Christmas parade
The Christian community of Ban Ta Rae in Sakon Nakhon’s Muang district take part in the annual Christmas Star Procession as part of their Christmas celebrations on the night of December 25.
New allocations
Land to be distributed
A sub-committee on national land management has earmarked 18.71 million rai for more than 300,000 poor people to farm as part of the government’s bid to narrow the inequality gap.
More than 50,000 rai is expected to be allocated by February next year, authorities said on December 24. Natural Resources and Environment Minister Dapong Ratanasuwan said the first allocations are expected to take place in Chiang Mai, Mukdahan, Nakhon Phanom and Chumphon provinces.
About 14.16 million rai would come from forest and public land, reclaimed from encroachers. Most of the land is tied up in court cases, but would be allocated to the poor once the cases are settled, officials said.
Costs reduced
Registration fees made cheaper
The cabinet on December 23 gave the go-ahead to cut migrant workers’ registration fees to 500 baht.
Speaking after a cabinet meeting, deputy government spokesman Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the cabinet had approved a ministerial regulation for a cut from 2,000 baht to 500 baht for Myanmar, Lao and Cambodian workers in Thailand.
The cut in fees should encourage more employers and foreign workers to register with one-stop-service centres which will help monitor migrant labour, prevent employees taking advantage of workers and address abuse and human trafficking problems, Sansern said.
EASY NEWS FOR M1-3
Holiday horror
Tourist dies after accident
A Norwegian traveller died on Tao Island in Surat Thani. It happened on December 22. He was hit by a tourist boat’s propeller while taking a diving course. He later died at a hospital with head injuries.
Vocabulary
- inequality (n): the unfair difference between groups of people in society, when some have more wealth, status or opportunities than others
encroacher (n): a person who uses more land than they are legally entitled to
abuse (n): unfair, cruel or violent treatment of somebody
propeller (n): a device with two or more blades that turn quickly and cause a boat, ship or an aircraft to move forward
