property-report.com The property sector is responsible for almost half of all complaints received by Thailand's Office of Consumer Protection Board. During the nine months from October 2009 more than 48 percent of 6000 complaints related to property companies. All involved failures to honor contracts.


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

telegraph.co.uk Malaysia has closed several of its world-famous diving sites because authorities claim the coral is being killed off by global warming. Twelve reefs that attract half a million tourists from around the world annually are now closed to divers and snorkellers until the end of October to allow the corals to recover from bleaching caused by warmer seas. Abdul Jamal Mydin, director general of the Department of Marine Parks, said that the temperature of the seas has risen to 31C in recent months, up 2C from the normal level. [Similar bleaching has occurred off Phuket.]

bernama Nine marine park islands and three islands off Langkawi, Terengganu and Pahang are closed to tourists from July 2 to Oct 31 due to coral bleaching. Marine Parks Department director general Abdul Jamal Mydin said the coral degradation, which was caused by global warming, was worse than in 1998.

bangkokpost.com The last call of duty for 25 Chinese-made tanks will not be as killing machines but to provide a breeding ground for marine life in the Gulf of Thailand. The T69-2 tanks have been handed over to the Department of Fisheries and will form artificial reefs.

abc.net.au Burma's junta has sent a team of officials to investigate allegations that militia border guards are committing extortion, rape and assault against Burmese people being deported from Thailand. The Thai government is under heavy criticism over the allegations, which come amid a new crackdown on illegal Burmese workers who are being sent home. Some deportees say they have even been conscripted into a Burmese militia army.

andrew-drummond.com British ''off plan'' property kings Errol Salih and Selwyn Casey - the men who brought us England footballer Joe Cole and gave him a free condo in a non-existent project in Hua Hin - have been making a tactical withdrawal from the property business. The Phuket Gazette has published a public notice announcing that the feisty ''suvern'' lads are no longer directors of Club Lersuang Co. Ltd and as of last month, the company is no longer responsible for their actions.

Bangkokpost.com Letter from David Proulx: I had to laugh at the blatant irony of the July 21 letter from the ''hardy annual'' visitor Michael Hardman. If he feels that Phuket has been ''ruined by over-development'' and that Bangkok is a ''calamitous mess,'' then why does he still visit?

officialwire.com Thai tourism enjoyed positive growth in tourism flows inbound over the review period, but 2009 was the first year it encountered a tremendous loss in arrivals, particularly from neighboring Asian markets. Total arrivals in 2009 fell to below the level of 2006. 2010 prospects will depend on the rate of the global economic recovery. Furthermore, political issues may also ensue, causing challenges to potential growth over the forecast period. 'Travel And Tourism in Thailand' offers a comprehensive guide to the size and shape of the market at a national level.

pattayapeople.com Take a look at all the charter boats sitting idle, the unsold hotel rooms, and the sparsely-attended tours, and anyone can tell that tourism in Thailand is significantly down this year. Chairman of the Business and Tourism Association of Pattaya, Mr Jumroon Witsawachaipan, said that aside from the normally low numbers during the rainy season, tourists are cancelling Thailand visits primarily because many travel insurance companies will not guarantee against damage and loss due to political unrest. Many Pattaya businesses and travel agencies have been forced to close.

montrealgazette.net In Thailand, now through September 30, you can get discounts of up to 20 percent when you stay at The Racha, a private island escape just off the coast of Phuket where guests can experience a holistic spa and restaurants serving everything from seafood barbecues to homemade pastries.

bangkokpost.com Berli Jucker is looking to bid for Carrefour's Thailand operations to help support its consumer products supply chain, according to BJC president Aswin Techajareonvikul. BJC, 70 percent owned by Charoen Sirivadhanabhakdi's TCC Holding, has expanded rapidly in recent years through mergers and acquisitions.

indiatimes.com World number one Rafael Nadal will play at the Thailand Open in September, organisers said, raising hopes of a boost to the country's tourism industry in the wake of deadly unrest.

todayonline.com Manchester United's fans in Malaysia expressed astonishment and anger on social media yesterday after clerics warned Muslims against wearing the team's famous jersey with its ''devil'' emblem, saying it was un-Islamic. ''What am I gonna do with all my Man Utd jerseys? And my sons' jerseys?'' Ms Sharifah Shahidah, a Muslim mother of two and an IT programmer, asked on her Twitter account. ''Should I cover the emblem with a picture of flower?''

scmp.com The tour industry has a solution to tourist rip-offs: a sticker. Carrying information on visitors' rights, it will be given out to tourists from the mainland when they arrive in the city.

hotelnewsnow.com Peter Henley, president and CEO of Onyx Hospitality Group: We had Amari Hotels and Resorts and Saffrons and Ozos, and we thought it might confuse the market, the consumers, the press, so we created this new brand, this new name for the management company. We're Onyx Hospitality Company, which is the management company, which has in its portfolio these three brands, which are Saffron, Amari and Ozo. Both Saffron and Ozo, we are developing with our own money on our own sites to try to put our money where our mouth is.

canadian press Malaysian children and first wives in polygamous families overwhelmingly oppose the practice because the men seem too stretched to devote enough time and money to them, according to the country's largest study on the effects of polygamy. Though sanctioned by Islam, polygamy is a hot-button issue for Malaysia's Muslims, who make up nearly two-thirds of the country's 28 million people.



July 24 Third Worldwide Photo Walk, with at least one walk for photographers on Phuket
July 30 AustCham Thailand Sundowners at 4.30pm at Skippers, RPM. AustCham Thailand will host this Sundowners business networking session with a marine industry theme. Contact Harry Usher harry@ladypie.com 0812731740
August 5-8 Kite Jam, Surin beach
August 6-12 Andaman Motor Expo
October 1-3 Asian Hospitality and Travel Show, Central Festival Phuket Convention and Exhibition Center, Phuket City
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