Officials struggle to contain latest rural outbreaks. A patient suspected of being infected with the highly pathogenic H5N1 flu virus has been detected in Kanchanaburi province, amid government moves to stop the spread of bird flu in poultry farms and migrant birds.

Airport town to be ‘green zone’, but Apirak’s against it

Several pollution-prone heavy industrial plants will be relocated from the planned new airport town of “Nakhon Suvarnabhumi” to keep its environs clean, a former senior public works official said yesterday.

Phone firms reassure govt on deadline

Mobile-phone operators have promised to cut the services of pre-paid subscribers in the deep South if they fail to register by the middle of next month, the government spokesman said yesterday.

Concern tiff with KL will sour summit

The war of words between Thailand and Malaysia over the unrest in the deep South continued yesterday, prompting concerns among Asean diplomats that the bickering could sour the atmosphere of the upcoming Asean Summit in Kuala Lumpur.

EC seeks to allay fears of ballot fraud

Only new ballots will be used in the October 30 by-elections in four provinces to prevent electoral cheating, the secretary-general of the Election Commission said yesterday.

Cuba seeks support for UN resolution

Cuba’s ambassador to Thailand yesterday urged the government to persevere in its support of a UN resolution aimed at ending the decades-long US-sponsored blockade of the communist island nation.

LAMPANG CENTRE: Foreigners invited to study elephants

Students sought for Bt110,000 six-week programme; to live, work with animals

Thousands visit new tsunami website

Nearly 2,000 visitors – mostly from Sweden and the United States – have logged on to a Phuket website to comme-morate the December 26

Phayao ‘meth’ dealer gets death sentence

Judges in the Ratchada Criminal Court yesterday sentenced one man to death and gave another a life sentence for selling 80,000 methamphetamine tablets.

Culture conference starts

An international conference on language, communication and culture – the first of its kind to be held in Thailand in a decade – begins in Bangkok today.

METRO BRIEFS: Alcohol sanctions

The Bangkok Metropolitan Administration will ban the sale of alcoholic drinks at all its offices, schools, public parks and stadiums, Deputy Bangkok Governor Pensri Pichaisanit said yesterday.

BURNING ISSUE: Democrats reaffirm links with ngos

‘People’s Assembly’ at Impact Arena attracts 3,000 attendants, who helped frame the basis of future party platforms

Thailand edges up in transparency poll

Transparency International yesterday upped Thailand’s global ranking to 59th, compared with 64th last year in the corruption perception index of 159 countries.

IN BRIEF: Wheels of justice

The Cabinet yesterday agreed to name Kitti Limchaikij, a deputy Justice permanent secretary, as a new PM’s Office’s ombudsman. The post will be effective after receiving royal endorsement, which is expected soon. The move will allegedly pave the way for Peeraphan Premma-phuti, secretary-general of the Anti-Money Laundering Office, to succeed Kitti before replacing Somchai Wongsawat, brother-in-law of Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra as permanent secretary for Justice. – The Nation.

Internet crackdown

The government will launch a crackdown on pornographic material, offensive cartoons and Internet websites that contain inappropriate material, the government spokesman said yesterday.

Royal wristband fever

Wristbands honouring His Majesty the King have become instant best sellers with almost all of the one million pieces sold after just one day yesterday.

Musical chairs at Health

The Cabinet yesterday approved a reshuffle of five top health officials, including the demotion of a deputy permanent secretary who had conflicts with departing minister Suchai Charoenratanakul over corruption scandals.