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

abc.net.au An Italian and an Iranian were among the nine people killed in a bomb attack on a restaurant in the western Indian city of Pune, police said. Twelve foreigners were also among the 60 people injured, while the rest of the victims were Indian. The bomb was hidden in a backpack under a table at the German Bakery restaurant,.

theaustralian.com.au Phuket police are investigating the death of an Australian flight attendant at the Hilton resort. Airline V Australia, which recently set up services to Phuket, released a statement saying:"'It is with the deepest sorrow that we confirm the loss of one our team members in accidental circumstances whilst off duty in Phuket yesterday evening. We have no further comment to make as our priority at this time is to protect the privacy and offer our support to our crew member's family at this very sad time.''

smh.com.au Budget airline Jetstar is promising to give customers what they paid for and compensate them if it doesn't. The Qantas offshoot has launched a new customer charter it claims is the first in the aviation industry in Australasia and southeast Asia. Jetstar says if it breaches the 10-point charter and a customer contacts the airline, Jetstar will provide affected customers with travel vouchers valued at $50 to $100 in local currency for each breach.

bangkokpost.com Laboratory tests cannot be conducted on the controversial GT200 bomb detector because of confidentiality agreements struck when they were purchased, say members of a government panel assessing the device. Pansak Siriruchatapong, director of the National Electronics and Computer Technology Centre, said: ''The purchasers had an agreement with the traders that they would not reveal any information regarding the device.''

nationmultimedia.com Thailand's PM has called for tighter security in Bangkok after two bomb incidents over the weekend - one at Rajamangala University of Technology and another planted inside the Supreme Court compound. Security sources fear more attacks leading up to February 26, when the court is scheduled to hand down a verdict on former PM Thaksin Shinawatra's Bt76-billion assets- seizure case.

Reuters Singapore's first casino, a key part of a drive to boost tourism revenue and please wealthy visitors, opened its doors on Sunday, Lunar New Year -- the most auspicious day of the Chinese calendar. The $4.7 billion Resorts World Sentosa, built by a unit of Malaysia's Genting Group, is the first of two casinos to go into operation to transform the Southeast Asian city-state's reputation as a manufacturing and banking hub.

channelnewsasia.com Southeast Asia's first Universal Studios theme park welcomed its first visitors on Sunday in Singapore. It is part of the S$6.59-billion Resorts World Sentosa, which also opened Singapore's first casino in the afternoon. Visitors to the park were transported into a world of Hollywood magic where celebrity culture and movies are celebrated.

guardian.co.uk Burma's ruling junta has released the deputy leader of the country's pro-democracy party from nearly seven years in detention, but offered no indication that he or still-detained party leader Aung San Suu Kyi would be allowed to take part in this year's elections. The release of 82-year-old Tin Oo, who helped found the National League for Democracy with Aung San Suu Kyi, comes shortly before a UN envoy visits Burma to evaluate the regime's progress on human rights.

motorsport.com Lotus has put on hold plans to relocate in the near future to Malaysia. When the new team's official F1 grand prix entry was confirmed last September, the FIA said Lotus' plan was to be based at the Sepang circuit. However, Lotus' 2010 car, launched in London, has been designed at Hingham, Norfolk (UK). ''Right now, stability is important and there are no plans to move to Malaysia yet,'' said team boss Tony Fernandes, also head of AirAsia.

smh.com.au The Australian woman who launched a political career on an anti-immigration platform is set to become an immigrant herself. Only days after declaring she was finished with politics, the former One Nation leader Pauline Hanson has revealed plans to resettle in Britain, potentially for good. '''I'm going to be away indefinitely. It's pretty much goodbye forever,'' she told a women's magazine in an interview, published today. ''I've really had enough. I want peace in my life. I want contentment, and that's what I'm aiming for.''

pr-insider.com It is not difficult to identify fake Phuket hotel reviews, if you know how to look for one. The method to be adopted is different for facilities and services. While facilities at Phuket hotels are aimed at catering to international guests, should confirm to world hotel standards. While looking for facilities, if a website offers reviews of various hotels with favorable review for only one, then the chances are high that it is a fake. Many websites do this to promote a particular hotel.

pattayadailynews.com Valentine celebrations saw a new record on February 13 at the Royal Garden Plaza, Pattaya, when Thailand beat the Germans previous record in speed dating. Participants totaling 818 (400 male and 418 females) signed up via the website while another 258 applied in person. Successfully matching couples, it was later found that Thailand had beaten Germany's previous record by 129 couples in November 2008.


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Until February 19 Chalong Temple Fair.
February 19-21 Old Phuket Chinese New Year Festival, Old Phuket Town.
February 25-28 Phuket Gay Festival in Patong.
February 26-27 Phuket International Blues Rock Festival 2010 at the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa, Karon.
February 26-28 Phuket Spicy Soccer 7s at Fifa Phuket Tsunami Centre.
April 9-13 Phuket Bike Week, including tattoo competitions, island rides and the Miss Phuket Bike Week contest.
April 14 Phuket Cricket Sixes begin.
May31-June 5 Eight-nation football tournament for players over 55 at Surakul Stadium in Phuket City. Britain, Australia, New Zealand, Thailand, Taiwan, Iran, Armenia competing.
May Date to be finalised for Muay Thai kickboxing competition at Laguna Phuket.
May 21-23 Paragliding on Phuket.
June 4-13 Phuket International Film Festival.