TWO people, one male and one female, are believed to have been killed last night in a collision involving a motorcycle, a car and a truck on Phuket's bypass road in Phuket City, north of the Tesco-Lotus supermarket. The crash took place around 9pm, police said.

reuters Burma's military government will offer visas on arrival to boost the country's nascent tourism sector, a travel industry official said. Tourist visas, which are normally arranged days in advance at an embassy abroad, will be now be available at international airports in Mandalay and the biggest city, Yangon. The cost of the visa will be $30 and it will be valid for 28 days.

cnngo.com Forget Phuket, these are the next-gen Asian tourist hotspots. For better or for worse, Marinduque, Phu Quoc, Hainan and the Ho Tram Strip are being touted by developers and local governments as Asia's next major tourist destinations.


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

theage.com.au Thailand's long-running and bloody political stand-off appears almost over, with the anti-government red shirts agreeing to a government offer of an election this year. Last night, the red-shirt leadership agreed to a proposal from embattled Thai PM Abhisit Vejjajiva for a ''reconciliation roadmap'' that included the dissolution of parliament and a general election on November 14.

cnn.com Leaders of the protest movement told supporters they are prepared to accept a five-point deal being offered by the government, including a call for new elections in November. But they will not end their demonstrations until the PM announces when he will dissolve parliament, they said.

lezgetreal.com Forty Years Ago The Kent State Massacre Happened: There is no glory to be had in any struggle. I am not telling you to not march, or to not protest. I am reminding you of the price that can, and often is, paid for a cause.

nationmultimedia.com Doctor Porntip Rojanasunan, the director of the Central Institute of Forensic Science, announced that a soldier killed during a clash between troops and protesters on April 28 was not killed by friendly fire. Dr Porntip said ballistic study found that Narongrit Sala was shot by someone from a building under construction near a petrol station.

Phuketwan Update Dengue fever is entering its danger season on Phuket that lasts from May until December, doctors are warning. Dr Narinrat Pichayakamin, of Public Health, said there had been 123 hospital admissions for dengue fever so far this year on Phuket, making Phuket the 11th-ranked province for dengue in Thailand. Making sure that there are no low-lying pools of water and regular council treatment sprays are the methods used to prevent mosquito carriers from breeding.

timesonline.co.uk Airline passengers can expect disruption from the volcanic ash cloud throughout the summer, aviation regulators warned yesterday, after continued eruptions in Iceland grounded hundreds of flights once again. The warnings came as the Civil Aviation Authority said airspace over Scotland and Northern Ireland would be closed from today. The ash will move south.

businesswire.com What are the biggest deterrents for travelers when choosing a destination? New research from cheap airfare comparison site Skyscanner.com reveals that a third of travelers (31 percent) felt an epidemic would be the biggest reason to avoid traveling to a vacation destination; followed closely by a terrorist attack (21 percent), civil unrest (20 percent) and natural disasters (17 percent).

khaleejtimes.com Onyx Hospitality Group of Thailand, which manages three hotel brands including Amari, plans to expand its footprints abroad by opening hotels in Asia Pacific, the group's president said at the Arab Travel Market in Dubai. In 2009, travellers from the Middle East booked more than 90,000 room nights with Amari, representing more than 10 percent of the company's total hotel inventory. Amari's Bangkok properties are the most popular, followed by Phuket and Pattaya.

bbc.co.uk Malaysia's highest court has begun proceedings in a landmark inter-religious child custody battle. An ethnic Indian couple are fighting each other for full custody of their two children. The mother says the children have been secretly converted to Islam by the father without her knowledge.

businessweek.com Malaysia is considering plans to operate a nuclear power plant within 15 years, the government said, advancing efforts to find cheaper energy sources. Malaysia uses coal and natural gas to generate most of its electricity supply, and the government has repeatedly warned that the cost of relying on both commodities is expected to spiral in the decades ahead.

maktoob.com Iranian female footballers will take part in the Youth Olympic Games in Singapore this August after world football authorities lifted a ban on the wearing of the Islamic head veil, an Iranian official said.

travelio.net Wizz Air, the largest low fare airline in Central and Eastern Europe, has simplified its baggage rules. The airline will apply a single fee for a piece of checked-in baggage regardless of the weight (up to 32 kg per item).



May 7 Two welcoming events by Phuket Navy League for crews on US warships.
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 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.
July 21-25 Phuket Six Senses Race Week, Evason, Rawai
December 4-11 Phuket King's Cup Regatta

2011
February 9-13 The Bay Regatta - Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi