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

POLICE managed to speedily arrest two of three youths who snatched a shoulder bag from British tourist Alison Harcourt, 30, as she walked along the beach road in Kamala about 10.30pm on Sunday night. The youths were on a passing motorcycle. One, aged 13, threatened Ms Harcourt with a knife. The shoulder bag contained an expensive camera. Police expect a third arrest soon. The youths are too young to be identified.

smh.com.au Qantas passengers who sat on a defective A380 for five hours at Melbourne Airport will finally leave for Los Angeles this morning. One passenger said an ''altercation'' between another passenger and a Qantas representative yesterday was met by applause. Passengers were not allowed to disembark due to new security measures for US flights, which made it unfeasible to re-screen all 450 of them, they were told.

csmonitor.com The world's tallest building opened Monday in Dubai. Known as the Burj Khalifa, it's an exuberant architectural triumph in the middle of a deep economic swamp. It's often that way. The tallest skyscrapers always seem to pop up just as the economy is headed down.

The Canadian Press Fifty-two unmarried Muslim couples face charges of sexual misconduct and possible jail terms after being caught alone in hotel rooms by Malaysia's Islamic morality police during a New Year's Day crackdown, an official said Monday. Scores of officers fanned out across budget hotels in central Selangor state before dawn on January 1, knocking on doors and detaining unmarried Muslim couples who were sharing rooms. In Selangor, ''close proximity'' or ''khalwat'' carries a maximum penalty of two years in prison and a fine.

Phuketwan Update Phuket Governor Wichai Praisa-ngob has been serenading large crowds at the Red Cross Fair each night at the Saphan Hin park in Phuket City, proving that he has the voice to ensure a future career after retirement this year. Last night he and his wife, the Phuket president of Red Cross, also gave motorcycles to lucky lottery winners. The fair continues each night until January 9.

guardian.co.uk Burma's military leader confirmed that the country would hold its first elections in two decades this year but warned voters to make the ''correct choices'' when they go to the polls. In an occasionally cryptic message to mark the anniversary of Burma's independence from Britain in 1948, General Than Shwe said his seven-stage road map was the sole process in the country's transition to democracy.

reuters.com France has canceled over half the flu vaccines it ordered to combat the H1N1 flu virus in an effort to head off criticism after reserving too many shots. The government estimated 94 million individual shots were needed, thinking that everyone would need two jabs for immunity against the illness. Doctors now say a single vaccination is sufficient, meaning that France has a massive oversupply.

msnbc.com Tiger Woods and his wife Elin Nordegren might have spent the holiday apart - he in seclusion in the US, she skiing in the French Alps - but that doesn't mean things are over. ''Tiger and Elin still love each other,'' according to a person close to the couple. ''Although there is talk of divorce, and anyone can see there is a lot of work to do, they would both like to work this out.''

bang showbiz Warren Beatty slept with 12,775 women over 35 years, according to a new book. The Hollywood star - who married actress Annette Bening in March 1992. Beatty reportedly averaged a different partner every day for the three-and-a-half decades he was single. According to Peter Biskind, who has written a revealing biography on the legendary lothario entitled 'Star: How Warren Beatty Seduced America', Warren lost his virginity at 20 and seduced thousands of ladies.

bbc.co.uk Singapore's economy shrank for the first time in three quarters in the last three months of 2009. Weaker manufacturing helped the economy shrink by an annualised rate of 6.8 percent in the fourth quarter of the year, the island's government said. That compares with a 14.9 percent rise in the third quarter, following Singapore's deepest recession on record.

cnngo.comThailand's top forensic scientist, Dr Porntip Rojanasunan, confronts security forces about their alleged ''abuses of power,'' performs grisly autopsies and reconstructs the faces of unidentified murder victims. Porntip is also a fashion icon, famous for her spiky, dye-streaked haircut. Murder mysteries swirl around her as she sleuths through organs, DNA fragments and other clues, hoping to point the finger at who-done-it.

independent.co.uk Britain's top business regulator has accused Europe's biggest airline, Ryanair, of ''almost taunting'' passengers in a strongly worded attack on its charges. John Fingleton, the chief executive of the Office of Fair Trading, described Ryanair's levying of fees for paying by card online as ''puerile'' and ''almost childish'', adding the carrier was only operating within ''the narrow letter of the law''.

smh.com.au Australian travellers will flood overseas destinations this year, driven by a powerful combination of affordable prices and pent-up demand. Cheap air fares, a strong Australian dollar and greater consumer confidence are expected to lead to a surge in international trips.

melodika.net Long-haul tour operator and retailer Travelmood has identified Thailand as the destination in its collection that is offering the best value deals on 2010 holidays. . Travelmood has a 14-night Thailand holiday to the four-star La Flora, Khao Lak from 999 pounds per person in a two-weeks-for-the-price-of-one offer that represents a saving of 350 pounds.


Until January 9 Red Cross is reckoning on a lot of people wanting to win a house on Phuket in probably the island's biggest lottery draw ever. Losers? There won't be any. The Red Cross Fair at Phuket City's Saphan Hin park runs until January 9.

January 9 Children's Day, usually marked by events at all Phuket parks and at many resorts, too.

January 24 A new kind of raw gourmet food is gaining popularity for its unrivaled health benefits including weight loss and anti-aging. Mom Tri's Villa Royale is holding the first raw food workshop on Phuket. The half-day workshop will feature celebrity raw food chef and author Ani Phyo, demonstrating six recipes adapted for Thailand. The 1pm-5pm workshop is 800 baht in advance or 1000 baht on the day. Call 076 333 569 for Sylvie or e: pr@villaroyalephuket.com