Local News

In check

Boxes installed to stop temple thieves

A policeman checks a mailbox installed at one of the temples in the Bang Ban district of Ayutthaya on May 22.

Police have installed 500 yellow mailboxes in the hope of scaring off thieves who have recently stolen ancient religious objects from temples.

Police will note any suspicious activity and leave reports in the boxes to show what time they passed by on their regular patrols.

Ayutthaya police chief Nares Nanthachote on May 22 gave details of the project, a bid to stop the frequent theft of gold leaf, religious statues and antiques.

At fault

Seminar told Thailand at risk

Thailand is sitting on active faults that could cause a powerful earthquake measuring 7.0 on the Richter Scale, a seminar was told on May 22.

Panithan Lakkhunaprasit of Chulalongkorn University said that layers of soft sediment from the Chao Phraya river would increase the damage in Bangkok, where there are about 2 million buildings.

Most buildings were not designed to resist earthquakes. Strong structures and good building materials would matter most during an earthquake.

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Road toll

Governor considers plan to charge motorists

The governor of Bangkok is looking at a new plan. The plan is to charge drivers to use streets in the city.

The idea is to improve traffic. The study will be finished in a month.

	install (v): to fix equipment or furniture into position so that it can be used toll (n): money that you pay to use a particular road or bridge motorist (n): a person driving a car charge (v): to ask for an amount of money for goods or a service fault (n): a place where there is a break that is longer than usual in the layers of rock in the earth�s crust sediment (n): sand, stones, mud, etc. carried by water or wind and left, for example, on the bottom of a lake, river, etc. resist (v): to not be harmed or damaged by something