Bangkok  - Thais went to the polls Sunday to vote for 29 new legislators in a by-election and for a new governor in Bangkok, with the outcome of both polls likely to test the strength of the current coalition government.

The by-election was called in 22 provinces after the Constitution Court last month dissolved the People Power Party and Chart Thai parties for committing fraud in the December 2007 polls. The decision barred their top executives from political office and left 29 seats vacant in the lower house.

Bangkok - A skydiver killed a 10-year-old girl in north-eastern Thailand Saturday when he accidently crashed into a crowd gathered to observe the army demonstration of skydiving skills as part of I

Bangkok  - Thai-based car manufacturers have lowered their production targets to 1.08 million vehicles this year, down 23 per cent from 2008 output of 1.4 million cars, media reports said Saturday.

Of the targeted 1.08 million units, 500,000 are expected to be sold on the domestic market and 580,000 exported.

"This figure is an estimate based on the present situation," said Piengjai Kaewsuwan, chairman of the Automotive Industry Club, which met Friday.

Bangkok  - Bangkok drivers who love to run red lights are now being captured by new traffic cameras, a report said Friday.

The almost 30,000 motorists who have been snapped jumping lights during the first week of the cameras' operation can expect postal fines of 500 baht (14.31 dollars), said deputy city police chief police Major-General Pharnu Kerdlarpphon.

In a city where frustrated drivers frequently run red lights rather than suffer yet another lengthy wait, people may take time to alter their behaviour, he said.

Bangkok - New York-based Human Rights Watch on Thursday appealed to newly appointed Thai Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva to show "political courage" in ensuring the prosecution of soldiers found guilty of torturing an imam to death in southern Thailand.

On December 25, 2008, the Narathiwat provincial court ruled that Imam Yapa Kaseng, 56, had been tortured to death by Thai soldiers while being interrogated on March 20-21.

"The court gave a brave and unprecedented verdict in the inquest, putting the finger on torture and other abuses committed by Thai security forces," said Brad Adams, Asian director for Human Rights Watch.

Bangkok  - China's home-appliances giant Haier on Thursday opened a new 170-million-baht (4.9-million-dollar) factory in Thailand to produce air conditioners for the domestic and export markets, company sources said.

The new factory, situated in Prachin Buri, 70 kilometres north-east of Bangkok, has a capacity to produce 500,000 air conditioners a year, of which 30 per cent will target the local market and 70 per cent will be exported to Malaysia, Vietnam and Indonesia.