theage.com.au Jetstar has cancelled all of today's return flights from Bali due to a volcanic ash cloud, as stranded passengers express anger over a lack of communication.

thegrocery.co.uk The drive to make the world a greener place will be spearheaded by the likes of Tesco and its shoppers, according to Sir Terry Leahy. The outgoing supermarket boss told the World Economic Forum in Davos that private companies such as Tesco would lead the to greener economies.


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

smh.com.au Some flights to Bali will resume today, although hundreds of Australians remain stranded by a volcanic ash cloud. The eruption of Tengger Caldera, in east Java, led to the cancellation of about a dozen flights and left passengers stranded. Virgin Blue and Jetstar both cancelled flights. [AirAsia from Phuket has had no problems.]

salon.com The low-cost airline [AirAsia] prides itself on its quick turnaround times. But 20 minutes! Isn't that too fast? My own experience, a round-trip between Bangkok and the tourist ghetto of Phuket, wasn't without its kinks.

boingboing.net Dubai's ''The World,'' a collection of artificial islands designed to resemble a map of planet Earth, is reportedly sinking back into the water. The islands were intended to be developed with tailor-made hotel complexes and luxury villas, and sold to millionaires.

heraldsun.com.au Jetstar plans to muscle up and take the fight to Singapore and Malaysian Airlines by introducing three new long haul jets to its Asian network. Jetstar will have a fleet of 11 long haul A330-200s, each capable of carrying up to 330 passengers. It already operates several of the big jets out of Singapore to seven cities in China.

todayonline.com Singapore Airlines-backed Tiger Airways believes in sticking to the low-fare, no-frills model, Malaysia's AirAsia X is going big on ancillary or extra services and Australia's Jetstar, backed by Qantas, thinks its code-share and inter-airline agreements, whereby different airlines tie up to form a full itinerary, will put it on top of the heap.

stuff.co.nz Asia Pacific budget carrier Jetstar is aiming to grow its Asian business by at least 30 percent this year and is looking to open routes to Europe and North America when it takes delivery of the long-delayed Boeing 787 Dreamliner in 2012.

afp China has replaced Spain as the world's third most visited country, behind France and the US, figures from the UN World Tourism Organisation show. China had 55.98 million international arrivals last year, up 10 percent.

montrealgazette.com The family of a Canadian man killed in Thailand three years ago say they plan to push even harder for justice after the police officer charged with his shooting was jailed for another killing. Thai police Sgt. Uthai Dechachiwat was sentenced to 25 years in prison this week after pleading guilty to the clubbing death of his 18-year-old pregnant wife. Dechachiwat is also charged in the shooting death of Leo Del Pinto.

telegraph.co.uk Big business and consumers are key to delivering low carbon growth - according to Sir Terry Leahy, outgoing chief executive of Tesco [and investor in West Sands Phuket]. Alongside the speech at the Davos economic summit Tesco announced the opening of two zero-carbon stores in Thailand and the Czech Republic.

thestar.com.my P.C. Air - a new airline in Thailand - has hired three transsexuals among its first batch of air hostesses, Sin Chew Daily reported. The successful candidates include Miss Tiffany Universe 2007 winner Thanyarat Jiraphatpakorn, 23. They will be given a ''third sex name tag'' while on duty to avoid immigration issues.

bangkokpost.com The Thailand Convention & Exhibition Bureau [promoting Phuket this week] is seeking to double its fiscal 2012 budget to 1.6 billion baht, mainly to support the Rotary International Convention and the plan to host the World Expo 2020. The proposal, based on recent discussions of the Mice (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) industry development plan with the private sector, will be submitted to the Budget Bureau next Tuesday.

australianetworknews.com Burma has stepped up security around its parliament in preparations for the grand opening on Monday. Cameras, mobile phones, electronic devices, bags and explosives are banned and uninvited visitors risk prison under rules spelled out to lawmakers.

telegraph.co.uk Silvio Berlusconi's parties were not wild ''bunga bunga'' orgies but gentle soirees where modestly dressed young women sipped mineral water and watched movies, according to a dossier of evidence compiled by the Prime Minister's lawyers.



February 3 Chinese New Year Festival, Phuket
February 8-10Old Phuket Town Festival, food and walking street fest
February 9-13 The Bay Regatta - Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi
February 18 Makha Bucha public holiday
February 23-26 Phuket Gay Pride Festival, Patong
February 25-26 Phuket International Blues and Rock Festival 2011
February 26-27 Phuket Spicy Soccer 7s, Phuket International Academy
March 14-19 ADFEST 2011 at Movenpick Resort, Phuket
March 27 Earth Hour commemoration on Phuket
April 13-15 Songkran Festival
May New PPAO Hospital to open, Phuket City


Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket