Thailand’s longest wooden bridge ‘on brink of collapse’

Bangkok: The Thai army was on a vigil on Monday over fears that the country's longest wooden Mon (Uttamanusorn) Bridge could collapse as rains continued to batter the country's Kanchanaburi province. Located in the Sangkhla Buri district of Kanchanaburi, the Mon Bridge is a famous tourist attraction for both Thais and foreigners.

Colonel Saratvuth Chaisith, commander of the 29th infantry regiment based in Kanchanaburi, told the media that he instructed his army to stay vigil as the bridge may collapse under the force of strong currents in the Songkalia River and a huge amount of debris piling up against its structure, Xinhua news agency reported. The Thai army has been using motor boats, troops and volunteers to remove the debris, mostly tree branches and logs washed out of the jungle and restricting the flow of water under the bridge. IANS

Jailed Kurdish writer wins Australian award

Canberra:  An Iranian-Kurdish journalist and writer, who has spent the past six years at a migrant detention centre, was on Monday named the winner of the National Biography Award, one of Australia's most important literary prizes. Behrouz Boochani remains a refugee at an offshore facility on the island of Manus, located in northern Papua New Guinea, and wrote the book “No Friend But the Mountains: Writing from Manus Prison” through WhatsApp messages, reports Efe news. IANS