Local News

Rare reptile This rare small lizard, known in Thai as kra harng hang yaoi, was found inside a house in Muang district of Kanchanaburi province on September 18. Its tail measures 22 centimetres in length.

 

Doctor debts

Health officials call for action

The National Health Commission want fines increased from 100,000 baht to one million baht for doctors who study on state subsidies but fail to work to repay their debts after graduation. The proposal is aimed at tackling the shortage of doctors in rural areas by forcing newly qualified doctors to take up vacant positions, according to NHC official Ampon Jindawattana.

The Collaborative Projects to Increase Production of Rural Doctors programme, which started in 2004, offers financial subsidies for medical students up-country on the condition that they work in state hospitals in their home towns for three years after graduation.

Helping hand

Project aids flood victims

Princess Ubolratana has made a 100,000 baht donation for the government's Ruam Jai Chuay Phai Nam Tuam (Help for Flood Victims) programme, which had raised more than 363 million baht as of September 15.

Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra launched the project on September 14 to raise money for people affected by flooding that has recently ravaged 30 provinces.

The donation amount had jumped to more than 363 million baht within three hours of the campaign kicking off on the evening of September 15, according to government spokesperson Thitima Chaisang.