timesonline.co.uk After negotiations, three dozen demonstrators were allowed to squeeze through the police cordon in a heavy rainfall outside the PM's residence. They carried about six 5 litre plastic water bottles filled with blood, which was later poured into small plastic bags. They unleashed a barrage that smeared the walls, roof and grounds with red.

Phuketwan Update Protesters were heading this afternoon to leave blood outside the US Embassy. It's understood the embassy was chosen because American intelligence reports received by the government warned of the potential for sabotage during the protest.

bloomberg.com Thai demonstrators plan to continue pouring bottles of their own blood in Bangkok in their sixth day of protests aimed at ousting PM Abhisit Vejjajiva and prompting new elections. Protestors plan to spill blood in front of Abhisit's residence after targeting his office and party headquarters with the same tactic yesterday.

nationmultimedia.com As soon as most of the red shirts left, trained officials started cleaning up. Since blood is considered infectious waste, authorities took all precautions and clean-up measures. Each cleaner had to wear gloves and keep his mouth and nose well covered.


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

wsj.com Thailand's street protesters are taking extreme measures in drawing attention to their demands on who should run their country. The newest tactics: Splattering their own blood and threatening to hurl plastic bags of human waste. Thailand's government appears unperturbed. Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva vowed again to stay in office.

cnn.com Anti-government protesters poured a small amount of blood at the headquarters of the government in Bangkok, but the demonstration did not live up to their threat to douse the ministers' offices in blood.

guardian.co.uk So will the gory ritual work? Nothing, says Thai author and composer SP Somtow, is less certain. According to the TV experts, ''using your enemies' blood to ensure victory might be a logical example of sympathetic magic, but spilling your own could have the opposite effect.''

bangkokpost.com Most hotels, resorts and tour operators participating in the 18th Discovery Thailand & Discovery World 2010 reported missing their sales targets due to the impact of the red-shirt demonstration. Tourism operators had pinned their hopes on the four-day fair, which ended on Sunday, after two years of a market slump due to the global economic crisis and local political uncertainty.

nationmultimedia.com Somboon Chirayus, president of the Phuket Tourism Association and deputy managing director of the Merlin Hotel Phuket, said more tourists were coming back despite the political turmoil. TAT governor Suraphon Svetasreni said that although 37 countries had issued or reissued travel advisories to their citizens, the Tourist Assistance Centre in Bangkok had not received calls asking for help or making cancellations.

amconmag.com A Red victory will not be an example of either advancing or retreating democracy. The main differences between the factions are over domestic policies and the distribution of wealth and power in the country. While there are ideological differences between the factions, they really have nothing to do with the preoccupations of Western democracy promoters.

usatoday.com HE'S BACK: Tiger Woods will play at the Augusta Masters. How many millions will be watching every step, every grimace, every birdie and bogey? Wherever he goes, the world will follow. Now that we know his return date, CBS and Augusta National can high-five one another for together lucking into one of the sports events of the century.

bbc.co.uk British Airways has announced contingency plans that will allow it to fly 60 percent of its customers during the first planned strike by cabin crew. The airline said it aimed to fly about 45,000 passengers a day during the first three-day strike, due to begin on March 20.

timesonline.com For nearly a year, nine members of the Penfold family have been preparing with mounting excitement for a grand trip to Thailand and Singapore. Altogether the family have paid out 23,000 pounds. ''We've spent our savings on this,'' said Mr Penfold, who lost his job last year. ''I think we are facing a lot of disappointment.''

businessweek.com Coca-Cola said it will build a new bottling plant in Malaysia and invest $302 million over the next five years to boost growth in the Southeast Asian market. The investment comes as the world's largest soft drink maker gets ready to end its franchise with a local bottler after sales remained stagnant over the years.


Every day, 1.1bn people poo without a loo - The Times of India

indiatimes.com This is one world No. 1 tag that ''emerging India'' would love to shed. Indians comprised 58 percent of all people across the world who regularly defecated in the open in 2008. That's more than half the Indian population, a WHO-Unicef report said. Globally, 1.1 billion people still have no access to toilets, with India alone contributing 638 million to the figure.

todayonline.com Malaysia's religion minister defended Islamic laws that allow girls under 16 to marry, amid a controversy over two girls who were married off to middle-aged men. One man alleged to be leading an Islamic cult is accused of giving away his 10-year-old daughter to a family friend, and marrying the 11-year-old girl without approval from the Syariah court. Over the weekend, the latter girl was found outside a mosque in KL and is now being treated in hospital.

newsweek.com Cell-phone tracking is among the more unsettling forms of government surveillance, conjuring up Orwellian images of Big Brother secretly following your movements through the small device in your pocket. How many of the owners of the 277 million cell phones in the US even know that companies like AT&T, Verizon, and Sprint can track their devices in real time? Most ''don't have a clue,'' says privacy advocate James X. Dempsey.

bangkokpost.com Duangjai Kraus, managing director of property consultant Engel & Volkers Thailand, says foreign property demand in Phuket has started to pick up in line with increasing tourist arrivals, she said. But buyers are deferring decisions due to Thailand's current instability, she said. Some high-end buyers are also worried about the world economy, choosing to rent for now, she added.



March 19 Phuket Australian-Thai Chamber of Commerce (AusCham) Sundowners at Paresa Resort at Cape Sol, Kamala. 3.30 pm Seminar on sustainable/green development. Drinks 6pm.
Until March 20 Annual French Gastronomy Festival at The Boathouse. Wine Chef Jean-Noel Lumineau, Thailand's only Maitre Cuisinier de France, treats discerning diners to exceptional French food.
Until March 26 Thao Thepkrasattri and Thao Srisoonthorn Fair at Thalang Victory Memorial Park, near the Heroines' Monument.
March 19-28 Local Phuket Food Festival, Saphan Hin, Phuket City
March 27 Lights out at Le Meridien Phuket Resort and Spa in support of Earth Hour. Since 1987, the resort has minimised its impact with waste reduction, efficient energy management, water conservation, and green programs.
April 3 Attempt on the mass dive record, Thai Muang, Phang Nga, 11am. Details: 076-411388.
April 9-13 Phuket Bike Week, including tattoo competitions, island rides and the Miss Phuket Bike Week contest.
April 14-18 Phuket Cricket Sixes, Karon Sports Stadium.
May 31-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 Annual Phuket seafood festival.
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, Coliseum Cineplex, Phuket City.

Phuket Protest Leader Joins 'Blood Smear'
Breaking News Inventive yellow shirt protesters on Phuket gave the world the airport invasion, now Phuket red shirts are joining in the unusual blood smear protest planned for Bangkok.
Phuket Protest Leader Joins 'Blood Smear'

Phuket Beach Lifeguard Plan 'Coming This Month'
Breaking News A new strategy is on the way to protect tourists and locals from drowning on Phuket's beaches. It should be in place just in time for the island's dangerous monsoon season.
Phuket Beach Lifeguard Plan 'Coming This Month'

Phuket, Samui Villas and Condos Going Unsold
Breaking News The outlook appears bleak for property on Phuket and Samui with the latest independent figures showing large numbers of villas and condos in an unsold stockpile.
Phuket, Samui Villas and Condos Going Unsold

Phuket Taxi Abuse: Cruise Line Slams 'Rip-Offs'
Latest Pressure to act on Phuket's taxi and tuktuk monopoly and rip off fares has increased with the criticisms of a cruise line that delivers thousands of tourists to the island.
Phuket Taxi Abuse: Cruise Line Slams 'Rip-Offs'