nationmultimedia.com Bangkok's skytrains were paralysed on Tuesday morning after red shirts used tyres to block train tracks at Chidlom station, stopping all services.

bangkokpost.com Skytrain operator BTS has started feeding trains into the system and will fully resume about 10am, said BTS adviser Anat Aphaphirom. Tyres placed on rails have been removed by red shirts.

reuters Fears of civil conflict grew in Thailand on Tuesday after anti-government protesters stopped police from moving to Bangkok and rivals threatened to take matters into their own hands if leaders did not restore order.

cnn.com Thailand's PM said Monday that his government is working to achieve normalcy in the country amid massive opposition protests, but warned it will take ''time, patience and cooperation'' from all parties involved. The interview with Christiane Amanpour is to air on Tuesday.


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

bangkokpost.com Ongoing political strife has yet to significantly affect employment, but it is stunting growth, according to a survey by the University of the Thai Chamber of Commerce. The survey also estimated lengthy Bangkok mass rallies have resulted in 60-90 billion baht in lost revenue for mainly hotels, department stores and the tourism sector.


property-report.com The troubled Novotel Beach Resort Panwa has finally been sold in a deal worth more 870 million baht. In details released to the Stock Exchange of Thailand, Natural Hotel Panwa Company Limited sold land and construction under mortgage, and other assets related to the Novotel Beach Resort Panwa Phuket to Ton Vassana Company Limited.


Reuters Las Vegas Sands, the world's most valuable gaming company, will open the doors to its multi-billion-dollar Singapore casino on Tuesday, the latest entrant in the fight for Asia's gambling dollar. The $5.5 billion Marina Bay Sands, the world's No.2 most expensive casino after MGM Mirage's CityCenter in Las Vegas, is expected to generate as much $1 billion in annual profit.


Phuketwan Update The Bay Regatta - Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi is the new name for the well-known Phang Nga Bay Regatta, which has run for the past 13 years, says a media release. ''A new name does not signify any major changes to the event, which will continue to run each year in early February through the three provinces now reflected in its new name. Including the names of all three provinces, not just one, is the real reason for the change.'' The 2011 event runs from February 9-13.


Antara The majority of students of the University of Indonesia (UK)'s social and political science faculty who took part in a survey on their perception about the Asean community saw Malaysia as Indonesia's ''main security threat''. Four other countries also considered by the FISIP students as posing a major threat to Indonesia`s security are the US (27.6 percent), China (12 percent), Australia and Singapore (3.6 percent) each.


afp A passenger plane flying from Dubai to India plunged 200 60 metres after hitting air turbulence, injuring 20 people, officials from Emirates airline said. The jet with 350 passengers on board landed safely at its destination of Kochi in south India shortly after the incident, which occurred off the coastal state of Goa.


newburytoday.co.uk Mandy Allport, who teaches at St Finian's Roman Catholic Primary School, jetted off to Thailand about three weeks ago for her honeymoon and was due to return more than a week ago. Because of the volcanic ash cloud, she has been unable to make her way back home and has been told the earliest date that she can return is May 4. Headteacher Liz Housden said she is becoming increasingly concerned for Mrs Allport.


voanews.com Amateur excavators unearthed human remains they claimed were those of US war photographer Sean Flynn, who disappeared in Cambodia 40 years ago. But the US Embassy in Phnom Penh now says the remains are not Flynn's.


afp Aliens may exist but mankind should avoid contact with them as the consequences could be devastating, renowned British scientist Stephen Hawking warns. ''If aliens visit us, the outcome would be much as when Columbus landed in America, which didn't turn out well for the Native Americans,'' the astrophysicist said in a new television series.


Phuketwan Update With entries from 21 countries, Phuket development company Kata Rocks has won the Best Apartment in the Asia Pacific region for the Kata Rocks Club Penthouse. The Club Penthouse will now go on to be Asia Pacific's entry in the World Finals of the highly respected International Property Awards 2010, with a chance of being independently judged to be the Best Apartment in the world.



April 28 GreenLOVE festival to raise awareness about local and international environmental issues and solutions, British International School 8am-3pm.
April 29 Mom Tri's Boathouse on Kata Beach, 7pm, first of several popular Boathouse literary events of summer 2010. Bjorn Turmann, internationally recognised writer/speaker, will relate stories of his experiences with fiction, film and whatever else happens to be on his mind that day.
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