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

afp A wave of euphoria swept Arab cities as news spread of Egyptian president Hosni Mubarak's ousting, with jubilant crowds taking to the streets from Gaza to Beirut in celebration. Across the Middle East and north Africa, loudspeakers on mosques called on citizens to rejoice in their own cities after Mubarak, crushed by a popular uprising, agreed to hand over power to the army.

msn.com This must be the best party in the world. It's 9pm in Tahrir Square and I'm surrounded by thousands of people who are the happiest on earth right now. Tahrir Square is full of families, men lighting firecrackers, women holding signs saying ''freedom,'' people on motorbikes and others waving the national flag.

nytimes US President Barak Obama described the Egyptian uprising as a model of nonviolence and moral force ''that bent the arc of history.'' He compared it to the fall of the Berlin Wall and the uprising in Indonesia that brought democracy to another Muslim country.

theaustralian.com.au Sky News reported Mr Mubarak left Cairo and headed to the resort of Sharm el Sheikh, where he has a residence, and his arrival there was later confirmed to AFP by an official from his National Democratic Party.

afp The Swiss government ordered a freeze on any assets belonging to Egyptian President Mubarak and his entourage shortly after he was forced from office, the foreign ministry said.

wsj.com For Saudi Arabia, the departure of Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak represents a diplomatic setback that could complicate its foreign policy across the Middle East, with repercussions stretching from Iraq to the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.

nytimes.com Tomorrow we can all take about how hard this transition will be, how many pitfalls and uncertainties lie ahead for Egypt, but to be in Tahrir Square tonight, to feel the energy and pride of a people taking back the keys to their country and their future from a tired old dictator, was a privilege.

bangkokpost.com Unveiled for the first time at the World Travel Market in London in November 2009, the slogan "Egypt - Where It All Begins," was intended to highlight the North African country's historic status as a cradle of civilisations. Today, it could take on a broader significance.

topnews.net.nz Mystery still shrouds the death of a New Zealand tourist who recently died in Thailand. It has been suspected that the deceased woman might have died because of toxic seaweed. However, doctors who carried out the post mortem have revealed that they've not been able to ascertain the cause of her death. Sarah Carter died after eating at a market in Chiang Mai.

todayonline.com Thailand's Parliament passed constitutional amendments including changes to electoral laws, bringing the divided country closer to elections as Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva faces more anti-government protests.

smh.com.au Jetstar has announced a series of new deals that will enable it to be less like a low-cost carrier and more like its parent, Qantas, on services to and from Singapore in a widening of ties with the global oneworld alliance. Jetstar doesn't see any problem with a further blurring of the lines between low-cost flying and traditional full service.

siliconindia.com Over 900,000 Indian tourists are likely to visit Thailand this year on the back of increased air connectivity, liberalised visa norms and development of new destinations. Bangkok and Pattaya are the most popular destinations. Nearly 30 percent of overseas tourists go to Phuket.

huffingtonpost.com Malaysian lovebirds, take note: as part of nationwide campaign to encourage a sin-free lifestyle, the government is planning a crackdown on "immoral acts" in time for Valentine's Day. AFP is reporting that authorities in the northern states of Kedah, Penang and Kelantan as well as central Selangor state will carry out "immorality checks" on February 14.

theaustralian.com.au No one will be surprised to learn that Burma's media have studiously avoided mention of the historic tumult sweeping the Middle East, with popular uprisings challenging the region's longstanding and corrupt dictatorships. Burma's brutal military rulers, despite last November's election that was supposed to usher in a transition to "disciplined flourishing democracy," are once more confounding the hopes of those who naively believed the men in uniform were serious when they said things would change.

bbc.co.uk Shares in the Indonesian airline Garuda have made a less then impressive debut on the stock market in Jakarta. The carrier's shares lost more than 21 percent on their first day on Friday, despite an upbeat management which claimed to have turned the airline around.

upi.com Four suspected Somali pirates could face the death penalty if convicted by a Malaysian court of armed robbery and firing weapons at Malaysian defense forces. The four are among seven people who were formally charged in a Malaysian court after the navy arrested them during a gun battle on board a hijacked chemical tanker.



Unti February 13 The Bay Regatta - Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi
February 18 Makha Bucha public holiday
February 20 Pink Floyd charity tribute by New Machine, Zantika, Khao Lak
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
March4-6 Pool Asia Expo and Conference, Hilton, Phuket
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