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Published on October 21, 2007

And the average annual spending on books is just Bt260 per person, visitors to the Book Expo at Queen Sirikit National Convention Centre learned.  In Vietnam the average is 60 books a year and in Singapore the number is 45, according to survey data.

Publishers and Booksellers Association of Thailand president Risuan Aramcharoen said the association conducted a reading survey in conjunction with the Thai Health Promotion Foundation.

"We prefer listening and watching rather than reading, so we are more interested in television and the radio," she said.

UUU

Police arrested much-wanted Canadian paedophile suspect Christopher Paul Neil at a house in Nakhon Ratchasima province on Friday, just 12 hours after obtaining a warrant,.

Neil did not resist arrest. Asked by arresting officers about his identity, he simply said "Yes".

Police said Neil had not given any other information apart from saying "I knew this day would come" and "I need a lawyer", before being driven back to the Royal Thai Police Headquarters in Bangkok.

Officers said they were looking for two other Thai men whose pictures were found on Neil's computer. They suspect the pair may have been molested by the suspect when they were underage boys.

Neil, 32, has been charged with child molestation, restraint of a person's freedom, and depriving a child of parental care.

UUU

Prime Minister Surayud Chulanont dismissed the allegation that he tried to cover up his possession of a plot in Nakhon Ratchasima by naming his son Jun as the owner.

"My involvement in the Khao Yai Thiang plot is transparent and I welcome any probes into the matter," he said in reference to the investigation by the National Legislative Assembly's committee on police and justice.

Surayud confirmed his earlier comments that the plot was under the name of his wife, Thanphuying Jitrawadee, and that he and his wife had no ownership of the land but the right to use it based on annual property tax payments to local authorities. 

He said his wife named their son as the household head for the vacation home they built on the plot. This should not be construed as land ownership, which is a separate issue, he added.

For families with more than one home, it is a common practice to assign different members as household heads, he said, noting that he maintains his address at a Pibul Wattana home while his wife is the household head at their Lad Krabang residence.

UUU

The election decree has received royal endorsement and is likely to be declared in the Royal Gazette this Wednesday, Cabinet secretary-general Surachai Phuprasert announced on Friday. The decree will take effect the day after it is announced in the Royal Gazette, he said.

The Cabinet approved the draft royal decree to announce December 23 as the date for the general election at its weekly meeting on Tuesday.

Election Commission secretary-general Sutthipol Thaweechaikarn said candidacy registration would be carried out early next month.

A source familiar with the draft said registration of party-list candidates would be held from November 7 to 11 while registration of constituency-based candidates would be held from November 6 to 12.

UUU

A marathon public reading of the Tripitaka, the earliest collection of Buddhist teachings, began at Sanam Luang on Tuesday, right in front of the Temple of the Emerald Buddha, to commemorate His Majesty the King's 80th birthday this year.

More than 1,000 monks and members of the public from around the country will participate in the public reading of the Pali text of the Tripitaka. The public reading will run 24 hours a day for 57 days until all the 45 volumes and 84,000 doctrinal items are completed on December 10.

UUU

The King's health continued to improve over the week and His Majesty is now able to stand for a longer period with the help of a walker, according to the latest statement from the Royal Household Bureau.

The statement said His Majesty's temperature had come down to normal, inflammation in his large intestine was improving and pain in his right waist was reduced.

"His Majesty can move more comfortably," the statement added.

His Majesty has been receiving treatment at Siriraj Hospital since October 13.