Local news

Kayaking to distraction

Visitors to Chatuchak Park get free lessons in kayaking. The class was one of many weekend activities arranged for visitors, particularly the young, to encourage them to spend their time more constructively and to stay off drugs. ---- Apichit Jinakul

Think bones, not beauty, for happiness in old age

Doctor warns direly: Don't blindly follow demands of fashion

By Ploenpote Atthakor

Women have been urged to think more of their bones and less of their looks.

Dr Rajata Rajatanavin, of Ramathibodi hospital, said fashion trends that demand that women stay slim and have fair skin could aggravate osteoporosis, a bone disease that worsens with age.

Women who diet should make sure their daily intake of calcium, a mineral that helps keep osteoporosis at bay, was at least 800 milligrammes per day. The average intake in Thailand was around 360 milligrammes per day, he said.

People could get calcium from milk and food such as small-boned fish and freshwater prawns.

Human beings also need 15 minutes of sunlight a day to ensure their bodies get enough vitamin D, which is good for bones, he said.

In their quest for a fair skin many women avoid the sun.

"An appropriate diet and regular exercise is the key to keeping bones in good condition,'' he said.

Salty food should be avoided or the calcium would be lost through urination, he said.

Osteoporosis had no clear symptoms in its early stage, Dr Rajata said. It was a silent threat to public health.

Young children needed enough calcium so their bones could develop.

Calcium was also found in foods such as tofu, freshwater shrimp, fish and frog meat.

Ban on liquor ads endorsed

Caffeinated energy drinks also covered

By Pradit Ruangdit & Yuwadee Tunyasiri

Cabinet has approved a ban on broadcasting of advertisements for alcoholic beverages between 5 a.m. and 10 p.m., and in a surprise move included energy drinks in the ban.

The edict, which affects popular caffeinated drinks like Red Bull, will be effective from Oct 1.

Cabinet also approved a ban on advertising the drinks during school and national sports programmes, but product logos can be displayed at professional and international sport events, to be enforced from Jan 1 next year.

Deputy Prime Minister Chaturon Chaisaeng said the decision was made in the interest of road safety.

Cabinet also agreed that billboards advertising alcoholic drinks must carry warnings and be located at least 500 metres from all kinds of education institutes.

Advertisements would be monitored for content to ensure they did not promote bad drinking habits.

Cabinet also set up a panel on controlling alcohol consumption, and assigned it to push for a ban on advertising of liquor in theatres, as suggested by the prime minister.

Bangkok has 2,000 homeless on the streets

Number of homeless still tiny compared with other countries

By Ampa Santimataneedol

According to a foundation, there are about 2,000 people who have no home and walking around Bangkok.

A slum adviser said most homeless people stay under expressways in Urupong, around Hua Lampong railway terminal and the Memorial bridge.

They have no money and come from broken families in other provinces, mostly they are from the Northeast and the Central Plains.

The homeless will be given a short time place to stay in the area of Thon Buri railway station in Bangkok Noi.

However, the adviser said the number of Bangkok's homeless was still small when we compare with the 30,000 homeless in Tokyo and 35,000 in New York.

All dolled up

Clay dolls made by a housewives� group in Phetchabun province and sold for 50 baht each were among the many offerings at a One Tambon, One Product exhibition held at Central World Plaza recently. --- Jetjaras na Ranong

Vocabulary:

Aggravate (v): make an illness or a bad or unpleasant situation
Osteoporosis (n): a condition in which the bones become weak and are easily broken
Appropriate (adj): suitable, acceptable
Symptom (n): a change in your body or mind that shows that you are not healthy
Broadcast (v) send out programmes on television or radio
edict (n): an official order or statement given by somebody in authority
Monitor (v): watch and check something over a period of time in order to see how it develops, so that you can make necessary changes
Compare (v): examine people or things to see how they are similar and how they are different
Constructive (adj): having a useful and helpful effect rather than being negative or with no purpose