HKTB warns of bogus telephone surveys

The Hong Kong Tourism Board (HKTB) has called on the public to be on guard against unsolicited telephone surveys conducted by callers who pass themselves off as HKTB staff.

The HKTB said yesterday it has been receiving complaints from residents since early last month that they were asked about their traveling preferences, age and occupation during telephone surveys that were conducted by people who claimed to be HKTB staff.

The HKTB emphasized it had not hired any person or institution to conduct any survey. The case has been referred to the police.

'Sex photo' arrestee in court for fraud charges

Chung Yik-tin, one of the two men arrested earlier this year for posting indecent photos of local celebrities on the Internet, appeared in the Eastern District Court yesterday for 18 counts of credit card fraud.

The presiding judge put off the trial until June 20.

Chung was released on bail but is barred from leaving Hong Kong.

He successfully applied for more than 30 credit cards with a total credit limit of some HK$1 million from 10 banks by pretending to be a company's director from 2003 to 2006.

Cross-border trip count to reach 634,000 by 2016

In a document submitted to the Legislative Council yesterday, the Transport and Housing Bureau predicts the number of cross-border trips made between the mainland and Hong Kong by train will reach 394,000 a day in 2016, with 285,000 of them via Lo Wu or Lok Ma Chau and 99,000 through the Guangzhou-Shenzhen-Hong Kong express rail link.

The government also estimates the daily total of cross-border trips onboard fixed-route buses and tourist coaches will reach about 240,000 a day in 2016.

Kwai Chung murder trial adjourned until July

A 49-year-old man charged with one count of murder in connection with the death of a woman in Kwai Chung on May 21 appeared in Tsuen Wan Magistracy yesterday.

The magistrate adjourned the trial until July 30 and ordered the defendant be kept under police custody. He was arrested by police at the Lo Wu Border Crossing Point on May 31. The suspect reportedly lived with the victim. Her body was found in an apartment at Kwai Fung House in Kwai Chung with a curtain tied around her neck. A post-mortem examination revealed the woman had died of suffocation.

Winning flower photos on display in Kowloon Park

Winning entries in the 2008 Hong Kong Flower Show photo contest are now on display in Kowloon Park until July 31.

The competition attracted more than 5,300 entries.

The winners included impressive photographs of beautiful flowers and plants, and portraits of TVB artistes and Miss Hong Kong 2007 contestants in the garden displays. The exhibition is being staged at the park's green education and resource center until July 1. It will be moved to the park's arcade on July 2.

China Daily

(HK Edition 06/03/2008 page1)