--- a/includes/mysqli_functions.php
+++ b/includes/mysqli_functions.php
@@ -10,6 +10,7 @@
 		die(_FATALERROR." "._NOTCONNECTED);

 	}

 	mysqli_query($mysql_access, "SET SESSION sql_mode = 'MYSQL40'");

+    mysqli_query($mysql_access, "SET NAMES UTF8;");

 	return $mysql_access;

 }