Good morning,

A 26 year old man, Anuchit Lamlert, has been sentenced to death for the premeditated murder of two Russian women at Pattaya (http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=121335). The man had first attempted to rob the two women and then shot them (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/2007/09/04/national/national_30047649.php). Despite confessing, the court ruled he had only done so because of the weight of evidence against the man and that he had imperiled the country’s tourism reputation. Death is administered by lethal injection in Thailand.

Steps are being taken to plan for Thailand’s turn to nuclear power to reduce its reliance on imported oil and, also, with a view to reducing carbon emissions in the future. Junta-appointed ‘prime minister’ General Surayud Chulanont is to recruit up to 200 foreign experts to assist the planning (http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/04Sep2007_news01.php). This is likely to lead to years of protests from those concerned about the impact on the environment and the possibility of accidents (both of which are serious issues which need to be addressed properly) together with a great deal of discussion as to where, if at all, the plant should be built. The zeitgeist is with nuclear power now, with several other ASEAN countries thinking about the same thing. Some 4,000 megawatts are to be available by 2020, according to the plan, although delays are more likely.

Bangkok Metropolitan Authority is going to promote the use of cloth shopping bags instead of the plastic bags which are so lavishly given out by every shop here (http://etna.mcot.net/query.php?nid=31431). It is about time – I remember when I went to Taipei that the system was in use there and people appeared to have adjusted to it (apart from me, obviously, as I kept forgetting and had to buy more bags everywhere). Hope that it will catch on.

Back tomorrow.