Schools in Bangkok to reopen on Dec. 6

BANGKOK, November 25 (TNA) - Thai Education Minister Woravat Auapinyakul announced on Friday that schools in Bangkok under his ministry's jurisdiction will reopen for the new semester on December 6. Woravat said, however, that the reopening of schools in the capital's remaining flooded areas could be further postponed, depending on decisions of the schools' executives, but classes would have to be sufficiently extended for students in the wake of flooding. The education minister acknowledged that his ministry has been approved a state budget of over 400 million baht to procure uniforms, textbooks and learning equipment for flood-affected students and schools. The education minister also presided over a ceremony to release a caravan of some 500 volunteers from vocational schools to distribute 100,000 effective microorganisms (EM) balls and 500,000 litres of EM fluid to treat polluted floodwater in five areas of Bangkok, including Don Mueang, Klong Sam Wa, Sai Mai, Lat Phrao and Charansanitwong. Meanwhile, Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Tourism and Sports Minister Chumpol Silapa-archa said that flood impacts on the domestic tourism have been less serious than those from political turmoil last year, and that he plans to use sports to boost the country's tourism in the wake of floods. The deputy premier projected that the number of tourist arrivals in Thailand should reach 18-19 million this year, earning the country some 600 billion baht tourism-related revenues. (TNA)