bbc.co.uk One of the most significant moments was when the protest moved across town to PM Abhisit's home. Crowds lined the streets and footbridges to wave and cheer as the noisy convoy passed. Office workers, shopkeepers and waitresses - not the rural poor but Bangkok's middle class.

afp ''The tolerance of tourists is decreasing,'' said the marketing director of an international hotel brand, who refused to be named. ''They worry they will be blocked again, that they will face problems. It's really negative in the long term." Bill Barnett, a Thai tourism columnist who runs a consulting firm on Phuket, also said longer term prospects were less rosy.


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

nationmultimedia.com Indigo Pearl Phuket is building a new spa complex worth 70 million baht set to open late this year. It is another major investment, following completion of a multimillion baht refurbishing of the hotel. MD Wichit na Ranong said the hotel industry on Phuket has recovered. Many hotels are overbooked through April.

moodiereport.com Airports of Thailand has announced an increase in international passenger numbers of 27.4 percent year-on-year for February. Total international passengers for the month amounted to 3,339,204 across its airport network - Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang in Bangkok, Phuket, Chiang Mai, Had Yai and Chiang Rai.

straitstimes.com Thai PM Abhisit Vejjajiva said he was open to negotiations with anti-government ''red shirts'' provided their protest remains peaceful and lawful. But Veera Musigapong, a key leader of the red shirts, said there would be no negotiations if the government had a ''superior'' attitude. Reds will launch a fresh round of city-wide protests on Saturday.

time.com My two-year-old son was demanding to wear his T-shirt from our vacation on Bali. It was only after we walked outside into the tropical heat of Thailand's capital, Bangkok, that we realized just how monumental a mistake we had made. Thais in the parking lot stared. The whispering began. Could it be that a blond American toddler had knowingly dressed himself in a red shirt?


latimes.com The reality TV star husband of actress Sandra Bullock is speaking out about reports that he cheated on his Oscar-winning wife. An apology by West Coast Choppers CEO Jesse James follows revelations by tattoo model Michelle ''Bombshell'' McGee that she had a year-long affair with James while Bullock was away filming 'The Blind Side.'

bbc.co.uk Two friends killed in a motorbike crash in Thailand were riding at ''very high speed'' and came off on a tight bend, an inquest has heard. Alex George and Matthew Jenkins, both 23 and from Wales, were less than a week into a holiday in May 2009. The men may have swerved to avoid a dog in Pattaya.

todayonline.com A rocket fired by Palestinian militants from the Gaza Strip killed a man inside Israel, the same day that European Union foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton was in Gaza City for a visit. The man who was killed appeared to be a 30-year-old farm worker from Thailand.

smh.com US President Barack Obama dramatically postponed his trip to Indonesia and Australia until June. The move, which will delay Obama's effort to intensify US engagement with the dynamic Asia Pacific region, was enforced by the need to woo wavering Democratic lawmakers with a knife edge-vote on health expected on Sunday.

ntdtv.com Universal Studios chose to open its fourth theme park at precisely 8:28 am on March 18, after 18 Chinese lions blazed through the entrance at 08:08 am. The new park is part of the $4.4 billion Resort World at Sentosa, and includes world's first Shrek theme castle and the world's tallest dueling roller coaster.

todayonline.com They had turned up expecting to jostle with swarms of eager fellow visitors to Singapore's newest theme park. But many at Universal Studios Singapore's soft opening were surprised to see thin crowds. Battlestar Galactica trippers emerged with grins and overheard were shouts of ''best ride ever''.

latimes.com Canings and church firebombings have some wondering whether Malaysia's Muslims are becoming less tolerant of Christians and other minority groups. The firebombings in January, followed in February by the caning of three Muslim teenagers for extramarital sex and a kerfuffle this month over an insulting act during a Christian service, have prompted some soul-searching.

afp Military-ruled Burma released a US rights activist jailed for fraud and forgery in a rare show of leniency from the junta ahead of elections this year. Democracy advocate Kyaw Zaw Lwin was ''thrilled'' to be going home, his fiancee said, after he was given a three-year term in February.

businessweek.com A mega-dam in Laos criticised by environmental groups and financed in part by the World Bank has begun to generate electricity for sale to Thailand, its operators said. Laos has argued that the dam and others on the planning boards will lift the country out of poverty.

afp US aviation watchdog, the Federal Aviation Administration, ordered Boeing to fix a software problem in hundreds of 777 aircraft that could cause them to overrun the runway. The software malfunction caused two airliners to abort takeoff in January this year alone. The error causes the planes' autopilot function to engage, causing a low-speed take off.


4hoteliers.com Jan Kirstein has stepped in as Interim General Manager of the Andaman, Langkawi which will no longer be managed by GHM but reflagged as a Luxury Collection Resort and will be operated by Starwood. Kirstein moves from GM of the Sheraton Laguna Grande in Phuket. Klaus Christandl has transferred as GM to the Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket.
Claude Scheffer has been named General Manager of the Adamas Resort and Spa in Phuket. Jon Ashenden has been appointed General Manager of the Sala Phuket Resort & Spa. He was most recently the Resort Director at the Anantara Phuket Resort & Spa. Noorazzudin Omar has been appointed General Manager of the Impiana Resort & Spa Phuket. Richard Margo has been appointed Director of Operations at the Hilton Phuket Arcadia Resort & Spa.

afp Shanghai has opened a new terminal at its domestic airport as China's second-largest city geared up to welcome tens of millions of visitors to the Expo 2010. The government has spent $2.2 billion on the makeover of Hongqiao Airport, 35 minutes west of the city centre, and made it part of an ultramodern travel hub linking metro and high-speed rail.

computerworld.com With Google said to be working with Intel and Sony to develop a way to bring the best of the Internet to television, industry analysts wonder if the time for a smart TV has finally arrived.People have been expecting a convergence of computers and television for a long time now, but it never really happened. Could it be that the time for this idea has finally come?

nationmultimedia.com Many traditional Thai artists - in dance, theatre and music - make their living by performing short shows in hotels, resorts and restaurants in addition to spectacular shows like Phuket Fantasea and Siam Niramit. Many say that this is not the way these arts should be performed, and not how they should be preserved.

etravelblackboardasia.comLaguna Property has partnered with Phuket Ocean Villas to promote The Lofts at The Smart Investment and International Property Expo being held on March 27-28 at The Suntec Exhibition Centre, Singapore. Clients reserving units at the exhibition will receive special privileges including; cash discounts, membership to Laguna Golf Course, five year payment plan with special interest rates and can also take advantage of pre-launch pricing.

asiatraveltips.com Accor employees from around Asia Pacific are winging their way to Thailand, touching down this weekend on Phuket for the Accor Race to Survive 2010. The Phuket-based event will kick off on Monday March 22 as participants run, swim, bike and canoe over four grueling days of fun-filled competition to raise funds for Accor Yim Kids Foundation, established to improve the well being of Thai children.



March 19 Phuket Australian-Thai Chamber of Commerce (AusCham) Sundowners at Paresa Resort at Cape Sol, Kamala. 3.30 pm Seminar on sustainable/green development. Drinks 6pm.
March 19 Free QSI International Scool of Phuket movie night for children under 11 (Cloudy with a Chance of Meatballs G, Jurassic Park PG ) 6pm-9.30pm Details 0878813580
Until March 20 Annual French Gastronomy Festival at The Boathouse. Wine Chef Jean-Noel Lumineau, Thailand's only Maitre Cuisinier de France, treats discerning diners to exceptional French food.
Until March 26 Thao Thepkrasattri and Thao Srisoonthorn Fair at Thalang Victory Memorial Park, near the Heroines' Monument.
March 19-28 Local Phuket Food Festival, Saphan Hin, Phuket City
March 27 Lights out at Le Meridien Phuket Resort and Spa in support of Earth Hour. Since 1987, the resort has minimised its impact with waste reduction, efficient energy management, water conservation, and green programs.
April 3 Attempt on the mass dive record, Thai Muang, Phang Nga, 11am. Details: 076-411388.
April 9-13 Phuket Bike Week, including tattoo competitions, island rides and the Miss Phuket Bike Week contest.
April 14-18 Phuket Cricket Sixes, Karon Sports Stadium.
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.