Abbot admits selling 200-year Payoong tree to merchant

13 Sept 14:10 Key points summarised by AI

The abbot of a Nakhon Phanom temple admitted selling a 200-year-old Payoong (Siamese rosewood) tree for 1.2 million baht.
The temple committee and community consented to the sale, citing an inability to protect the valuable tree from persistent loggers.
Six logs from the temple were later seized by border police, suspected of being smuggled to Vietnam, despite the abbot's claim of a legal sale under amended forestry laws.
Previous attempts by loggers to fell the tree, and the successful theft of smaller trees, prompted the decision to sell and secure some value rather than losing it entirely.
Remaining Payoong trees on the temple grounds are now safeguarded with CCTV systems and guards near the monks' sleeping quarters.

Flooding persists in Bangkok and 22 provinces

Today 16:00 Key points summarised by AI

Persistent flooding continues across Bangkok and 22 Thai provinces, though water levels are gradually receding in many affected areas.
Over 604,000 families, impacting approximately 1.83 million people, are still grappling with the widespread flood conditions.
The national flood death toll has reached 80 since mid-September, with fatalities reported across various provinces.
Major regions like Pathum Thani, Ayutthaya, and Bangkok report significant numbers of affected households, with hundreds of thousands still in trouble.