PHUKET: A daily wrap of Thailand news, with a Phuket perspective, plus relevant reports from national and international media.
nationmultimedia.com Israel, China, Germany and France have withdrawn their travel advisories warning their citizens of possible terrorist attacks in Bangkok, a Foreign Ministry spokesman said. The US Embassy in Bangkok had retained the advisory on its website, but the warning no longer appears on the website of the US State Department.
Phuketwan Opinion Now we have the odd situation where Israelis are considered ''safe'' in Bangkok, along with Chinese, French and Germans, but Americans are not ''safe''. Really? What a farce. It is surely time to introduce an independent international system that starts from the premise that all lives are of equal value.
independent.co.uk 'Restaurants serving trunk' raise fears for Thai elephants: Police in the Thai resort of Phuket are investigating claims that elephants are being slaughtered so that their trunks and sex organs can be served as food in specialist "bush restaurants". Some people have suggested the elephant meat story may be nothing more than an urban myth. [A myth promoted by outlets that knows an ''elephants in danger'' story will be widely read, even if there is no evidence.]
jakartapost.com Thailand Natural Resources and Environment Minister Preecha Rengsomboonsuk has vowed to solve within a year issues related to Thailand's elephants. Preecha planned to build a DNA database on 4000 or so domesticated elephants in order to stop people taking over identity papers of deceased pachyderms and replacing them with elephants taken in the wild.
bangkokpost.com Two stateless children, their mother and another member of their family were released after 20 months in detention in a landmark case. It is the first time stateless children arrested in Thailand have been allowed to go free as the country moves toward a more humanitarian policy in dealing with refugees and asylum seekers.
launcestontimes.com With more Australians travelling overseas and increasingly to more adventurous locations, an average 1600 are getting into trouble each day, according to the Department of Foreign Affairs.
smh.com.au While Australians sometimes start trouble, retribution is usually severe in Asian countries. Last week, three Australians were injured in a wild brawl involving about 15 people in the red-light area of Phuket's Patong Beach. Last year, two Australians were stabbed in a brawl with Patong locals, one almost died from the wound near his heart.
theepochtimes.com Burma democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi, in a video message to delegates attending the World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, said: ''The possibility of a great transformation is in sight for our country.''
upi Thailand's interior minister said he would remove the Bangkok governor if he fails to work with the government in preparing for potential floods this year. ''I can do it by law but that would be the last resort,'' said Interior Minister Yongyuth Wichaidit.
iwantsun.co.uk There is nothing more quintessentially Bangkok than tuk-tuks, which you will see on almost every street in Thailand's capital. The low prices also apply to transport around the city, whether you plan to uses buses and trains, or opt for taxis.
pattayamail.com Pattaya Tourist Police seeking to blunt damage to tourism from foreign government warnings of a possible terrorist attack in Thailand are asserting the city is ''completely safe'' from attack. A number of local tourists ''panicked'' after listening to what he called ''one-sided material'' from the foreign embassies.
thestar.com.my A married IT executive is believed to have had sex with two top-ranking Singapore public officers being investigated under the Prevention of Corruption Act. The 36-year-old woman is assisting the Corrupt Practices Investigation Bureau in the cases involving the former chiefs of the Singapore Civil Defence Force and Central Narcotics Bureau, Peter Lim Sin Pang and Ng Boon Gay.
pattayamail.com Suspected French ATM skimmers Nagim Hassainia, 33, and Samir Raihane, 41, were captured in their north Pattaya hotel rooms with 31 fake cards and 125,000 baht. To date, they'd taken more than 10 million baht out of machines from Chiang Mai to Phuket, police said. Other gang members are believed to still be operating in Thailand.
scmp.com Many luxury hotels in Hong Kong still include endangered marine species on their seafood menus - and it's not just shark's fin soup, a conservation group says.
dailymail.co.uk Indonesian palm oil company executives are reported to be offering up to $100 to employees for each orangutan killed on plantations. While such stories were at first denied, proof of the slaughter emerged last September when graves and bones were found by investigators.
ft.com Bamboo, eco-friendly and strong as steel, is beig used in Bali to build everything from homes to bridges and schools that are resistant to decay and radically innovative.
breakingtravelnews.com Oriental Residence Bangkok has opened its doors, setting news standards for luxury residences offering contemporary interiors, bespoke amenities and exceptional, personalised services. The property is managed by ONYX Hospitality Group, whose management portfolio includes the hotel group Amari, amongst other brands.
smh.com.au Novak Djokovic will meet Rafael Nadal in tthe Australian Open final, seeking to win the Australian title for the third time. Only Rod Laver, Pete Sampras, Roger Federer and Nadal have done it, and all are legends.
telegraph.co.uk Andy Murray was just a couple of points away from beating the world No. 1 in a grand slam semi-final. Even though he ended up losing in five sets, I feel that we might look back at this match as the day he came of age.
theage.com.au Australia's preparations for its 2013 Ashes tour took a giant leap forward as it completed a four-nil sweep of its home Test series against India. Chasing a world-record target of 500 to win the fourth Test, India resumed on 6-166 and was bowled out for 201 in 58 minutes at Adelaide Oval.
PLANS are underway to mark Krabi's celebration of the province's 140th anniversary on May 5.
January 28-30 Old Phuket Town Festival
February 24-25 Phuket Blues Festival, Laguna Phuket
March 29-April 1 Phuket International Boat Show, Royal Phuket Marina
April Opening of Gardens by the Bay, Singapore, three waterfront gardens that will dwarf Kew in London and provide ''green lungs'' for the city.
May 26-June 5 National Youth Games, Phuket
November 14-21 Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket
