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

online. wsj.com Asia has led the world out of the global economic downturn thanks in part to a welcome burst of consumer consumption. It appears the spending spree will continue into 2010. Strong government stimulus programs enacted during the depths of the crisis helped spur domestic economic activity across the region. Now some see consumer spending in Asia picking up support from more than stimulus.

timesonline.co.uk Frits van Paasschen, boss of Starwood, the world's second-biggest hotel group by market value, doesn't forgive and forget. Van Paasschen, two years into the top job at Starwood, shook the hotel industry in April by taking unprecedented legal action against a competitor, Hilton, and two former executives who had jumped ship. The case has had the hotel industry on tenterhooks.

etravelasiablackboard.com SALA Resorts and Spas has appointed Jon Ashenden as General Manager for SALA Phuket Resort and Spa, effective January 11, 2010. Jon is Australian, and has a wealth of operational and food and beverage experience. He joins SALA from Anantara Resorts & Spas, where he was Resort Director at the Anantara Phuket Resort & Spa.

bbc.com.au Eurostar has said there will be no services for a third day on Monday while further tests are carried out on its fleet of trains. But commercial director Nick Mercer said engineers have now pinpointed the cause of electrical problems and he hoped services would resume shortly. Thousands of passengers were trapped on five trains in the Channel Tunnel on Friday and Saturday in wintry weather.

msnbc.msn.com Air force personnel stole a Malaysian fighter jet engine from a military warehouse to sell it on the black market abroad, news reports said Sunday. The security breach occurred more than a year ago while the engine was undergoing repairs, but only became public knowledge when the New Straits Times newspaper reported it Saturday, citing information from unidentified officials.

indiatimes.com Indians simply aren't content with imagining themselves as Jack and Rose, standing on the deck of the Titanic, striking their famous pose. They are actually seizing the opportunity of taking to the high seas themselves, families et all. Numbers seem to be in favour of cruises to South-East Asian destinations like Phuket, Penang, Kuala Lumpur and the Maldives, this season.

dailymail.co.uk Headline: Tesco chainsaw massacre: The chief executive of Tesco is at the centre of a row over claims that a multimillion-pound luxury property development which he is co-funding has broken environmental laws. Sir Terry Leahy has invested millions of pounds in West Sands, a residential resort being built on Phuket. But contractors are being accused of illegally felling eight pine trees to improve sea views for some new properties.

ft.com Wallop Bhukkanasut, executive chairman of troubled Thai Airways, concedes that he carried excess luggage at Tokyo's Narita airport last month, tipping the scales at 380kg, most of which he said was fruit destined for a famous Buddhist temple in Bangkok as a donation. Under mounting pressure to quit, Mr Wallop has requested leave of absence from the board while a special committee makes inquiries.

people.com Even the most protective mom can find fault with her cub, and Kultilda Woods is furious with her Tiger, a family friend tells PEOPLE. ''[She] is hurt, angry and disappointed in Tiger,'' the friend says. ''She wants to know how he could do this to his family.'' But the elder Woods hasn't turned her back on her famous son, according to the source:

guardian.co.uk Representatives acting on behalf of Tiger Woods brokered a deal two years ago to bury a tabloid story of an extramarital affair, the Wall Street Journal reported. It said representatives for the golfer acted after the National Enquirer threatened to publish pictures of Woods taken in a parked car with Mindy Lawton, a Florida waitress. The alleged deal, which the WSJ claims was made in August 2007, saw Woods give an exclusive cover interview and photo spread to a sister magazine of the Enquirer, Men's Fitness.

smh.com.au Government guidelines have been issued to the Australian Federal Police on co-operating with countries that have the death penalty, including a stipulation that senior officers consider a suspect's age, nationality and whether capital punishment is likely. The guidelines could prevent a repeat of the controversy surrounding the Bali Nine case, in which the AFP helped Indonesian authorities apprehend Australians involved in a heroin smuggling operation in 2005. Police had acted after a tip-off from Lee Rush, whose son, Scott, is one of the nine and now faces execution.

telegraph.co.uk Wine, whisky and beer cause more problems for drinkers the next day than beverages like vodka, a new study suggests. Researchers say that the problem lies in organic byproducts created by the fermenting process. Drinks that contain more of these compounds appear to produce worse hangovers, scientists found.

activeyou.co.uk Holidaymakers who are looking for a credit crunch holiday will find that Thailand offers good value for money, according to the Tourism Authority of Thailand. Last month, the tourism board announced that their Amazing Thailand, Amazing Value campaign created a 46 percent increase in bookingsduring autumn. Chris Lee, TAT marketing advisor, said: ''Thailand has always been great value for money and all we've done is really highlight how cheap things are.''