Associated Press A crackdown on protesters has left at least 20 people dead and more than 820 injured, with no progress toward ending a month-long standoff with demonstrators demanding new elections. Hopes were expressed for negotiations Sunday.

asiaone.com China has cancelled 100 charter flights to Bangkok during the Songkran festival following the declaration of a state of emergency in the capital, the Thai-Chinese Tourism Promotion Association said. "China decided to cancel all 100 charter flights planned to bring more than 15,000 Chinese to Thailand during the Songkran (Thai New Year) season due to the state of emergency, which is not covered by tourists' insurance," said association president Wichit Prakobkosol. He said Thailand would lose 600 million baht.


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

xinhua A spokesman for the Centre for Public Administration in Emergency Situations said the red-shirt protesters have held hostage two groups of soldiers. The Nation online quoted Sansern Kaewkamnerd as saying the army is negotiating with the protesters to secure release of the soldiers. He declined to give details, saying the first group comprised eight soldiers while the second group comprised 20 soldiers.

bangkokpost.com Ten red shirt protesters, four soldiers and a Japanese journalist died and hundreds were injured following hours of violent clashes in Bangkok. Hiro Muramoto, a Japanese photographer for Thomson Reuters, was shot and killed during the riots, said the press director of the Metropolitan Hospital, Pichaya Nakwatchara. More than 680 people were injured in the melee, dozens seriously, by gunshots as well as M67 and M79 grenades as troops closed on the red shirts' main stage at Phan Fa Bridge.

nytimes.com Protesters repulsed an attempt by the military to disperse them in fierce running battles filled with tear gas, gunfire and explosions in the worst political violence in nearly 20 years. With both sides armed and aggressive, 15 people were reported dead and more than 650 wounded. The violence opened the door to continuing tension after more than three years of turmoil that has included a military coup, months of protests and the closing of Bangkok's airports.

independent.co.uk ''I'd say the demonstrators are becoming increasingly desperate to find a way of forcing the government to dissolve parliament. That said, the authorities - especially the deputy Prime Minister, Suthep Thaugsuban - are apparently even more desperate to see the protesters dispersed,'' said Professor Duncan McCargo, a South-east Asia specialist at Leeds University. ''The best way forward would be through some form of negotiation or compromise, but both sides seem intent on sticking with street confrontations. There seem to be no neutral figures left who are able to play honest broker in this increasingly dangerous stand-off.''

smh.com.au Tens of thousands of Poles kept a sombre vigil in a central Warsaw square, laying a carpet of candles and flowers to mourn the death of President Lech Kaczynski in a plane crash. Bronislaw Komorowski, the head of Poland's lower house of parliament who took over as interim head of state, was among those who poured into Pilsudski Square to mourn Kaczynski and other senior officials who died when their plane crashed while trying to land in thick fog in western Russia. Pilot error has been blamed.

channelnewsasia.com A 20-year-old Singaporean who was involved in a jet ski accident last Friday while on holiday on Phuket is still in critical condition. It's believed Mr Loh Ying Jie was riding a jet ski off Patong Beach when he hit by one of his friends on another jet ski. After undergoing an operation to remove a blood clot, Mr Loh was flown back to Singapore and admitted into the Singapore General Hospital on Sunday night. An SGH spokesperson says Mr Loh is still on ventilation support.

straitstimes.com Mr Loh Ying Jie, who was riding the jet ski off Patong Beach, was hit by one of his friends on another jet ski on
April 2. Another of his friends, Mr Xavier Lip, 20, told The Straits Times that the group had decided to rent jet skis from an operator at
the beach that afternoon. It was their first time riding jet skis.

indiatimes.com Film director Kunal Kohli, who recently took a scuba diving exam, is off to Phuket to enjoy diving. ''Going to
Phuket for a diving trip. At the airport after a hectic day at work. Looking forward to Phuket. Diving and got to do a lot of writing,'' the
director, who has made films like 'Hum Tum' and 'Fanaa', posted on his Twitter account.

telegraph.com.au Thailand's tourist authorities have urged British travellers not to cancel their holidays in the wake of a state
of emergency being declared in Bangkok, after anti-government demonstrators briefly stormed parliament this week. ''This is an
internal and domestic issue and is not aimed at tourists, who are not in any direct or immediate danger,'' said a spokeswoman for the
Thailand Tourism Authority. She added that the red shirt protesters - who want Abhisit Vejjajiva, Thailand's Oxford-educated
prime minister, to dissolve parliament immediately and call a new election - have no plans to occupy the airport.

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Until April 13 Phuket Bike Week, including tattoo competitions, island rides and the Miss Phuket Bike Week contest.
April 12-13 Water festival on the Beach
April 13-15 Songkran in Old Phuket Town
April 14-18 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