Rassarin Kijchaisawas, the owner of the Soonthornphu bookshop, joined the cultural programme held by the Book Studies Foundation and the Ministry of Culture last year. "I think I won the award because I am committed to promoting reading and contributing to society. When the community was hit by the coronavirus, my bookshop becomes a donation centre," she told the Bangkok Post by phone. She encouraged reading on all platforms but hometown bookshops can offer a unique experience and face-to-face interaction. "I organise reading activities and encourage children to share their experiences.

Manycuts Artspace l Ari marks its opening with "Priceless", an exhibition that will help viewers evaluate losses caused by the country's latest coup d'etat, until Dec 5. (Photo courtesy of Manycuts Artspace l Ari)On display are 17 abstract-like artworks by Surajate Tongchua, an emerging artist from Chiang Mai, who started creating this series in May 2014, when the junta took over the country. The artist connects his personal experiences to Thai politics and social context in order to portray his perspectives as a Thai citizen. At the same time, such personal experiences are contextually woven into collective experiences which everyone has shared in the past seven years. Manycuts Artspace l Ari is a new branch of Manycuts Artspace in Chachoengsao province, located on Ari 3, Phahon Yothin Road and open Friday to Sunday from noon to 6pm and by appointment on Wednesday and Thursday.

New excise tax structure for cigs gets cabinet nodAll details of the new excise tax for cigarettes will be disclosed by the Excise Department on Thursday. (Bangkok Post photo)The cabinet has approved the new excise tax structure for cigarettes, expected to come into effect this Friday, according to a Finance Ministry source. At present, a 20% tax rate is applied to the retail price for cigarette packs costing up to 60 baht. If the retail price exceeds 60 baht per pack, a 40% tax rate is applied. The source said that the cabinet agreed to raise the tax rate from 20% to 25% including the 40% tax rate, together with an adjustment of the retail price which is at least 60 baht.

Schools to reopen with limitsThe Education Ministry has announced its two-phase plan to reopen schools while still imposing strict Covid-19 measures. The first phase is for boarding schools that have already implemented measures for creating a Covid-19 safety zone on their grounds since August. The second phase is for other schools that pass a formal Covid-19 assessment on their readiness to reopen. She also called on the government to supply schools and universities with mRNA Covid-19 vaccines, saying the vaccination rate among students was rather low making it difficult to reopen schools. The vaccination rate of Chiang Mai University students, for instance, was as low as 30% while the minimum rate of Covid-19 vaccination required upon reopening is 70%, she said.

World Bank cuts Thai GDP growth outlook to 1% this yearFILE PHOTO: There are no tourists to be seen at Shiva Samui resort on July 20, 2021. The economy is now expected to return to its pre-pandemic level in 2023, Kiatipong Ariyapruchya, senior World Bank economist for Thailand, told a virtual briefing. Tourist arrivals are seen at 1.7 million next year, when the economy is forecast to grow 3.6%, he added. Exports and fiscal measures had provided support in the meantime and the World Bank backed the government's lifting of the public debt ceiling to help the economy, Mr Kiatipong said. The World Bank's 2021 economic outlook compared with growth of 1.3% predicted by the finance ministry and 0.7% by the central bank.

TEST YOURSELF: Thai goes globalPhoto : IMDB/YouTubeThailand's culture is spreading around the worldTest Yourself is where you can improve your reading skills. Blackpink's Lisa spread Thai culture around the world by wearing a traditional Thai headdress in the MV for her hit Lalisa. Guru breaks down a few more things that help spread Thai culture around the world. THAI CUISINESearch for "Thai restaurants near me" in a foreign country and you'll find a list of places you can go. There are a few award-winning Thai restaurants outside of Thailand like Farang London, which has a Michelin award.

Hong Kong man on national security trial over protest chantsMore than 70 people, including many of the city's most prominent democracy activists, have been charged with national security crimes, almost all for holding political views now deemed illegal. HONG KONG: A Hong Kong man who chanted protest slogans pleaded not guilty to inciting secession on Tuesday in the second national security case to come to trial as authorities wield the sweeping new law to snuff out dissent. Most of those charged under the national security law are denied bail and Ma has been in custody since his arrest 10 months ago. Prosecutors said slogans Ma used that incited secession included "Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times", "Hong Kong independence, the only way out", "Hong Kongers, build our own country", "One nation, one Hong Kong" and "All shall be valiant, start armed uprising". National security judges previously ruled in the July trial that "Liberate Hong Kong, revolution of our times", a popular protest slogan, was secessionist.

Fugitive army ranger surrenders, faces murder chargesSgt Maj Pheeraphat Onchart, 37, seated with a document hiding his face, after his surrender to police at Saba Yoi police station in Songkhla. He is charged with the murder of his wife and her mother last Thursday, and other offences. (Photo: Assawin Pakkawan)SONGKHLA: A fugitive army ranger has surrendered to face charges of shooting dead his wife and mother-in-law at their home in Saba Yoi district on Thursday night. Sgt Maj Pheeraphat Onchart, 37, a ranger stationed in Yala’s Yaha district, turned himself in to his commander at the 47th Ranger Regiment on Monday. He was then taken to Saba Yoi police station and formally charged, Pol Col Kongthap Senathip, chief of Sabai Yoi police, said on Tuesday.

A utility in Jilin even warned power shortages could disrupt water supplies at any time, before apologising for causing alarm. - At any cost -The power crunch has taken hold as a shortage of coal supplies, toughening greenhouse emission standards and strong demand from manufacturers and industry have pushed coal prices to record highs and triggered widespread curbs on usage. Jilin governor Han urged companies to fulfil their "social responsibilities" and "overcome the difficulties" caused by coal price rises. It said China needed to increase the production and supply of coal while guaranteeing safety and environmental protection. "This is about coal generators unable to operate their plants profitably, in most cases," he said.

Small earthquake in KanchanaburiA map from the Earthquake Observation Division of the Meteorological Department shows the epicentre of the 3.2 magnitude earthquake in Sri Sawat district of Kanchanaburi on early Tuesday morning. (Photo supplied)KANCHANABURI: An earthquake of magnitude 3.2, centred in Sri Sawat district, was recorded by seismologists early on Tuesday morning. The Meteorological Department reported the quake occured at 4.39am and was centred six kilometres underground, below tambon Khao Jot of Sri Sawat district. It was about 50 kilometres north of Srinagarind dam and 62km east of the Vajiralongkorn dam. The Provincial Electricity Authority reported the quake had no impact on the dams.

No time to wait: world premiere for new Bond movieThe film's release was delayed by the coronavirus pandemic and three previous scheduled premieres were postonedLONDON - Celebrities and royals walk the red carpet in central London on Tuesday for the much-delayed world premiere of the latest James Bond film, "No Time To Die". - Craig bows out -In the latest film, reportedly costing $250 million (pound sterling182 million, 214 million euros), Bond returns to active service after retirement, vowing: "I have to finish this." After "Spectre" in 2015, Craig told Time Out magazine he would rather "slash his wrists" than reprise the role. The Bond films are based on a character created by upper-class British writer Ian Fleming in novels published in the 1950s and 1960s. In the film, Bond spars with a black female MI6 agent, played by Briton Lashana Lynch, and has to take a back seat to her as she flies a plane.

Unheard Lennon tape goes on sale in DenmarkPlucky Danish students braved a snowstorm in remote Jutland to snare an exclusive with Lennon and Yoko Ono for their school paper. The 33-minute tape was recorded on Jan 5, 1970 when the former Beatle spent winter in a remote corner of Jutland in western Denmark with his wife Yoko Ono. "We went into the living room and saw John and Yoko sitting on the sofa, it was fantastic. "I was sitting next to Yoko Ono and John Lennon was sitting next to Yoko and we talked, we had a good time," said Hojen, who is now 68. "We would be happy if a museum was interested, or why not Yoko Ono herself?"

Exporters sign up to anti-WMD proliferation trade controlsA total of eighty-two companies and individuals are interested in setting up an internal compliance programme (ICP) scheme to prevent trade activities pertaining to the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction (WMD) under the Trade Controls on Weapons of Mass Destruction Related Items Act (TCWMD Act). Dhadchyarbhon Abhimontejchbud, deputy director-general of the DFT, said those companies and individuals are likely to officially submit their applications to the department next month. The department is expected to finish appraising and evaluating applicants’ qualifications and be able to announce qualified applicants this year, he said. Without the ICP scheme, their goods may be halted or held back by the government’s order. It is important that the entrepreneurs have to be concerned about their buyers and the destinations of their products’ end-users,” said Mr Dhadchyarbhon.

"For me, the '80s were a sickness of the Path," Barboza Vargas told AFP, wearing a colorful crown of parrot feathers and hedgehog quills. "We are convinced that this (conflict) has betrayed our Ashaninka people throughout the Amazon enough," the 62-year-old Barboza Vargas said of his people. They were the main Amazonian indigenous victims of the Shining Path during the Peruvian civil war, from 1980 to 2000. According to testimonies gathered by the CVR in 2003, Shining Path guerillas kidnapped Ashaninka people, forcing them to work as servants and farm hands. He said Shining Path stabbed his mother Victoria and his siblings Sonia, Alicia, Norma and Simon.

Evergrande fuels concerns over China's housing bubbleA state crackdown on China's colossal property market has helped send Evergrande to the brink of collapseBEIJING - A state crackdown on China's colossal property market has helped send one of its biggest developers to the brink of collapse, and analysts warn the fallout could lead to the bursting of a bubble that has been building for more than two decades. China's property market has been a critical part of the economy, as Beijing's promise to improve people's living standards translated into new homes that in turn fuelled massive construction. Last year, Beijing introduced metrics to cap debt ratios called "three red lines" and tightened scrutiny over crucial funding raised by pre-sale deposits. But if it sparked wider problems, Wu said, the government would likely have to ease the three red lines and engineer a softer landing. Property sales and prices have weakened in recent months while Evergrande stole headlines, according to data analytics company China Beige Book.