Red shirt leaders have announced today that they will not vacate the streets of Bangkok until Parliament is dissolved.

latimes.com Editorial: Amid the political turmoil in Thailand, holding early elections could stave off another military coup in a country that has seen far too many of them already. What is needed now, and what the US must advocate, is a free and fair election, monitored by international observers, and an agreement by both sides to respect the results.


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

telegraph.co.uk Red Shirt protesters claimed victory following a month of bloody protests when the electoral commission and an influential army chief both called for parliament to be dissolved. The electoral commission recommended the dissolution of Abhisit Vejjajiva's ruling Democrat Party - the country's oldest - over allegations it received millions of baht of ''illegal donations'' during the 2005 election campaign while he was deputy leader.


wsj.com Political and risk analysts say Thailand's power brokers in the military, the government and other senior establishment figures will likely take the next few days - which coincide with Thailand's traditional New Year holidays - to take stock and decide what moves to take to defuse the situation, while protesters use the holiday to reinforce their numbers on the streets of Bangkok. Early elections could prove the "least bad" of the options available, said Alastair Newton, senior geopolitical analyst at Nomura International PLC. And in a move apparently full of symbolism, Queen Sirikit and Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn attended the funeral rites of an army colonel killed during the weekend's fighting. Red Shirt leaders earlier urged Thailand's revered but ailing monarch King Bhumibol Adulyadej to intervene in the crisis.


todayonline.com Dr Chalidaporn Songsamphan, Associate Professor at Thammasat University's Faculty of Political Science in Bangkok, said some Thai-watchers are wondering if Mr Abhisit ''still has the power to decide anything at all''. She told MediaCorp: ''There might be what we call a silent coup by some military leaders already. He might not be the one to call the shots.''


Associated Press Thailand's foreign minister lashed out at former PM Thaksin Shinawatra, accusing him of personally instigating the country's deadliest political clashes in nearly two decades. In heated comments on the sidelines of a global nuclear summit, Kasit Piromya compared Thaksin, who was ousted in a 2006 coup, to 20th century dictators Hitler, Mussolini and Stalin and to the terror group al-Qaida. ''He's a bloody terrorist,'' Kasit told a small group of academics and reporters.


timesonline.co.uk Post-mortem examinations of the bodies of dead anti-government protesters confirmed that they were killed by military weapons. Autopsies carried out at the Police General Hospital in Bangkok showed that nine were shot by high velocity weapons in the head, chest or stomach - confirming the impression given by video footage, which shows one unarmed protester dropping to the ground after being struck by a bullet which removed the top of his head. Indications are that the PM has been gravely, and perhaps terminally, damaged by the botched operation, which has humiliated his army and redoubled the determination of his political enemies.


reuters Thailand's army chief called for early elections, adding to pressure on PM Abhisit whose party may face prosecution over funding activities. Although there was no violence on Monday, protesters circled the capital and still occupied their bases in Bangkok, one near a major shopping center. ''The current issue now is about dissolution of parliament, so my understanding is we just need to dissolve the House. But how long it will take before the house dissolution, that depends on the result of the negotiations,'' Thai army chief Anupong Paochinda told a news conference.


bangkokpost.com Editorial: There are those who despair that the great divide in Thai society cannot be bridged. They are wrong. Indeed, Thais of all ''colors'' still share mutual goals: a free country under a democratic system that encourages national prosperity and world friendship. It is occasionally difficult to settle differences peacefully.


businessweek.com ''What was a hopeful situation is turning into a hopeless one,'' Tim Condon, chief Asia economist at ING Groep NV in Singapore, wrote in a research note. ''We expect the Thai risk assets to underperform.''


Phuketwan Update The Phuket King's Cup has been voted Asian Regatta of the Year at the inaugural Asia Marine and Boating Awards in Shanghai on Saturday. The judges said: ''to win an award time after time could lead to complacency, but this event constantly strives to improve. Over 100 boats competing on excellent courses, under first class race management.'' Accepting the Award, Race Director Simon James added: ''We listen to the sailors and the sailing community to decide how best to meet the needs of our participants. Winning this award inspies us to continue to innovate, and to strive for excellence.''
Now in its 24th year, the Phuket regatta continues to expand, with more than 2000 sailors from 33 countries taking part last year. Organisers are now targeting more entries from China and Hong Kong with a website in Mandarin and translation facilities during the regatta. ''Interest in the 2010 regatta is already strong,'' said Simon James. ''We look forward to another potential record fleet and even more boats from China and Hong Kong.''


theaustralian.com.au Air Asia has confirmed it will double its long-haul flights from Kuala Lumpur to Perth and Melbourne and boost capacity from Bali. Long-haul carrier AirAsiaX will raise its Melbourne-Kuala Lumpur flights from daily to 14 a week from July 1 and make a similar boost on its Perth services from August 1. AirAsia's Perth-Bali services will double to 14 per week from June 1. The low-cost carrier flagged it would be boosting capacity to the three popular destinations after plans to fly to Sydney failed to get the green light from the Malaysian government.


casinocitytimes.com Malaysia's Tourism Minister say Malaysia's tourism numbers have not been impacted by recent opening of Resorts World Sentosa Casino in Singapore, The Malaysia Star reported. The minister cited the different attractions each country has and said any comparison was unfair, The Malaysia Star reported. Malaysia has its own casino in the Genting Highlands.


nytimes.com Homosexual acts are not outlawed in Cambodia, as they are in a few Southeast Asian countries, but outward displays of affection and untraditional lifestyles are rare. Yet in Siem Reap, a small town that gets about a million tourists a year, gay visitors and locals are carving out a little haven. In the last few years, a small flurry of gay-friendly bars, restaurants and hotels has opened up in the city's center and beyond, with wink-wink names like the Golden Banana and Cockatoo.


latimes.com Here is the Double Down for those not aware: Take two pieces of fried chicken fillets and use them to sandwich two slices of Monterey Jack and pepper jack cheese, two slices of bacon and a special sauce. As KFC says, there's so much chicken that there's no room for a bun. The nutrition facts aren't the best, as you can imagine.


rfa.org Bangladesh has rejected a UN proposal that it grant refugee status to tens of thousands of ethnic minority Muslims from Burma who fled in hope of asylum and a better life, Bangladesh Foreign Secretary Mohamed Mijarul Quayes has said. ''They must go back to their land,'' Quayes told reporters. Some 200,000 Rohingya, ethnic Muslims who live in fear of arrest and deportation and lack access to the services provided at international refugee camps, have fled to Bangladesh from Burma, whose authorities don't recognise them as citizens.




April 13 Water festival on the Beach in Patong
April 13-15 Songkran Festival in Old Phuket Town
April 14-18 Phuket Cricket Sixes, Karon Sports Stadium.
April 22 Phuket's Clean Beach campaign returns with monthly volunteer efforts designed to keep Phuket sparkling
April 28GreenLOVE festival to raise awareness about local and international environmental issues and solutions, British International School 8am-3pm.
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