Thailand will back a proposal by Kenya and the United States to put knife-tooth sawfish, shark-fin guitarfish and white-spotted guitarfish on Appendix 1 of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora (Cites) at the Cites meeting in June.

Marine and Coastal Resources Rehabilitation and Conservation Unit director Anuwat Nateewathana said yesterday the proposal by the US and Kenya would be made at the Cites conference in The Hague from June 3 to 15. If the fish were put on Cites Appendix 1, trade in them would be strictly prohibited among member countries.

Anuwat said the population of the three species of fish had declined dramatically due to commercial over-fishing and Thailand would back the proposal, although it would not directly help to increase the populations in its territory.

Sea cucumbers of the families Holothuriidae and Stichopodidae would be included on the Cites Appendix 1 following a dramatic decline in their numbers due to over-consumption in China and other Asian markets. - The Nation.

Bangkok tragedy : Mum dies after killing daughter

A Bangkok woman who poisoned her three-year-old daughter and then tried to kill herself died in hospital yesterday, police said.

Benjawan Saelee, 31, was pronounced dead at 5am, initially from respiratory failure. It was believed she had drunk disinfectant, said Lieutenant Thawatchai Wiansa-wang of Klong Ton police.

Benjawan's body will undergo an autopsy to determine the real cause of death and her sister, Supak Saelee, 28, will be summoned to explain the suicide motive, the officer said.

Police suspect that Benjawan - suffering from severe stress after discovering a suspected cancerous lump under her arm - had mixed disinfectant with her daughter Areeya's milk on Monday night. Areeya died soon after.

Early on Tuesday morning, Benjawan attempted to commit suicide, then telephoned Supak, who rushed her to a hospital. - The Nation.

Ex-education minister : Kasem dies from cancer at 75

Former education minister Kasem Sirisamphan died yesterday from colon cancer at the age of 75, his wife Siree said.

His royal-sponsored bathing ceremony will be held at Wat Thepsirin-Tarawats' Kaviniramitr Pavilion tomorrow.

Kasem had been suffering from colon cancer for two years and underwent two operations, his wife said. He was admitted to the Phya Thai Hospital on April 19 after his condition deteriorated. He remained unconscious for the past two days before passing away in peace at 12.50pm yesterday, she said.

Kasem used to be a National Legislative Assembly member, a senator, a secretary-general of the now-defunct Social Action Party and deputy interior minister.

He was born on July 17, 1932. He graduated at Mathayom 6 from Vajiravudh College, at Mathayom 8 from Bangkok Christian College and obtained a bachelor's degree in law from Thammasat University. He also obtained master's degrees in journalism and political science from Wisconsin University before completing his PhD in political science at the same university. - The Nation.