World Cup Rugby Ireland 15, Australia 6; South Africa 49, Fiji 3; Argentina 43, Romania 8.


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

bangkokpost.com At least three people, including a Malaysian tourist, were killed and more than 50 wounded in three car and motorcycle bomb attacks in Narathiwat. From 2004 to August this year, 4846 people - mostly Muslims - have been killed, according to Deep South Watch.

reuters Thai Airways International said it will not extend its budget airline contract with Singapore's Tiger Airways, effectively terminating their alliance. The Thai flag carrier's planned new regional airline, Thai Smile, would help replace the alliance with Tiger Airways, Chairman Ampon Kittiampon told reporters.

nationmutlimedia.com THAI aims for a 75-percent cabin factor this year and expects that the last quarter will help boost business. To reach the target, the airline plans to operate direct flights between Bangkok and Brussels, and between Phuket and Copenhagen.

afp Thailand should halt and review all trials connected to political conflict since before a 2006 coup that opened deep divisions in the country, an independent commission recommended.

Phuket Update Patong Superintendent Colonel Arayapan Pukbuakao, of Kathu police station, says Phuket's west coast nightlife centre will undergo six months of campaigning in an effort to make the place a drugs-free ''white zone.''

associated press Police have arrested a British man and four Thai women for allegedly operating an online pornography ring involving live video feeds from northeastern Thailand. Police Lieutenant Colonel Phum Tongpho said that authorities, acting on a tip, launched a raid on the residence of Ian Randall Davies, 42, and found broadcasting equipment and the four women dancing topless in front of a webcam, along with some onlookers.

nationmultimedia.com It is now clear that the Yingluck government will not push for a nationwide increase as promised during the election, but will try to enforce the crucial policy only in Bangkok and six other provinces, including Phuket. This policy has faced strong opposition from the private sector because it will suddenly increase their labor costs by more than 40 percent.

guardian.co.uk Bali has become a haven for international drug gangs lured by ever-growing throngs of tourists, island officials have warned. The honeymoon destination has seen an increasing number of smuggling incidents, the most severe involving a 41-year-old Ugandan woman found dead in a Kuta hotel room in August with more than a kilogram of plastic-wrapped crystal meth in her intestines

news24.com Indonesia welcomed an international court's finding that the Dutch state was responsible for a 1947 massacre in Indonesia and that victims' families should be compensated. Eight widows and one survivor from the town of Rawagede, east of Jakarta, took the Netherlands to court in 2008 to claim compensation for the execution of men and boys in 1947 by Dutch troops during Indonesia's independence war.

Phuket Update All school students in Patong took part on Friday in a tsunami drill that tested the sirens in the beach town's towers. Tests are to continue once a month.

humanrights.asia Despite the introduction of various measures to prohibit the sale of children into the army in Burma, the practice continues in large part because of the absence of a systematic process for the prosecution of soldiers accused of working with agents to trade in children.

just-food.com Tesco, the UK retailer, reportedly plans to open up to 25 stores a year in China as the market grows. David Potts, the head of Tesco's operations in Asia, told Bloomberg that the company wants to open as many as 25 outlets to ''keep pace'' with the growth of the Chinese market.



foxsports.com.au New Zealand have made light work of Japan at Rugby World Cup 2011, the All Blacks defeating the minnows by 76 points at Waikato Stadium in Hamilton. New Zealand 83, Japan 7.

ukpa Manchester United may put their Singapore flotation plans on hold until volatility in Stock Market conditions starts to ease. United, who have privately dismissed renewed speculation about a potential 1.5billion pound sale to the Qatari Royal Family, have been given permission to launch a flotation.

yahoo.com McLaren boss Martin Whitmarsh believes the potential for DRS use and his drivers' determination to topple Red Bull will turn next weekend's Singapore Grand Prix into an "electrifying" race.



September 17-18 Honda Racing, Saphan Hin, Phuket City

September 21-24 Quiksilver Thailand Surf Competition 2011, Patong

September 27-October 5 Vegetarian Festival, Phuket

November 1-6 Women's Beach Volleyball Series at Karon on 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

March 29-April 1 Phuket International Boat Show, Royal Phuket Marina



November 14-21 Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket