February 19, 2010
February 15, 2010
February 14, 2010
Gold digger's delight
Head for the hills! Thailand has rich deposits of this precious metal waiting to be dug up.
Thailand has rich deposits of gold just waiting to be dug up, says Adisak Thongkhaimuk, director-general of the Department of Mineral Resources.
Sa-ngad Chankaew, 58, of Bang Saphan district in Prachuap Khiri Khan, pans dirt on the river in search of gold dust. CHAIWAT SATYAEM
Mr Adisak revealed on Dec 8 last year that 76 gold deposits have been discovered in 31 provinces, according to scientific and geological research and surveys carried out by the department since 1985.
He said these deposits hold about 700 tonnes of gold ore, from which pure gold worth an estimated 900 billion to 1 trillion baht can be extracted.
Of these 76 gold lodes, about four or five have the potential to be developed into gold mines in the future, Mr Adisak said.
It was also believed lesser lodes were waiting to be discovered in many other areas, he added.
Mr Adisak said these deposits are mostly in granite mountains east of the upper central region and in the western part of the Korat Plateau covering the Northeast.
Tambon Ron Thong in Prachuap Khiri Khan's Bang Saphan district in the upper South is one of the major gold producers.
Bang Saphan is known for producing top quality gold, called Thong Noppakhun or Thong Nuea Kao. Bang Saphan gold has been documented in records for hundreds of years.
A woman holds up a gold nugget after the extraction process is complete.
It fetches a much higher price than gold from other sources. A one baht weight of Bang Saphan gold sells for about 40,000 baht compared to gold from other areas which sells for about 17,000 baht. The baht weight is an old Thai measurement and equivalent to about 15 grammes.
A record from the era of King Rama IV said a one baht weight of top-grade Bang Saphan gold was priced at nine baht, which was the most expensive at the time.
But Wikorn Phonoi, head of the tambon Ron Thong administration organisation (TAO), said the gold-bearing areas in Bang Saphan were extensively mined in the old days.
These days, there is not enough gold mineral left for large-scale mining, he said.
Mr Wikorn said most areas in Bang Saphan have now become rubber plantations, although some villagers continue to prospect for gold by panning.
Prayook Kwannet feeds the fire as he heats up lumps of earth with gold dust in them in Dusit district of Bangkok.
If they are lucky enough, they can obtain gold nuggets or gold particles, known as gold dust, from soil dug up from the areas.
Mr Wikorn said the government should promote Bang Saphan as a centre of gold panning to attract tourists.
Yaowalak na Ranong, 79, said in the past local people opted for simple tools such as a pan or a sieve to find gold.
They could obtain gold weighing between 70 and 100 baht. In those times, one baht of gold was priced about 60 to 70 baht.
"You never know when you can strike gold. It's just a matter of luck," Mrs Yaowalak said.
She said tourists are increasingly visiting Bang Saphan to see local people pan for gold and they buy gold jewellery as souvenirs, which helps boost local people's incomes.
Buakhao Mingmuang, 57, has panned for gold for seven years to supplement his income.
He said panning involves scooping up soil in a container and washing it in a swirling motion to separate gold particles from gravel and other substances.
After heating, the lumps of earth are ground into powdery texture.
The lighter material floats to the top of the pan and is skimmed off while the heavier gold particles sink to the bottom.
Mr Buakhao said each week he can collect gold particles weighing one or two baht. This is quite a fortune given the way the gold price keeps rising, he said.
Sa-ngad Chankaew, 58, said he has searched for the precious metal in Bang Saphan for more than 20 years and had made enough money to send his children to university.
He said gold panning in Bang Saphan takes place from May to December, during which water levels in rivers and streams rise.
Glittering gold nuggets or gold dust can be found in layers of soil deposited by the river or other running water.
Kritsada Muadnoi, an adviser to the TAO chief, is planning to document the history of Bang Saphan as a producer of top-quality gold in the hope Bang Saphan will become a new tourist spot.
He said prospecting for gold the old-fashioned way with simple tools can better protect and preserve the environment and the soil than large-scale gold mining using heavy machinery.
Acid is poured into a bowl containingpowdery soil with gold dust to dissolve mineral impurities.
Another chemical liquid is added to separate gold dust.
Gold specks are visible.
Thegoldismeltedunder high heat.
The final precious product. PHOTOSBY APICHART JINAKUL
Singapore opens first casino resort
Bangkok Post: 14 Feb 2010 Singapore rolls dice on first casino
source: AFP
Singapore's first casino opened for business Sunday as the first punter was allowed into the gaming section of Resorts World Sentosa complex.
Visitors flock inside Singapore's first casino at the Resorts World Sentosa complex in Singapore. Singapore's first casino opened for business Sunday as the first punter was allowed into the gaming section of Resorts World Sentosa complex.
The opening -- to be followed within months by a second casino resort -- is part of a multi-billion-dollar effort to transform Singapore's tourism industry.
The doors to the cavernous and carpeted casino were thrown open to the public at 12:18 pm on the first day of the Year of the Tiger in the Chinese lunar calendar.
When pronounced in the Cantonese dialect, 12:18 sounds like "prosperity". A middle-aged Singaporean woman was the first gambler allowed in, followed by an initial crowd of about 200.
The 4.4 billion US dollar resort features Southeast Asia's first Universal Studios movie theme park, which also opened for a week of sneak previews from Sunday.
"We have waited a long time for this. Today's opening of the casino is a milestone for Resorts World Sentosa, for Genting Group and for Singapore," said Genting Group chairman Lim Kok Thay in a ceremony before the doors opened.
"We couldn't have asked for a better time to open," he said, referring to Asia leading the world in recovering from the worst global recession since the 1930s.
Singapore's second casino complex, Marina Bay Sands, is being completed by US-based Las Vegas Sands and is expected to open in April.
Officials hope the casinos will help Singapore achieve its target of 17 million visitors a year generating more than 21 billion US dollars by 2015, boosting the services sector and reducing the role of manufacturing in the economy.
A lion dance and firecrackers preceded the opening of the casino.
Resorts World Sentosa last month opened four premium hotels and is testing the rides at the Universal Studios theme park before it is fully opened to the public.
Singapore in 2005 agreed to go ahead with two casino resorts after a rare public debate.
Opponents feared gambling would threaten Singapore's "family values" reputation and put it at risk of becoming a centre for money-laundering.
As a "social safeguard", Singaporeans will have to pay 100 dollars a day (70 US) to enter the casinos.
Singapore opens first casino resort
Thaksin gives Chinese NY blessing
Thaksin gives Chinese NY blessing
The fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra on Saturday posted in his Twitter page “Xin Zheng Ruyi Xin Nian Facai”, expressing a happy new year to all Thai-Chinese people on the occasion of the Chinese New Year.
“I ask for a permission (from Thai people) to travel to earn my living. I will visit Africa for 4-5 days and then will return to Dubai to wait to see whether I will receive justice there”, Thaksin said.
“If someone exposes a rumour that I will be in Cambodia, please don’t believe it”.
Thaksin was referring to the case that the Supreme Court’s Criminal Division for Holders of Political Positions will on Feb 26 rule on whether 76 billion baht of assets said to belong to him and his family should be seized.
The ex-premier complained that he was unjustly treated by the now defunct Assets Scrutiny Committee and that the power holders are trying to seize his assets.
There was an earlier rumour that Thaksin would be in Cambodia during the week that the court is to give its ruling in asset seizure case to control the red-shirts in the final battle against the government and the bureaucrats.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/breakingnews/168355/thaksin-gives-thai-chinese-ny-blessing
Body scanner trial at Bangkok airport
Bangkok Post: 26 Jan 2010 SUVARNABHUMI
Body scanner goes on trial run at airport
Airports of Thailand is testing a full-body scanner at Suvarnabhumi airport for a month in an effort to boost security in line with other major gateways around the world.
Airport deputy director Narongchai Thanadchangsaeng yesterday said the use of the microwave imaging equipment, known as the Brijot Gen 2, would be limited during the test run and then only on a "voluntary" basis.
The scanner was installed at the airport's departure lounge yesterday.
Mr Narongchai said all passengers would undergo the usual screening with metal detectors and X-ray machines first.
Only passengers who are suspected of having concealed objects on their bodies would be asked to choose between a pat-down screening by security staff or a "virtual pat-down" by the scanner, he said.
Mr Narongchai said the full-body scanner was said to shorten passenger screening time by 75%.
The process takes about five seconds using the equipment, compared to 20 seconds using the present systems.
The AoT will decide after a month of testing whether to invest in the Gen 2 scanners which cost 5 million baht each, he said.
"There are four factors to consider: if it is time-saving; if its detection is precise; what impact it will have on the passengers; and whether it is cost-effective," he said.
Techit Tiwaruangrong, managing director of the Brijot Gen 2 supplier, Law Enforcement Technology Solutions, said the equipment could deal with several problems of screening.
It can locate and identify hidden objects in real time and thus reduce bottlenecks at passenger screening checkpoints. It can also tackle personal privacy violations involved in pat-downs.
"Passengers, especially women, can feel threatened if they have to undergo a pat-down. But Gen 2 can clearly identify and locate hidden objects [from a distance]," he said.
Mr Techit said the technology was "passive", meaning it did not give "clear" anatomical details of the passengers.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/31745/body-scanner-goes-on-trial-run-at-airport
Pot-lid satellite dish a rural Thai best seller
Satellite dishes made by students sell like hot cakes
By Sutthiphong Saterangsee The Nation on Sunday
Improvising on an in-house attempt to find a cheaper way to view educational TV programmes, a primary school in Chaiyaphum is now making good income from selling portable, home-made satellite dishes made out of pot lids.
Wisit Suesat, a sixth-grade teacher at the Nong Kong Kaew public school in Nong Bua Rahew district, who "discovered" this technique, said it was difficult for teachers and technical staff to adjust existing equipment and the direction of large satellite dishes when the signal was weak or lost.
It regularly cost the school Bt2,900 to get someone to fine-tune the reception.
The teacher formed a team of five of his students to try utilising various materials such as dishes and found that aluminium pot and pan covers could substitute nicely for metal reflectors, after one year of trial and error.
Relying mainly on aluminium kitchen utensils donated by villagers, they start by hammering the materials into a parabolic shape, then assemble a stand from steel. The dish and stand are then attached to a receiver that can catch all KU band news and entertainment channels available in Thailand, besides free educational channels.
Each set costs Bt500-Bt2,500.
"The selling point of our satellite-receiver kit is its compact size, with a diameter of no more than 35 centimetres, besides the low price. They now sell like hot cakes," Wisit said.
Anucha Kulsiri, one of the students, said he would make his living making satellite-receiver kits when he grew up.
"It's not hard for me to make one now. You just lift the dish 35 degrees up and turn its direction to the southwest," he said.
Kittisak Theschaiyaphum, another team member, explained the "simple" steps in making the antennas.
"Pick a lid of a proper size. Remove the handle. Pound it into the right shape. Spray-paint it and drill holes that will be used for screws to attach it to a stand," he said.
Prasong Phornsophin, a |senior education officer, said he was expanding this home-made satellite-receiver-kit project to more than 300 schools, to |provide them with an extra source of income.
Thailand Classified Ads | BahtSOLD.com | Pot-lid satellite dish a rural Thai best seller
Holiday traffic could triple
Passenger traffic through Suvarnabhumi Airport for the Chinese New Year festival starting today is expected to triple from last year's level with a particular influx from China.
Airports of Thailand Plc (AoT) estimates that passengers passing through the airport over the 10-day holiday period will hit 1.4 million, more than triple last year's figure, as airlines are adding 382 extra flights to meet increased demand.
On each day of the holiday an average of 140,000 passengers are expected to pass through Suvarnabhumi, comprising 105,000 international travellers and 35,000 domestic passengers.
Of the extra flights, 257 - more than 70% - are international, mostly from China, Taiwan and Hong Kong.
China Eastern Airlines alone has requested 88 additional flights to Bangkok from Feb 12-21 - a sign that Chinese tourists, who had shunned Thailand due to its political turmoil and its airport blockade, are returning.
The Tourism Authority of Thailand (TAT) expects the calming of Thailand's political tensions to bring more than 100,000 Chinese visitors during the holiday, contributing more than 2.5 billion baht to the Thai economy.
But heavy passenger traffic will clearly cram Suvarnabhumi, to the extent that Nirandra Theeranartsin, general manager of the airport, yesterday advised passengers to be at the terminal to check in at least three hours before departure for an international flight and two hours for a domestic flights.
Airlines this week have already seen long immigration queues for outbound passengers delay many flights, especially those at peak times, by as much as one hour.
Airline managers expect airport crowding to get worse as immigration officers are unable to cope with the heavy traffic, due in part to poor queue management, inefficient staff and an inability to staff all counters.
Unless the immigration service promptly solves these problems, passengers could face frustrating waits at immigration lines and security checkpoints, while airlines could see flights miss their schedules, a manager said.
About the author
Writer: Boonsong Kositchotethana- Position: Deputy Editor Business
Recycling catching on in Thailand cities
By Chularat Saengpassa -The Nation
Garbage separation is now catching on among an even wider sector of the Thai population. At many companies in Bangkok, office workers no longer throw their empty water bottles into dustbins but put them into special boxes for cleaners to trade for a few dozen baht each day.
Some office workers also take the empty bottles back home so that they earn extra income. At schools too, a similar trend can be seen.
Most students know empty carbonated beverage cans and disposable plastic bottles are recyclable and they put them in designated spots for their greener world.
At Thammasat University's Rangsit Campus, the garbage bank project garnered over 400 tonnes of recyclable garbage in 2007 and 2008.
When sold, this massive amount of unwanted plastic and paper earns the project nearly Bt3.5million.
In Chiang Mai, efforts are up and running to organise the systematic collection of recyclable garbage in the northern province too.
"We have now registered more than 50 homeless people as scrap workers. They have uniforms and they go around town to collect recyclable stuff," Chiang Mai Iam Project manager Nuttaphong Jaruwunnaphong said recently.
Kiak Shai sae Tang, an independent scrap worker in Chiang Mai, recalls he used to earn Bt1,000 a day when he first collected recyclable garbage for sale in 1995.
"But now I earn only Bt300 a day because there's not so much recyclable stuff left in garbage bins," he said.
Kiak Shai said in recent years, city residents had become more aware of garbage values and many were not embarrassed to sell garbage for money.
"I've seen company workers selling recyclable and no-longer-wanted stuff from their offices," the elderly man said.
He said some well-dressed people have been seen driving around public parks collecting empty cans and water bottles for sale.
"That's why today I can find so few such items in the garbage bins," Kiak Shai said.
Thanks to garbage separation, the Wongpanit Recycling Factory's business is blooming and can sell franchises to investors interested in recycling scraps.
Franchisees, like Wongpanit Salaya-Nakhonchaisri, open their doors to individuals who wish to sell their throw-away stuff.
Although the garbage separation and recycling businesses are a good trend, they can lead people into falsely believing they have already acted in the best interests of the environment.
The environment in fact would be better off if humans were more cautious about their consumption.
Apart from "Recycle", everyone should think about two Rs of Reduce and Reuse.
Before global warming was seen as a risk, humans did not rely on bottled water. They carried flasks to quench their thirst during the day.
Today, city people rely on bottled water so much they drink it not only when they go out. For the sake of convenience, they even consume it at home.
So just as we have been taking notice of the recycle trend, we should be reminded that we have to reuse and reduce our consumption where possible too.
http://www.bahtsold.com/news?id=2352
February 13, 2010
February 07, 2010
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