The Corrections Department will unshackle all prisoners serving maximum jail terms in prisons across the country within three months, department chief Suchart Wonganantachai promised on Wednesday.

The plan had begun on Jan 23 starting at Bang Kwang central prison near Bangkok, with 563 inmates seeing their shackles unlocked and removed for the last time.

On Wednesday, some gathered for a ceremony led by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to officially kick off the policy, kick off the chains, and put the shackle era to an end for good.

AYUTTHAYA - Given a choice to unite or die, three small schools in tambon Thai Noi of Bang Ban district have launched a programme to join classes, improve education quality and survive the education ministry's project to close the country's smallest schools.

The three schools jointly have 174 students - 72 in Wat Prasart Thong school, 49 at Wat Thai Noi school and 53 in the classes at Wat Boonkannawas.

Samrueng Boonlam, acting director of the three schools, said students in kindergarten through Prathom (grade) 3 will study at the school closest to their homes to ensure safety and convenience. Their parents or grandparents generally walk the tykes to school.

Neither local government politicians nor the People's Movement for a Just Society (P-Move) were happy with the vague answers they received from the government after submitting their demands on Tuesday.

The two groups rallied separately at Government House, each pressing for a commitment from Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and her cabinet.

Local government politicians submitted a list of demands that included an increase in local government budget allocations, and promised to return to Government House in two weeks if their needs are ignored.

Funcinpec party leaders are optimistic that the absorption of another royalist party as well as the presence of well-known royal names on the ticket will help them win an extra eight seats in the national elections this July, a senior official told the Post yesterday.

Nhek Bun Chhay, secretary general of the Funcinpec party, said his party’s members plan to keep alive the legacy of the late King Father Norodom Sihanouk – who founded Funcinpec – and would stage something of a political comeback this year.