News from Thailand – September 7, 2014
The contractor failed, so the locals of Thai and Mon in Kanchanaburi and soldiers join forces to repair Thailand's longest 70-meter wooden bridge.
Last July, the famous Saphan Mon bridge collapsed and local residents still have to use a bamboo pontoon bridge they built themselves.
On Wednesday residents and soldiers will remove planks that are not safe. Instead of 5 cm thick planks, the contractor used 3,8 cm thick planks. There are also five additional piers to support the bridge. [According to the message it will start on Wednesday, but it has already started from the photo on the homepage.]
The contractor started repairing the bridge in April (costing 16,34 million baht) and it should have been completed by August 6. He also failed to get a 30-day extension. According to him, it was difficult for him to find suitable wood.
Ultimately, the contract was canceled on Thursday. The contractor will receive 10 million baht, which has led to criticism from local residents. Residents affected by the delay have complained to the Ministry of the Interior. The ministry is demanding a report on the repair drama from local authorities within 20 days.
– The fight against corruption is the most important policy objective of the new government. Prime Minister Prayuth reiterated this yesterday at a forum on the 2014 Anti-Corruption Day. He stressed the need to include an anti-corruption campaign in the reforms that the National Reform Council (NRC) will consider.
"Resolving corruption is a national agenda item and should be at the center of national reforms," Prayuth told an audience of 1.500 at CentralWorld, including government officials and private sector representatives.
Corruption has long been deeply rooted in Thai society. The problem has been exacerbated resulting in social division and inequality. Thailand has lost numerous opportunities. Foreign investors lose confidence in us and make new investments impossible. Government services and companies lack reliability. Resources that belong to all Thais therefore fall into the hands of a group of people.'
The anti-corruption day was organized by the Anti-Corruption Organization of Thailand, a business initiative to fight corruption. President Pramon Sutivong said at the forum that the Thai people should no longer accept the magnitude of the damage caused by corruption. According to him, the population has high expectations of Prayuth to go hard against it.
“The government and the private sector must work together to find the best solution to corruption problems, with the public acting as a watchdog. The fight against corruption consists of prevention, suppression and condemnation. But instilling anti-corruption values in young people is most important,” Pramon said.
“The idea that petty corruption is acceptable as a lubricant to keep things running smoothly is outdated. We don't know how small enough is: tens of billions, hundreds of billions? Corruption is the devil. We can't afford to underestimate it.'
– Princess Chulabhorn (57), the youngest daughter of the royal couple, has been admitted to Vichaiyut Hospital in Bangkok with stomach inflammation. The princess is given medication and nutritional supplements intravenously. She will have to stay in the hospital until her recovery.
– Nuttaporn Pimpha has received the Asean-Us Science Prize for Women for the 'nano water filter' she developed that purifies drinking water for victims of natural disasters. Nuttaporn is affiliated with the National Nanotechnology Center. The filter can filter 200 liters of water per hour, which is enough for a thousand people per day.
At the end of last month, Nuttaporn received the award plus an amount of 800.000 baht in Indonesia. There was an honorable mention for two Thai physicists. They work at [or for?] Nasa and deal with asteroid collisions in another solar system, which could lead to information about planets.
– Labels of alcoholic beverages and packaging will in future have to contain warnings against the dangers of alcohol consumption. It is even being considered to require frightening pictures (recently enlarged to 80% of the surface), just like on cigarette packs. The Ministry of Health is still studying whether this will be regulated by law (takes a long time and must pass through the cabinet and parliament) or through an announcement by the junta (effective immediately).
The ministry is working on four new alcohol laws, but the message does not state what the other three entail. According to Saman Futrakul, director of the Office of the Alcohol Control Committee, drinking can be more dangerous than smoking.
Winyat Chatmontree, secretary of Free Thai Legal Aid, warns that the quick route through an NCPO announcement could easily lead to abuse of power. Soldiers could be tempted to pressurize bars.
– The discussion about independence for Scotland has spread to Bangkok. A group of Scottish expats is stirring on Facebook with the page Expats for Scottish Independence. The page, which has been around for three years, has scored 6.000 likes. The expats are not allowed to participate in the independence vote on September 18.
Last week, Brits, most of them Scots, delved into the pros and cons of independence and the consequences for passports, pensions, investments and so on in The Clubhouse. The meeting was concluded with a fake vote. Of the 28 Scottish voters, 15 voted for independence and 12 for secession from the UK [difference?].
www.dickvanderlugt.nl – Source: Bangkok Post
More news in:
– To conclude this short News from Thailand posting a video about a dying craft: the production of stone polished bowls, based on 200 years of Ayutthaya expertise. The production process is meticulous work and requires great craftsmanship. Young people don't feel like it, so the craft will eventually die out. (Video from Jetjaras Na Ranong)
The bridge in Sangkhlaburi is about 800 m long and not 70 m. That is the part that needs to be repaired. Also thanks for the daily summary.
@ Alfred Thanks for the correction. It was fine in the article. I've read about it. On reflection: 70 meters is not very long for the longest bridge. Stupid mistake.
Betrefd brug sangklaburi, als het te repareren gat van 70 meter aftrekt van die 800 meter blijft er 730 meter over ,linker en rechteroever bij elkaar opgeteld,hoe kan ik ooit in 5 minuten in 2006 de hele brug zijn overgestoken toen waren al veel planken tussen uit gebroken en slecht 350 meter langer is de brug niet
@ Frank This was in News from Thailand on July 29:
– The repair of Thailand's longest wooden bridge, the Saphan Mon bridge in Kanchanaburi, is not progressing very well. Last year, 70 of the 850 meter long bridge collapsed, the repair started in April and has only progressed 30 percent so far. It had been planned for four months, but that didn't work out in any way.
Work has been delayed because an emergency bridge that was right next to it has to be moved, only 26 piles have been recovered and 1.300 new ones are now due, most from the Northeast. The rain has also caused delays.