bloomberg.com Violent anti-government protests in Thailand may hurt economic growth by as much as 2 percentage points if the situation isn't resolved soon, Finance Minister Korn Chatikavanij said. ''Unless we put an end to this and do it as peacefully as we can in the next few days, next few weeks, I think there will be a significant impact on prospects for Thailand,'' Korn said.


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

bangkokpost.com Some soldiers fired live rounds at red shirt demonstrators to provide cover for injured comrades as they were retreating during clashes, a spokesman for the Centre for Public Administration in Emergency Situations says. Colonel Sansern Kaewkamnerd said the soldiers had no choice but to open fire at terrorists hiding among demonstrators to protect their colleagues. A government spokesperson earlier told international media no live bullets were fired.

wsj.com By the authors of 'Thaksin': The violence that left 23 dead and over 800 injured hardened the divisions within society. The possibility of far worse bloodletting has only increased. Both sides have martyrs and grounds for revenge. The true reason for the die-hards' fear is the depth and intensity of support for the red movement revealed over the past month. The size and stamina of the protest belied predictions. A wide spectrum of people joined the demonstrations, not just the rural poor. Many Bangkokians took part, to the surprise of those who saw this contest as village against city.

thehindu.com It is unlikely that the government of PM Abhisit Vejjajiva in Thailand will last much longer. The government's heavy-handed approach to dealing with the red shirt protesters has led to the deepening of the turmoil. This more or less seals the PM's fate. In Thailand, as in Pakistan, the failures of civilian politicians give the military all the advantage.

nytimes.com The Thai government distanced itself from remarks in the US by Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya about a need for a more open discussion of what he called the taboo subject of the role of the monarchy in Thailand. ''The government has no comment on this speech,'' said Panitan Wattanayagorn, the chief government spokesman. ''It is not an official policy. It is his personal statement.''


Death, taxes hold similar appeal - miamiherald.com

mcot.net For Songkran in the southern resort of Phuket, known as 'Pearl of the Andaman', hotel bookings jumped to around 80-90 percent and it is estimated that one billion baht would change hands during the festival, according to Bangornrat Chinaprayoon, director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand's Phuket office.

thailand-business-news.com Deputy Commerce Minister Alongkorn Ponlaboot said the political clashes would result in fewer new-company registrations, while the number of company bankruptcies would rise considerably because investors would have lost confidence in doing business in Thailand. '''Businesses that will be hardest hit are construction, property development and tourism because they are highly sensitive to political stability,'' Alongkorn said

wsj.com Clashes broke out when Indonesian security forces tried to clear away protesters trying to prevent the possible demolition of a historic tomb, leaving two people dead and at least 130 people injured in one of the most violent recent episodes of civil unrest in Jakarta.

aljazeera.net Protesters were said to have wielded machetes, sticks and petrol bombs, while police responded with tear gas, pepper bullets and water cannons. A spokesperson said: ''Seven people have been critically injured ... one [security officer] had his hand cut off and another had his stomach ripped out with a machete.''

smh.com.au Elin Nordegren is reportedly set to divorce Tiger Woods following the release of a controversial television advertisement featuring the golfer's late father. The Swedish beauty and mother of two was ''violently angry'' about the Nike ad, which featured a troubled Woods looking directly at the camera while a recording of his father Earl asked ''Did you learn anything?'', a source told People magazine. "[Nordegren] thought it was a cheesy thing to do," the source said.

reuters Billionaire financier George Soros delivered a stark warning that the financial world is on the wrong track and may be hurtling towards an even bigger boom and bust than in the credit crisis. Soros said the same strategy of borrowing and spending that had got us out of the Asian crisis could shunt us towards another crisis: ''Unless we learn the lessons, that markets are inherently unstable and that stability needs to the objective of public policy, we are facing a yet larger bubble.''

Assoicated Press An American Airlines flight with 145 people on board made an emergency landing in Iceland after five crew members became ill following reports of chemical fumes in the cabin. American Airlines Flight 49 travelling from Paris to Dallas-Fort Worth landed safely at Keflavik Airport.

voanews.com In Malaysia, authorities have ended years of debate and announced they will seek a World Heritage listing for the Maliau Basin, a pristine wilderness area in remote northern Borneo. The decision to seek World Heritage status will effectively save the isolated and celebrated rain forests from timber and mining interests. The basin covers almost 600 square kilometers, hidden so deeply within Borneo that it was only discovered in the 1970s. Much of it remains unexplored.

officialwire.com Arrivals to Singapore dropped by some 4 percent in 2009, but there are reasons to be positive about the outlook for 2010 as the global economy recovers. In particular, the opening of the two integrated resorts, Marina Bay Sands and Resorts World Sentosa, should help the island attract new tourists. Also in 2010, Singapore will host the first Youth Olympic Games and open the International Cruise Terminal.

asylum.com Aside from their reddish fur, the distinguishing characteristic of orangutans are their extra-long arms, a trait which makes the great ape an ideal boxer. This hasn't been lost on the proprietors of Thailand theme park Safari World, who have been pitting orangutan vs. orangutan in mock kickboxing matches. Needless to say, animal-rights organizations are not pleased.

nydailynews.com After the 30-minute shows, the orangutans are returned to their dark, dingy charges, according to an investigative report. ''It's sad that people would find this entertaining,'' said Debbie Leahy, director of captive animals for People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals. ''When you see these animals performing what are completely unnatural tricks...they're not doing it because they want to, they're doing it because they're afraid not to,'' Leahy said.

abcnews.go.com Attempts to treat female sexual dysfunction with Pfizer's erectile dysfunction drug Viagra have for the most part failed, but a new prototype from the company offers hope for a female-specific treatment for those with female sexual arousal disorder, FSAD. The drug, which the researchers tested on rabbits, acts by increasing blood flow specifically to the genitalia, enhancing and extending the duration of arousal.

popwatch.ew.com And then there were eight. Ex-wives, that is. Yep, turns out Larry King is divorcing from Shawn Southwick King, the woman who happens to be the CNN talk show host's eighth wife. a spokesperson for the talk show host told People, ''His major concern is the welfare of his children, and beyond that he's not going to comment about the divorce.''



On 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. The evening will assist children with scholarships. Tickets at 500 baht include a photo exhibition of old Phuket and a drink and food. More information: Adrienne, 081 477 0342.

Until April 15 Songkran Festival in Old Phuket Town
Until April 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