DOGS ON DUTY
Two patrol dogs on August 23 work alongside security officers in the area of Ratchaprasong, Bangkok, as part of the government’s campaign to provide stricter security.
POWERPOINT GURU
Thai wins contest
A Thai student from Rajamangala University of Technology Thanyaburi (RMUTT) has won an award at the 2015 Microsoft Office Specialist World Championship, held in Texas, US.
Taweelap Suwattanapunkul, a junior in the faculty of Computing Studies, was named world champion in Microsoft PowerPoint 2013 (the most recent version) after showing off his skills, officials reported on August 23.
He is the first Thai student to win the competition. The contest was attended by 600,000 students from 47 countries.
BAD KARMA
Director arrested for corruption
The director of the Office of Buddhism in Songkhla has been charged with corruption after he allegedly stole money meant for religious projects, authorities said on August 22.
Authorities arrested Sathien Damrongkadeerat, 58, on August 22 with 3.2 million baht cash on him. A mobile phone was also seized. Sathien had allegedly siphoned off some of the budget for Chontharawas Temple in Narathiwat.
The arrest came after Phra Kru Boriharnsungkanuwat sought help from the Office of the Auditor General to examine the temple’s budget for religious activities.
EASY NEWS FOR M1-3
ILLEGAL IVORY
Authorities destroy ivory
Authorities plan to destroy two tonnes of ivory on September 3. Authorities reported the news on August 20. The ivory mostly came from Africa. It has a value of around 100 million baht.
Vocabulary
- siphon off (phrasal v): to remove money from one place and move it to another, especially dishonestly or illegally
examine (v): to look at something or somebody closely, to see if there is anything wrong or to find the cause of a problem
ivory (n): the kind of bone that forms the tusks of elephants
