TWO tourists among 29 injured - that's the tally from five blasts that tonight ended Thailand's chances of a quick recovery from the political violence and the ash cloud. The first of the blasts rocked Bangkok about 8pm. Three more went off at 8.30pm, and a fifth at 8.45pm.


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

nationmultimedia.com According to the Association of Thai Travel Agents, about 10,000 of the passengers stranded in Bangkok are European residents, while the rest are headed for Europe. The Transport Ministry also said about 3000 Thais were waiting for flights out of Europe. In addition, there are some 1800 tourists waiting to fly out of Phuket. According to the Tourism Authority of Thailand office in Phuket, about 10 hotels have joined in the efforts to provide special discounted room rates to those stuck on the island.

bbc.co.uk Air traffic in Europe should be back to ''almost 100 percent'' on Thursday, after six days of unprecedented travel chaos, the air traffic agency Eurocontrol says. Airlines resumed services across Europe on Wednesday, with most scheduled flights going ahead. But tens of thousands remain stranded around the world after ash from an Icelandic volcano caused the shutdown.

foxnews.com Ninety five thousand flights were canceled and one third of the world's air travel was grounded. ''For an industry that lost $9.4 billion last year and was forecast to lose $2.8 billion in 2010, this crisis is devastating,'' said Giovanni Bisignani, the head of the International Air Transport Association. He added that governments needed to step up and support the struggling air carriers because government decisions made things worse. ''It is an extraordinary situation exaggerated with a poor decision making process by national governments.''

associated press For all the worldwide chaos that Iceland's volcano has already created, it may just be the opening act. Scientists fear tremors at the Eyjafjallajokull volcano could trigger an even more dangerous eruption at the Katla volcano, creating a worst-case scenario for the airline industry and travellers around the globe. A Katla eruption would be 10 times stronger and shoot higher and larger plumes of ash into the air than its smaller neighbors.

businessweek.com Thailand's government said protesters occupying parts of central Bangkok for a sixth week are armed, an allegation refuted by demonstrators who say authorities are seeking to justify a crackdown. Removing the anti-government demonstrators ''is more difficult these days as protesters have weapons, especially war weapons,'' Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva told reporters. ''We have to be careful and try to prevent any incident.''

bangkokpost.com A train transporting 50 soldiers and about 20 military vehicles has been blocked from leaving the Khon Khaen railway station by 500 red shirt protesters. The protesters believed the soldiers and vehicles were being sent to disperse red shirts gathered at Ratchaprasong intersection in Bangkok. The protesters placed a log and a cement pipe on the railway track to prevent the train from leaving. They camped out at the station to keep watch on any attempt to move the soldiers.

nationmultimedia.com Thais appear to be keen on expanding the ongoing conflict instead of containing it, with many different colour-coded groups emerging to confront the red-shirt protesters. Such confrontation would only orchestrate violence, if not a civil war. Initially, the current political stalemate was only meant to be a conflict between Abhisit Vejjajiva's government and former PM Thaksin Shinawata's supporters. Now, unfortunately, lots of issues are being raised and more and more people are getting involved.

wsj.com Many Bangkokians are joining pro-government rallies of various hues, as they become fed up with the red shirt protests held daily since March 12 and the toll the actions are exacting on the city's tourism industry. The rallies open a new and potentially volatile new front in the standoff between Thailand's army-backed government and the red shirts, many of whom support fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra.

straitstimes.com The level of organisation demonstrated by anti-government red shirt protesters is impressive. People queue patiently for food; a makeshift barber shop does brisk business; stalls sell everything from red scarves and T-shirts to hand clappers and even slingshots. Speeches and rousing music boom from the main stage all day long. At the nearby tourist and commercial street of Silom, tourists and office workers have to negotiate round dense coils of razor wire and M16-armed soldiers.

humantrafficking.change.org By day, Kenneth Ng is an economics professor at California State University Northridge. But by afternoons, evenings, and weekends, he's the man behind a website that teaches men how to navigate the ''Thailand Girl Scene,'' as Ng calls the rampant sex tourism which takes place in tourist areas of Thailand. Despite complaints from at least one large group of international businessmen, the university has refused to take any action against Ng, including asking him to take the site down. Women and children are trafficked into the sex industry in Thailand because Kenneth Ng flies overseas to buy them.

pquenewsmagazine.com During our Phuket-based visit, the destination that most appealed to me was our accommodation on Mai Khao Beach on the northern end of Phuket Island at the Sala Phuket resort. From my oh-so-chic (and air-conditioned) room I stepped into a steamy balcony with a huge day-bed, round bathtub too large to fill with precious water (or so I thought), superb shower and other facilities. Yes there were flying beetles, but who cared?

cbsnews.com American Idol winner Kelly Clarkson is coming under fire for allowing LA Lights cigarettes to sponsor her coming concert in Indonesia. International health advocates are urging Clarkson to withdraw tobacco sponsorship of her April 29 concert. ''If Kelly Clarkson goes ahead with this concert, she is choosing to be a spokesperson for the tobacco industry and helping them to market cigarettes to children,'' Matthew L. Myers, President of the Campaign for Tobacco-Free Kids said in a press release.



April 22 Researcher Robert X Fogarty reflects on the Phuket Tsunami and Hurricane Katrina, Room No.1205, Building One (Faculty of Technology/Environment) Prince of Songkla University, 10 am.
April 22 Phuket's Clean Beach campaign returns with monthly volunteer efforts designed to keep Phuket sparkling
April 23 Mom Tri's Kitchen Dinner Theatre at the Villa Royale hosts the Andaman Players 'Love is a 4 Letter Word' plus three-course dinner. Bookings 076 333568.
April 23 A 1001 Arabian Nights @ Sienna Rocks evening of fashion, entertainment and food is being held at the Cape Sienna Resort, from 6pm. The evening aims to raise money for 25 scholarships for underprivileged Thai students through the Phuket Asia Foundation. Tickets 500 baht, first two drinks free. Details: 076-337300. E: siennanews@capesienna.com
April 28 GreenLOVE festival to raise awareness about local and international environmental issues and solutions, British International School 8am-3pm.
April 30 Lions Club Of Phuket Pearl is holding a jazz concert and dance night, performed by children from the Phuket Academy of Dance, at the Royal Phuket Marina. Details: 081 477 0342.
May 1 The Phuket Has Been Good To Us foundation, first fund-raising ball, Sheraton Grande Laguna Resort, 6.30pm-Midnight.
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.
June 13 Laguna Phuket International Marathon. Fun runs, too.
December 4-11 Phuket King's Cup Regatta