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

crikey.com.au Jetstar, recovering a planeload of Phuket passengers who were subjected to two mechanical failures on successive nights, is up for well over $A1 million in costs from multiple wide bodied jet flights by the affected jet and a replacement aircraft which ended up producing no revenue, as well as the bill for an additional 870 room nights, not counting crew. And this is before the non-cash part of the deal comes back to bite Jetstar when a couple or a family uses at least $1200 worth of ''free'' future fares using their combined $600 vouchers.

monstersand critics.com Thailand plans to ask the US to take it off a watch list of countries that fail to protect intellectual property, the state-run news agency reported. The Commerce Ministry said the government had made a continuous effort to crackdown on the trade of pirated goods, including the prosecution of 6731 cases from January to October, a 75 percent increase over the same period in 2008, the Thai New Agency said.

scmp.com China has won approval to lead the co-ordination of international anti-piracy patrols off Somalia - an unprecedented expansion of its historic deployment of warships to the Indian Ocean.

wsj.com Malaysia's simmering religious and racial conflicts appeared set to worsen after worshippers found the severed heads of wild boars at two mosques amid a worsening dispute over whether Christians can use the term ''Allah'' as a translation for God. Muslims consider pigs unclean, and leaving boar heads at a mosque is a potentially inflammatory insult, mirroring a similar incident last year when Muslim activists flung a severed cow's head on the proposed site for a Hindu temple.

scmp.com A Cathay Pacific plane with 243 passengers on board was forced to abort take-off from Chek Lap Kok when another passenger plane took a wrong turn and almost strayed into its path.

washingtonpost.com Efforts to save the wild tiger are at a critical point and it will take greater political will and cooperation from Asian countries to prevent the big cats from becoming extinct, conservationists and the World Bank warned. The dire message was offered to 13 tiger range states attending the first Ministerial Conference on Tiger Conservation. The aim of the three-day meeting is to convince countries to pledge to spend more on tiger conservation.

hartselleenquirer.com For a deposit of only $107,000 you can rent two Sumatran tigers, an endangered species with only about 400 remaining in their native Indonesia. You have to live in Indonesia in order to rent the tigers and you have to allow quarterly visits from animal officials, but as long as you're paying, you're the proud owner of the tigers. The idea, according to Indonesia officials, is to save the endangered tigers.

smh.com.au The iPad, the subject of intense interest and speculation over the past year, was launched by Apple chief executive and co-founder Steve Jobs at a special event in San Francisco. Jobs described the iPad as ''magical and revolutionary'' and containing Apple's ''most advanced technology''. Users can check emails, watch videos, play games, surf the web, organise photos, prepare documents and present them.

afp Singapore launched a dedicated police unit to investigate crimes related to the city-state's first two casinos, which are due to open soon. Superintendent Michael Ang, former director of security at The Venetian in Macau, was named head of the Casino Crime Investigation Branch (CCIB) of the police Criminal Investigation Department.

nationmutilmedia.com Police arrested a French man for allegedly proving boys under 18 for sex services. Jean Eric Lopez, 47, was arrested inside Soi Sunee Plaza in Bang Lamung district. FBI officials informed the Thai police that Lopez had been allegedly offering underage sex services to foreigners at his bar.

Associated Press A Malaysian court overturned a government ban on a book about Muslim women that authorities claimed was a misinterpretation of Islam and a threat to public stability. The verdict marks a rare occasion that a publisher has successfully challenged the Home Ministry's power to block books considered inappropriate. Dozens of books have been banned in the last few years, often because they contained too much sexual content or were deemed to misrepresent Islam, Malaysia's official religion.

upi.com Indonesia plans to set up a $1 billion green investment fund to reduce carbon emissions by at least 26 percent by 2020. Indonesia, the world's third-largest greenhouse gas emitter, will invest in renewable energy projects and water treatment to address the effects of climate change as part of the project. The country relies on fossil fuels as its main source of energy.

msnbc.msn.com In 2009, more than 25,000 Conde Nast Traveler readers rated hotels and resorts based on a number of factors including rooms, service, design, and food. No. 1: Four Seasons Tented Camp Golden Triangle, Chiang Rai, Thailand
With views of three countries - Thailand, Myanmar, and Laos - this resort surrounded by a bamboo forest offers perfect-scoring activities including ''learning to ride an elephant bareback.''

cnngo.com Singapore's Housing and Development Board will celebrate half a century of achievements by building its one millionth flat this year, according to Channel NewsAsia. Speaking at its 50th anniversary, Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong said, ''Two generations of Singaporeans have grown up in HDB flats. Public housing helped to mould our unique national identity and collective experience as Singaporeans.''



January 29 Former Phuket Brewery dining-entertainment venue opposite Tesco-Lotus to reopen as Lang Lao Sang Chan (Whisky and Moonlight.)

January 30 Splash Jungle, Phuket's first theme park across 14 rai with slides to suit everyone, opens at West Sands Residences and Resort, Mai Khao.

January 31-February 4 Aircraft carrier USS Nimitz and other warships anchor off Phuket for shore leave.

February 2 Welcome by the Phuket Navy League for senior officers and crew from US vessels. 7pm-9pm, BBQ Hut Smokehouse, Rat-U-Thit Road, Patong (opposite the Mercure). Cost is 200 baht for members and 400 baht for visitors. E: info@navyleaguephuket.org

February 3-7 Phang Nga Bay Regatta. More than 60 yachts are expected to enter in six classes. More information: http://www.bayregatta.com

February 5-14 Phuket OTOP (one village, one product) Fair at Saphan Hin public park in Phuket City. About 300 booths, nightly performances, local and national products, good food. Hundreds of visitors expected each evening.

February 7 Wichit Municipality mini-marathon over 4.5 kilometres and 10.5 kilometres. For more information call 076-525100 or 080-6481363.

February 14 Valentines Day, Chinese New Year.

February 25-28 Phuket Gay Festival in Patong.

February 26-27 Phuket International Blues Rock Festival 2010 at the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort and Spa, Karon.

April 9-13 Phuket Bike Week, including tattoo competitions, island rides and the Miss Phuket Bike Week contest.

May31-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 Date to be finalised for Muay Thai kickboxing competition at Laguna Phuket.

June 4-13 Phuket International Film Festival.