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

bangkokpost.com The Airline Operators Committee is calling on Airports of Thailand Plc and the Immigration Police Bureau to streamline immigration operations at Suvarnabhumi airport. Kongsak Hiranpruek, chairman of the AOC, which represents more than 80 international airlines operating out of Suvarnabhumi, said the airport did not have enough officers to handle immigration procedures. [Similar complaints are made about Phuket.]

smh.com.au Letter from reader: We have just spent 10 days in Bali and found airport security to be over the top. Arriving in Bali we endured 90 minutes of queuing in sweltering conditions late at night to pay for a 30-day visa ($US25-$US$27) and then wait for painfully slow customs that were undermanned (three staff only) for the sudden influx of flights. On the way out, we went through seven security checks. These included a series of baggage screens, a body search, a full search of carry-on luggage and numerous X-rays.

nationmultimedia.com Thai Airways International's decision to form a new budget carrier with Singapore's Tiger Airways will shake up the low-cost airline industry in a big way. Areephong Wongcha-um, a member of THAI's board of directors, said the new joint venture would compete more effectively in the ultra-low-fare segment. Thai Tiger Airways would not hurt Nok Air, whose fares will be higher.

wsj.com Tobacco companies Universal Corp. and Alliance One International Inc. have agreed to pay millions in disgorgement and fines after being hit with bribery charges from the US Securities and Exchange Commission and Department of Justice. The SEC said the companies together paid more than $5 million in bribes to government officials in Thailand and other countries in order to illicitly obtain tobacco sales contracts.

bangkokpost.com A local investigation is expected into US allegations that Thailand Tobacco Monopoly staff accepted 62 million baht in bribes to buy Brazilian tobacco. The Department of Special Investigation has asked the Finance Ministry to file a complaint against the TTM staff so it can look into the allegations. The US embassy could also file a complaint with the DSI.

stuff.co.nz Singapore's economy grew 17.9 percent in the first half of 2010, a pace likely to moderate in the second half, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said. There are still risks facing the economies of Europe and the US and the global financial system is yet to fully recover from the credit crisis, Lee said in a televised speech on the eve of a national day celebrating Singapore's 45th year of independence.

afp Malaysia said it could not accept an Indonesian proposal on a minimum wage for its maids amid delays on a working conditions deal following a series of shocking abuse cases. Both countries have been working on a deal for maids after a flood of complaints of mistreatment of domestic workers strained ties between Malaysia and Indonesia, leading Jakarta last June to ban maids from working there. Human resources minister S.Subramaniam told AFP his country would not agree to an Indonesian minimum wage plan of 800 ringgit (254 dollars) a month for maids who are currently paid between 300 to 400 ringgit monthly.

Associated Press Indonesia's counterterrorism squad arrested five terrorist suspects in West Java, a local police chief said, a day after the country's president said he had received reports that certain groups in areas of the province intended to do him harm. West Java police chief Insp. Gen. Sutarman said police also confiscated high explosive materials during four separate raids in the province's capital, Bandung, and Subang district.

reuteers Google, which runs the world's most popular internet search engine, was ordered to defend itself against a lawsuit by a former manager who said he was fired for being too old, clearing the way for a trial. Brian Reid, then 54, alleged that while at Google, he was subjected to put-downs by a 38-year-old vice president who told him his ideas were ''obsolete'' and ''too old to matter,'' and that he was ''slow,'' ''fuzzy,'' ''sluggish'' and ''lethargic.''

ndtv.com The big fat Indian wedding is being lured out of the country by global hotel chains and tourism boards of several countries who are flocking to India in a bid to grab a piece of the lucrative market. And well-heeled Indian grooms and brides, looking for an exotic location or a once-in-a-lifetime experience to make their wedding memorable, are beginning to succumb. If these attempts succeed then a small but significant part of the cash-rich Indian wedding market, with a reported turnover of $20 billion, will probably be moving overseas. The Tourism Authority of Thailand and the Sands Corporation of Las Vegas, which owns plush new hotels in Singapore and Macau, have already started pitching for the lucrative ''desi'' wedding business.



Until August 12 Andaman Motor Expo
August 11-September 9 Ramadan
August 12-13 Queen's Birthday Holiday, public offices closed
August 14-15 Baba wedding, Phuket Town
August 21 Rip Curl Hunt for Young Surfers, Nai Harn beach
September 11 Phuket Surf Lifesaving Carnival, Loma Park, Patong
October 1-3 Asian Hospitality and Travel Show, Central Festival Phuket Convention and Exhibition Center, Phuket City
October 8-16 Vegetarian Festival, Phuket
November 2-7 Phuket womens' beach volleyball, Karon beach
December 4-11 Phuket King's Cup Regatta
2011
January 6-9 PIMEX boat show, Royal Phuket Marina
February 9-13 The Bay Regatta - Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi