, TV 7 reports. /via@tulsathit

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Thailand Live Monday 11 Jul 2011

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