A daily wrap of Thailand news, with a Phuket perspective, plus relevant reports from national and international media.

afp An attack at Frankfurt International Airport on a bus carrying US air force personnel about to fly home from Germany left two airmen dead and two seriously injured. [ITB Berlin, world's biggest travel show, begins in Germany next week.]

nationmultimedia.com Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva has urged the Tourism Authority of Thailand and the private sector to focus on "quality tourists," though operators are calling on the government to improve stability to raise confidence. Abhisit urged all parties in the tourism business to focus on the quality of tourists, rather than aim for high numbers.

traveldailynews.com The 'Bangkok Stopover' campaign will be soft-launched at the Thai Pavilion on March 10, the second day of the ITB Berlin. To be effective as of April, the campaign is aimed at visitors originating in key European cities, especially Paris, Moscow, and London, and en route to other points in the Asia-Pacific region.

afp Indonesia said it had appealed to Saudi Arabia to commute the beheading of a maid convicted of killing her employer in what she called an act of self-defence. Maid Darsem said she acted in self-defence as the Yemeni employer had tried to rape her in December 2007.

afp Libyan strongman Muammar Gaddafi is warning "thousands" will die if the West intervened to support the uprising against him, as rebels drove back an attack by his forces on an eastern town.

cnn.com South Korean activists and some politicians are sending helium balloons skywards across the border with North Korea, carrying leaflets and DVDs about the pro-democracy unrest sweeping through the Middle East and North Africa.

reuters Young Egyptians have launched an "Egypt is Safe" campaign, students are cleaning up national monuments and drivers now take visitors around Cairo's Tahrir Square as an attraction, anything to get the tourists back.

smh.com.au A team of 210, including people from Thailand, Israel, Britain and police from all nine Australian jurisdictions, is helping to match the 159 confirmed dead so far to the list of about 240 missing after the Christchurch earthquake. [Phuket played a key role in identifications after the 2004 tsunami.]

Phuket Update Volunteer divers from Phang Nga and Surat Thani have joined marine biologists in placing 299 rare giant Andaman clams on the ocean bottom off Thai Muang, north of Phuket, along a coral reef 650 metres offshore. The marine biologists from both provinces hope the clams will grow across an area of 1.7 square kilometres.

prnewswire.com Maikhao Dream Hotels & Resorts announces the opening of its first five-star beachfront resort on Natai Beach, Phang Nga. Maikhao Dream Resort & Spa which will open its door to welcome guests on the March 26. Situated on the sandy golden shores of Natai Beach, Phang Nga, Maikhao Dream Resort & Spa, Natai is an intimate 56-room Resort featuring deluxe pool or sea view rooms, and spacious two-storey duplexes. Other facilities include the biggest swimming pool on Natai beach, kid's club and a fitness center.

isria.com Thailand has won the title of Best Tourist Country for the ninth year from the Grand Travel Award, Sweden's most prestigious tourism industry award, after the Kingdom beat out all other competition. Thailand came out on top with a score of 8.38, followed by the US (8.19) and Australia (8.18).

eturbonews.com The annual conference of Flight Centre Global Product, a leading travel agent in Australia, was held at Centara Grand Beach Resort, Phuket. Flight Centre Limited is Australasia's best known travel agency group and now boasts more than 2000 shops and businesses in 11 countries.

smh.com.au Curious events in Rangoon have reinforced strong suspicions that the Australian publisher and editor Ross Dunkley is being shafted by his Burmese business partner after falling out of favor with the ruling junta. The Perth businessman, who set up The Myanmar Times in 2000, is due back in court today amid a murky prosecution that appeared to be unravelling.

irrawaddy.org Nearly one-quarter of Burma's new national budget will go to defense, an official publication reported, following an election that was supposed to hand power to a civilian government after decades of military rule. A newly elected parliament met in January for the first time in two decades but apparently was not given oversight of the budget

malaysiasun.com Mazda Motor Corp said that it has started local assembly of its Mazda3 passenger car in Thailand and Malaysia. The vehicle, called Axela in Japan, will be sold locally in the countries.

channelnewsasia.com Orchard Road will be transformed into a "sea of candles" as part of an initiative to conserve electricity in the annual Earth Hour event coming up this month. Leading by example, the Orchard Road Business Association has more than 50 malls, hotels and retailers along the shopping belt participating in the initiative - twice the number as compared to last year.

bangkokpost.com Despite its stunning natural attractions and diverse culture, Trang, a centuries-old southern port city, is often overlooked by tourists in favour of the more popular and famous Phuket and Krabi.

asiaone.com Pele, Eric Cantona and Cobi Jones have arrived in Singapore to officially kick off the 2011 New York Cosmo Asia Tour. The last time the New York Cosmos arrived in Singapore was back in the 1970s and this tour marks the club's first visit to this region since its rebirth seven months ago.

bangkokpost.com Lovers of funky, soulful house music are invited for a rhythmic treat at the Mango House Festival 2011, which will take place at the Mango House bar and restaurant on Koh Lanta from March 7-12 starting at 9pm. The festival will showcase six nights of house music.



THE 18th Laguna Phuket Triathlon takes place on November 27 and the Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship on December 4. ''We will add even more sporting and social events to create an even bigger and better Laguna Tri Fest - a week-long carnival of multisport fun and tri-related activities for you to enjoy at Laguna Phuket,'' organisers say.

March 4-6 Pool Asia Expo and Conference, Hilton, Phuket
March 6 Phuket Grumpy Old Men's Society car rally around Phuket
March 11 John Gray speaks at IBAP
March 5-19 Heroine's Monument Festival
March 14-19 ADFEST 2011 at Movenpick Resort, Phuket
March 26 St Patrick's Day Ball, Movenpick Resort and Spa, Karon. Details 081 3979809 or 086 9469232
March 27 Earth Hour commemoration on Phuket
April 13-15 Songkran Festival
May New PPAO Hospital to open, Phuket City
June 12 Laguna Phuket International Marathon
June 23-26 Phuket Fun Fly paragliding, Nai Harn


Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket