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The Tourism Authority of Thailand in cooperation with Ayutthaya province, the Fine Arts Department, the Kru Muaythai Association, the Thai Martial Arts Institute Association, the World Muay Thai Federation, and the Professional Boxing Association of Thailand will hold the 13th World Wai Kru Muay Thai Ceremony next week.
Boxing personalities Buakaw Banchamek, Samart Payakaroon and Anuwat Kaewsamrit along with Saengmanee Oumkatong Chiang Mai Gym will lead Thai boxers from around the world to attend the ceremony in Ayutthaya on March 17. 
The event will feature many activities, including a professional Muay Thai competition; fairs publicising courses from various Thai-boxing camps; an exhibition of ancient weapons; demonstrations of knife and sword making from Ban Aranyik, which originated the method; designing of mystic-symbol tattoos and painting on boxing vests; and martial-arts performances. 
Garland weaving and inscribed cloth weaving will also be demonstrated. 
Participants will be invited to meet Buakaw Banchamek. 
The ceremony will be held next Friday at Wat Mahathat and Wat Langkhakhao in Ayutthaya Historical Park.

CHINA AUTO SALES JUMP IN FEBRUARY

Automobile sales in China jumped by more than 22 per cent year on year in February, an industry group said yesterday, in fresh evidence that a cut in purchase taxes was supporting demand in the world’s largest car market.
Sales reached 1.94 million units last month, up 22.37 per cent over February last year, the China Association of Automobile Manufacturers (CAAM) said in a statement.
The result provided fresh evidence of solid sales in the sector after Chinese authorities slashed a purchase tax in late 2015.
Auto sales surged nearly 14 per cent in 2016, marking the fastest full-year growth in three years.
February’s sales marked a drop from January of 23.03 per cent, the CAAM said, blaming the Chinese New Year holiday that lasted for much of the first half of last month. 
Originally set at 10 per cent, China halved the tax rate for small-engine passenger cars in October 2015 to buoy sales.
However, the Chinese Finance Ministry announced last month that the tax would be increased to 7.5 per cent this year and restored to the original rate of 10 per cent next year.
The Chinese auto market is crucial to manufacturers worldwide, but February saw some foreign firms in the slow lane, with US auto giant General Motors selling 246,730 vehicles, up only 0.4 per cent year on year, while Ford’s sales rose 2 per cent to 64,641 units. – AFP

VIENTIANE-HANOI EXPRESSWAY PROPOSAL EDGES FORWARD 

Laos and Vietnam have agreed to take the next steps to start construction of an expressway linking their respective capitals Vientiane and Hanoi this year.
The agreement was reached at a bilateral meeting held in Hanoi on Tuesday between Laos’ Ministry of Public Works and Transport and Vietnam’s Ministry of Transport, the Voice of Vietnam reported, citing the Vietnam News Agency.
Dr Bounchanh Sinthavong, Laos’ minister of public works and transport, led his country’s delegation to the meeting.
The ministries agreed to seek investment and support, first to carry out a feasibility study for the expressway.
A senior official at the Laotian ministry’s Road and Bridge Department told Vientiane Times on Thursday that a primary study had already been carried out.
Citing the primary study, Vietnam’s Thanh Nien News Agency reported previously that the cost of the six-lane 707-kilometre route was estimated at more than US$4.5 billion (Bt159 billion). – Vientiane Times