A daily wrap of Thailand news, with a Phuket perspective. Reports from national and international media, with translations into English from Thai.

wsj.com Swine flu has dominated the news but experts say of greater concern are mosquito-borne diseases, including malaria, dengue fever, Japanese encephalitis, chikungunya fever and yellow fever, now spreading in areas where they weren't a danger. Travellers are also at increased risk for intestinal and skin-burrowing parasites, tick-borne diseases, sexually transmitted diseases, typhoid fever and the age-old scourge, traveller's diarrhea. Newer threats include chikungunya fever, which started years ago in Africa but is now a risk in India, Bangladesh, Thailand and Singapore. It has been diagnosed in thousands of travellers returning to Europe and the US.

foxnews.com When it comes to raising the pandemic level, the WHO doesn't look only at how quickly the virus is spreading, but also at whether the majority of cases are mild or severe. ''It's based on the effect the virus has on a healthy person,'' a spokesperson said. ''There are some cases where patients have no flu-like symptoms and some cases with deaths, some cases with severe illness and some cases where the patient has an underlying condition.'' Many countries have asked the WHO to hold off on a pandemic declaration, fearing citizens will be alarmed and confused.

Bangkok Post A sub-committee in charge of economic development planning for the far South has put forward a 16 billion baht proposal to bring prosperity to the region, Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban says.The money, included in the 2010 budget, would come from two sources: the annual budget of six billion baht for the region's development and another 10 billion baht from the budget that will be set aside for boosting economy, he said. Khun Suthep said agencies involved in the planning had been ordered to prepare their working plans for development projects.

Straits Times Secretary of State Hillary Clinton plans to visit Thailand next month as part of a US drive to encourage stability in its longstanding ally, her nominee as top diplomat for Asia says.Kurt Campbell, in his confirmation hearing to be assistant secretary of state for East Asia, said Mrs Clinton was planning a visit to Thailand ''later in July.'' Mr Campbell said Thailand was facing ''very real challenges'' as seen in an attack on Monday on a mosque in the south that left 11 people dead. He also predicted more political turbulence in Thailand, which has been through four prime ministers since a 2006 military coup ousted populist tycoon Thaksin Shinawatra.

Forbes Kurt Campbell told US lawmakers at his Senate confirmation hearing that Burma's heavy-handed treatment of detained democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi hinders any US effort to change course and engage the ruling junta. The US has traditionally relied heavily on tough sanctions meant to force the generals to respect human rights and release thousands of imprisoned political activists. Those sanctions are widely supported among both senior Democratic and Republican lawmakers. Campbell emphasised that greater engagement with Burma would not mean the removal of sanctions. But his comments indicate that the State Department is considering seriously a change in policy.

timesofindia.com Two hundred and sixty-eight passengers on a Singapore Airlines flight had a narrow escape at Kolkata airport when a tanker caught fire seconds before it was to start refuelling the plane. Passengers were disembarking via an aerobridge when a truck carrying aviation turbine fuel rolled under one of the plane's wings. It was about to link up with the fuel ports when flames suddenly erupted from the tanker. An Air India technical staffer was the first to spot the fire and alerted the tanker driver, who did not hesitate before clambering on to the flaming vehicle. He drove it to a safe distance from the plane. Witnesses said the driver managed to jump out of the cabin a second before it went up.

bbc.com An Australian passenger plane with 203 people on board has been forced into an emergency landing after a fire broke out in the cockpit. The Airbus A330, operated by Jetstar, was flying from Japan to Australia when a window in the cockpit caught fire. Pilots managed to put out the fire before landing in Guam. Jetstar said all of those on board were unharmed. A similar model of the Airbus, operated by Air France, crashed on a flight from Rio de Janeiro to Paris last week, with 228 lost at sea.

Phuket Post Now out on Fridays, this issue has a bikini girl on the cover with the heading ''Bikini babes will be cool and natural.'' This turns out to be a reference to sporting events along Phuket's beaches during the low season. The Post provides advice on how to build an electric fence to protect your property and says a recent free trade deal between seven nations on Phuket ''could mean cheaper cars.'' The Post has a new-old editor, Simon Hand, which makes him editor No. 4 and No. 8.

usatoday.com Best Western CEO David Kong says the chain parted ways with some 500 hotels in the last four to five years as it sought to improve the chain's image and consistency. ''Not that many hotels chains have that many hotels,'' he said. The number of new-construction Best Western hotels has slowed due to the credit crunch. It's easier to finance less-expensive renovations, he said. Last year, Best Western's pipeline was roughly 85 percent new construction, but this year, it dropped to about 50 percent new and 50 percent conversion.

Reuters Tata Motors says its five-billion-baht project to produce an ''eco car'' in Thailand by 2012 is still on track. Ajit Venkataraman, chief executive of Tata's Thai unit, dismissed local newspaper reports that the Indian car giant may be wavering on its Thai project. Tata is one of six foreign carmakers applying for government incentives to manufacture mini passenger cars with at least an annual production capacity of 100,000 units, he told reporters. ''We have made long-term commitments to Thailand and are a part of its automobile industry with plans to extend our product lines to include commercial vehicles and buses as well as eco-friendly, affordable small cars,'' he said. The Thai eco-car would be different vehicle from the Nano model, billed as the world's cheapest car, that has attracted more than 203,000 bookings in India since April.

Bangkok Post Seventy-five senior university students accused of taking part in a brutal hazing of first-year students are facing a one-year suspension. The management of Rajamangala University of Technology's Uthen Thawai campus ordered the blanket suspension after it failed to find the individual students who organised the hazing abuse. ''Parents want to move their abused children to a new school and are demanding a refund of tuition fees,'' a spokesperson said. Senior students had forced first-year students to eat fresh chillies and swallow ink-stained paper.They also beat the junior students, threatened them with guns, stripped them of their underwear, burned their pubic hair and sprayed paint over their genitals.


Patong, Phanason Ablaze With Property Billions
Photo Album Patong and the Phanason Group are continuing to buzz with billions of baht worth of investment. Perhaps when it comes to property, Thailand really is different.
Patong, Phanason Ablaze With Property Billions

Phuket Drownings: Rescue Courses Coming
Latest With four drownings within days, Phuket needs more courses and commitment of the kind coming in July at one resort where the safety of guests is a year long priority.
Phuket Drownings: Rescue Courses Coming

Phuket Resorts Sweat on FM Summit Verdict
Latest Thailand's Foreign Ministry is expected to announce at any moment whether the north or the south will hold the coming summit of Asean Foreign Ministers.
Phuket Resorts Sweat on FM Summit Verdict

Phuket Brewery: Beer And Milk Mix Contentedly
Taste Test The Phuket Brewery represents a good guide to Phuket's economy, and the signs are that adaptation represents the means to survive. A Dairy Hut or two helps as well.
Phuket Brewery: Beer And Milk Mix Contentedly


MediaWATCH: Expect N1H1 'Pandemic' Soon
Latest WHO will probably declare a swine flu pandemic shortly; Mosque massacre reaction; Thailand economy bouncing; Young Brit on Phuket mourned; World's best cities.
MediaWATCH: Expect N1H1 'Pandemic' Soon

MediaWATCH: Stayput Monk Takes On US Law
News Digest A stayput monk fights the US Government; Mosque massacre as the Thailand PM talks peace in Malaysia; Karen flee Burma brutality; Pirate film for Phuket.
MediaWATCH: Stayput Monk Takes On US Law

MediaWATCH: Shocked Carradine Family Call FBI
News Digest The family of actor David Carradine, shocked by a Thai newspaper, call for FBI help; corruption levels surveyed; Mexican shootout in Acapulco.
MediaWATCH: Shocked Carradine Family Call FBI