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

sky.com US President Barack Obama has posted his full birth certificate on the internet to finally kill speculation he was born abroad.

bbc.co.uk Royal groom Prince William and bride Kate Middleton have attended a private wedding rehearsal at Westminster Abbey. The one-and-a-half hour event, also involving senior clergy, the bride's parents and best man Prince Harry came ahead of Friday's ceremony.

dailymail.co.uk Ministers were not consulted by courtiers over a decision to exclude former Labour Prime Ministers Tony Blair and Geoge Brown from Friday's guest list. Among the more controversial guests is Kate's black sheep uncle Gary Goldsmith, who was initially ostracised by the family after being exposed as a cocaine user by a tabloid newspaper.

reuters Thailand has delayed its first nuclear power plant project by three years to 2023 on mounting public concerns after Japan's nuclear crisis, Energy Minister Wannarat Channukul said.

nationmultimedia.com New Politics Party leader Somsak Kosaisuk is pushing for the party to overturn the recent decision taken by the political arm of the yellow shirt PAD not to contest the coming general elections. He is expected to seek support from the party's executive committee to reverse the decision when the board convenes tomorrow.

radionz.co.nz Police say there will be further investigations into a big drugs bust at Auckland Airport, in which 10 Malaysians posing as a "tour group" were seized. Eight men and two women from Malaysia are in custody accused of trying to bring methamphetamine into New Zealand in their shoes.

wsj.com Thailand and Cambodia traded fire for a sixth day as Cambodia's leader accused Thailand of loving war and said he wants to talk peace. The death of a Thai civilian Tuesday brought the total dead to 14.

Associated Press Thailand's freewheeling, anything-goes reputation has served its tourism industry well, but Thai society is far more conservative than its tourist sex shows and transgender beauty pageants suggest. Movies are censored for morality, women are often too modest to wear bathing suits on the beach, abortion is illegal and the government regularly censors websites deemed immoral.

radioaustralia.net.au Campaigning has begun in earnest for Singapore's May 7 election in what many are calling ''watershed elections''. This time around, various Opposition parties are fielding candidates in 82 of Singapore's 87 constituencies.

bloomberg.com Air travellers may experience another day of delays as severe weather pounds the eastern US, spawning tornados, thunderstorms and hail and driving the Mississippi and Ohio rivers toward record highs.

smh.com Chinese warships could be heading to Australian ports this year after Prime Minister Julia Gillard took "a few small steps" towards military transparency and co-operation with President Hu Jintao.

tempointeractive.com PT Angkasa Pura I will invest Rp 3 trillion to develop dozens of airports in the eastern part of Indonesia. ''The initial budget is Rp2.6 trillion, but it might increase to Rp 3 trillion,'' said PT Angkasa Pura I CEO, Tommy Soetomo, after signing an agreement with Specialists in Air Transport Communications and IT Solutions in Jakarta.

traveldailynews.com Holiday Inn Express, one of the fastest growing hotel brands in the world, will soon make its debut in Bali, Indonesia. Holiday Inn Express hotels are designed as the smart choice for value-conscious business and leisure travellers, focusing on the things that matters the most to them - comfort and convenience.

aap Australian publisher Ross Dunkley, facing immigration and assault charges in Burma, remains "optimistic" the charges will be overturned despite facing further delays in his court hearing, a senior associate says. Legal sources said the case was scheduled to be heard on May 6.



April 28 Pierre-Yves Cousteau dinner at IndoChine
May New PPAO Hospital to open, Phuket City
May 1 National Labor Day public holiday
May 5 Coronation Day public holiday
May 13 Royal Ploughing Day public holiday
May 17 Visakha Bucha Day public holiday
June 12 Laguna Phuket International Marathon
June 17 Phuket Property Dot Com Pro Am Invitational, Laguna
June 23-26 Phuket Fun Fly paragliding, Nai Harn
July 3 Phuket Navy League US Independence Day fair at Headstart International School
July 15 Asarnha Bucha Day public holiday
July 20-24 Six Senses Phuket Raceweek
August 12 HM The Queen's Birthday public holiday
October Vegetarian Festival, Phuket
November 26-27 9th Phuket International Soccer 7s
November 27 Laguna Phuket Triathlon
December 3-4 6th Andaman International Soccer 7s
December 4 Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship, Laguna


March 18-28 National Youth Games, Phuket

November 14-21 Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket