PHUKETWAN, nearing its third birthday as a news and information site for Phuket and the Andaman region, has become the subject of a chapter in a new book, 'Asia's Media Innovators Vol 2.0.'

Authors Stephen Quinn and Kim Kierans chose to make Phuketwan the selection for Thailand in canvassing media innovation across South-East Asia and beyond.

The Phuketwan chapter headed 'Phuket website continues journalism's noblest traditions' sits with 'Twittering the news in Australasia' and 'Singapore's razor-sharp Internet television network' in a volume described as a ''highly topical round-up of innovators in the Asian media scene.''

''I'm delighted that we made the book,'' said Phuketwan editor and founder Alan Morison. ''I wouldn't agree with everything written about us, but it's an honest appraisal.''

The book is expected to be published in print form by Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS), a political foundation that works for freedom, justice and solidarity, before the end of 2010.

In keeping with the authors' commitment to new media, the book can already be found online at: http://www.kas.de/medien-asien/en/pages/8052/

The introduction to the chapter dealing with media innovation in Thailand says: ''The Phuketwan website in Thailand's major tourist destination, Phuket, brings old-fashioned, fearless and opinionated journalism to the Internet in a region where such things are generally lacking and shows that real journalism will always be innovative.''

Aspects of the site are analysed in detail. Onlookers on Phuket offer critiques on the potential impact of Phuketwan and assess its future.

''We believe in shedding light in dark corners, so we can hardly complain when the light beams in our direction,'' Morison said. Highly-regarded Phuket journalist Alistair Carthew was commissioned to contribute the chapter.

The KAS, with 70 offices abroad and projects in over 120 countries is described as making ''a unique contribution to the promotion of democracy, the rule of law and a social market economy.''

Co-author Stephen Quinn is associate professor of journalism at Deakin University in Australia. He is considered to be among the Asia-Pacific's leading experts on mojo - mobile journalism - and other new media. The book is likely to be read by aspiring journalists throughout Asia and the Pacific.