A daily wrap of Thailand news, with a Phuket perspective, plus relevant reports from national and international media. PLUS World Cup Watch, every day.

bangkokpost.com An election is unlikely to be held before the end of the year, Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva said, but added he had not ruled out early elections. Mr Abhisit, who was speaking to the foreign media after briefing foreign diplomats and trade representatives, said: ''I'm ready to be investigated in my role in handling the red shirt protest and would take accountability if I'm found guilty.''

bbc.co.uk Travel Advice for Britons visiting Thailand has been relaxed after a curfew was lifted in Bangkok. The Foreign Office changed previous advice only to travel if essential and to "exercise caution" in the capital.

Phuketwan Opinion Phuket's tourism industry continues to be plagued by travel alerts that remain all over the place. If you are German or Taiwanese, you are officially considered ''safe'' on the island. Diplomats from other nations continue to protect their own safety, at a cost to their citizens.

japantimes.co.jp Many analysts feel that despite his fumbling of the political crisis, Abhisit is a safer alternative than the corruptionists waiting for him to falter. He is certainly more moderate and tolerant than rightwing elements in his government and more sensitive to domestic and international opinion than the Thai military, now depicting themselves as heroes during all-channel propaganda programs.

nationmultimedia.com Correspondents who met to hear the PM discuss the political crisis remained sceptical about events leading up to the May 19 crackdown on red shirt protesters and the prospects of national reconciliation. Many questions by mostly Western reporters focused on whether the government used excessive and disproportionate force to bring an end to the red-shirt protest.

bangkokpost.com Bangkok Governor Sukhumbhand Paribatra says community watch efforts are the most effective means of ensuring everyone's safety. ''We'll train 300,000 more volunteers to watch over safety in communities,'' he says, adding that 15,000 volunteers have already been trained. He says 10,000 closed-circuit television cameras will be installed.

thestar.com.my Tourism Minister Datuk Seri Dr Ng Yen Yen said Malaysia was working with airlines to divert affected tourists to Kuala Lumpur without extra charge and hotels to give the tourists a better deal. ''Malaysia and Thailand must help each other,'' she said. She said Malaysia would focus on Britain, Germany, Italy and the Netherlands in its bid to attract more European tourists.

guardian.co.uk Dennis Hopper, the hard-living Hollywood star with acclaimed roles in films including 'Apocalypse Now' and 'Easy Rider,' died of prostate cancer. He passed away at his home in Venice, California, at the age of 74. He was surrounded by his family and friends.

latimes.com What went down behind those corrugated steel walls of Dennis Hopper's Venice fortress as he lay dying at age 74? He was divorcing his fifth wife after 18 years together, obtaining an ''emergency restraining order'' to keep her at a 10-foot distance. They battled over his valuable artworks. She also filed complaints about him keeping marijuana joints throughout his compound, ready to provide quick relief from pain, and loaded guns in strategic locations, ready to provide quick resolutions. If a person's manner of dying is a distillation of their life, then Hopper's death seemed a revisit of the same stories about a man once called the ''patron saint of the deranged.'' Never an easy rider.

theage.com.au Discount airline AirAsia has launched special fares to lift Thailand's tourism industry in the wake of the bloody political clashes in Bangkok that prompted the Australian government to warn travellers to avoid the capital. AirAsia is offering a limited number of free flights from Bali to Bangkok, and $10 fares from Kuala Lumpur to the Thai capital to entice travellers. As a regional carrier, AirAsia's chief executive Tony Fernandes said he felt ''duty-bound'' to help Thailand ''bounce back''.

reuters.com The World Health Organisation called for more action against tobacco advertising that targets women and girls, especially in developing countries. Females represent the biggest potential growth market for tobacco products and are being subjected to aggressive campaigns linked to fashion, sports events and entertainment, the UN agency said.

msnbc.msn.com College students today are less likely to ''get'' the emotions of others than their counterparts 20 and 30 years ago, a new review study suggests. Specifically, today's students scored 40 percent lower on a measure of empathy than their elders did. The findings are based on a review of 72 studies of 14,000 American college students overall conducted between 1979 and 2009.

exportlawblog.com A UN report leaked to the Associated Press revealed that North Korea has been exporting nuclear and missile technology and items to Iran, Syria and Burma. According to that report, the Norks are using shell companies, intermediaries and criminal networks to evade sanctions imposed by the UN on the rogue state.

timesonline.co.uk A gay couple sentenced to 14 years' hard labor in Malawi after they announced their engagement were pardoned by the country's president. '''These boys committed a crime against our culture, our religion and our laws: however, as the head of state I hereby pardon them and therefore ask for their immediate release with no conditions,'' President Bingu wa Mutharika said after a meeting with Ban Ki-moon, the UN secretary-general.



dnaindia.com New research has declared England as the most football-mad country in the run-up to the FIFA World Cup in South Africa. According to the Daily Star, the Heineken research reveals a typical British football nut watches matches for two hours and 22 minutes, either in full or in the form of highlights, every week. They also spend 28 minutes daily chin-wagging about the latest results, tackles, goals or transfer gossip. In second place was Thailand, where men spend three hours talking about the beautiful game, followed by three-time World Cup winners Brazil in third.

NZ 1, Serbia 0 New Zealand, ranked 63 places below Serbia, made a mockery of the ''weak team'' tag as Shane Smeltz struck the only goal of the game after 22 minutes to down their more fancied opponents in Klagenfurt, Austria. Serbia face Australia - winners over NZ last week - in Group D in South Africa, as well as Germany and Ghana. NZ are in Group F with Italy, Paraguay and Slovakia.

smh.com.au Mark Bosnich: Brazil, Italy, Germany, England, France, Argentina and Spain are all capable of winning it. If I had to pick two for the final, I'd probably go with Brazil and Spain, with Spain to win. Les Murray: The two best teams in the world today are Spain and Brazil, so I expect them to meet in the final. Brazil, because they are an older hand at it, will win it.

timesnewsline.com Though Nelson Mandela is 97 and hardly makes public appearances, FIFA president Sepp Blatter is hopeful that he keeps healthy enough to be able to make it to the opening game at the Soccer City on June 11, one of the ten stadiums being used in nine cities. ''We cross fingers that Nelson Mandela ... can realise this dream. And his dream would be to be at the opening of the World Cup,'' Blatter said. ''It will be his World Cup.''





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.
June 4-13 Phuket International Film Festival, Coliseum Cineplex, Phuket City.
June 13 Laguna Phuket International Marathon. Fun runs, too.
June 25 to 27 Second Kathu Culture Road Fair, recalling the region's history
July 21-25 Phuket Six Senses Race Week, Evason, Rawai
July 4 US Phuket Navy League Independence Day free family picnic at the Headstart International Learning Center directly across from Makro (near Central Festival) in Phuket City from 10am-7pm.
December 4-11 Phuket King's Cup Regatta

2011
January 6-9 PIMEX boat show, Royal Phuket Marina
February 9-13 The Bay Regatta - Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi