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

bloomberg.com Thailand's economic contraction probably eased last quarter as the global recession abated, reducing the need for the central bank to cut interest rates. Gross domestic product fell 5.1 percent in the second quarter from a year earlier, after contracting 7.1 percent in the previous three months, according to the median estimate of 12 economists surveyed by Bloomberg News. The government will release the data on August 24. ''Signs of a nascent recovery have appeared in Thailand,'' said Tetsuji Sano, a Singapore-based economist.

Bangkok Post Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva reiterated his belief that Thailand's economy is recovering in a V shape, basing his opinion on various quarterly figures on economic growth. Khun Abhisit said this was a general development in the Asian region. However, he warned that the V-shaped recovery could turn into a W unless everybody was careful not to create any condition which may push the development pattern downwards.


washingtonpost.com Twenty-one years later, the families of those killed in the terrorist bombing of Pan Am Flight 103 over Lockerbie, Scotland, are still searching, not for closure but for a sense of what is right. So when Scottish authorities on Thursday released cancer-stricken Abdel Basset Ali al-Megrahi -the sole person convicted after the flight's explosion - from prison despite his life sentence, Anastasios Vrenios, 68, a singing teacher in Northwest Washington, and Stephanie Bernstein, 58, a Bethesda rabbi, both thought about the nature of mercy. They came to very different conclusions.

Reuters A police investigation into last month's Jakarta hotel bombings shows that militants also planned to use snipers to attack Barack Obama's convoy when the US president visits Indonesia, an intelligence expert told Reuters.Dynno Chressbon, an intelligence analyst at the Center for Intelligence and National Security who is close to the police investigations, said two of four wanted suspects had been prepared as snipers for an attack on Obama.

money.cnn.com The number of Americans who have fallen at least 30 days behind on their home loan payments jumped 44 percent in the second quarter from a year ago, according to an industry report. That puts delinquencies at a record 9.24 percent of mortgages, according to the National Delinquency Report from the Mortgage Bankers Association. That represents more than four million of the 45 million borrowers covered by the report. What the rate does not include, however, are loans already in foreclosure.

mizzima.com In the wake of two deaths in the Ranong detention camp, a rights group in Thailand has urged Thai authorities to provide humanitarian assistance including medicare to detained Rohingya asylum seekers. Thai Action Committee for Democracy in Burma urged the Thai government not to forcibly repatriate them as their lives are at risk in Burma. The group also called for investigation into the death of the two men, as they died in detention by the authorities. According to Thai law, families or representatives have the right to access the investigation.

Bangkok Post In a sudden change of heart after more than seven months, Thailand's Immigration Bureau has allowed visitors access to Rohingya immigrants transferred to Bangkok from Ranong. Immigration Bureau commissioner Chatchawal Suksomjit yesterday said the Rohingya would not be deported from Thailand, although the solution to the problem of illegal immigration rested with the governments of Asean. A committee has been set up to investigate the deaths of two young Rohingya men in detention in Ranong. Doctors claimed they died of natural causes. The centre now has 93 Rohingya, including nine who were arrested in February in Bangkok.

AFP A model who will be caned six times in Malaysia next week for drinking beer has appealed for her punishment to be carried out in public to deter other Muslims. Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, 32, was also fined 5000 ringgit last month after she pleaded guilty to drinking alcohol at a hotel nightclub in the eastern state of Pahang last year. She will be the first woman in the multicultural country to be caned under Islamic law.

timesofindia.com The last thing India's travel industry needed, in the wake of the economic slowdown, was the swine flu pandemic. And as the number of people succumbing to the disease goes up by the day, it will take some time before many resume travelling. Outbound travel has been severely affected registering a drop of about 15-20 percent with travellers cancelling their bookings to countries like Thailand, Malaysia, Hongkong, China, Singapore, Australia, US and Britain. Even dream international holiday packages have failed to lure travellers in this lean period.

indiatimes.com In a major relocation of the corporate travel landscape, tourism promotion boards of the Gulf and South Asian countries are wooing Indian executives by offering free sight-seeing, discounted hotel accommodation and even waiving off visa fees for large groups. Tourism bodies of countries like the UAE, Malaysia, Thailand and Sri Lanka look to attract Indian companies for business meetings, incentive tours, conferences and exhibitions. ''India is one of the few nations where we see companies still spending on travel. After the initial cut in travel spends in late 2008, companies have started spending once again,'' said Sunil Puri, India representative of Hong Kong Tourism Board.

smh.com.au Two young British tourists found guilty of attempted fraud for falsely declaring a robbery have been given a community service sentence by a Rio de Janeiro judge. Shanti Simone Andrews and Rebecca Claire Turner, both aged 23, risked up to five years in jail after telling police their laptop and camera had been stolen to claim insurance. Police found items they listed as stolen stashed under their hostel beds. The convictions may prevent them qualifying as lawyers.


Flying Tuk-Tuks Open New Phuket to Perth Flights
Latest Another ait link, this time to Perth, Australia, provides the sense that the worst is over as Phuket establishes more connections to get tourists and revenue flowing.
Flying Tuk-Tuks Open New Phuket to Perth Flights

Phuket's Beaches Fail the Five-Star Enviro Test
Latest A new star rating system for Thailand's beaches leaves the best on Phuket lagging a little. There's one local island with a five star beach, but it's not Phuket.
Phuket's Beaches Fail the Five-Star Enviro Test

Phuket Still Has Chance of Gaining Extra Police
Photo Album Word has begun on a perimeter wall that will eventually surround the new Region 8 Police Headquarters, in Mai Khao. Local Phuket squatters have been asked to move.
Phuket Still Has Chance of Gaining Extra Police

'Withered' Rohingya Rescued from Ranong
Latest Rohingya boatpeople have been evacuated from Ranong Immigration detention centre. A doctor says conditions there were so bad that two men died and more were endangered.
'Withered' Rohingya Rescued from Ranong

Two Killed with Different Weapons, say Police
Latest The investigation into a double murder in which the victims were dumped at a national park north of Phuket is uncovering more information about the deaths.
Two Killed with Different Weapons, say Police

Phuket Governor Halts Big $$$ Taj Exotica Project
Photo Album Phuket's upmarket Taj Exotica project has been halted by the Governor, who wants to know more about potential environmental issues. The resort is to go on a small island.
Phuket Governor Halts Big $$$ Taj Exotica Project

Final Word on Phuket and Asean Due Monday: PM
Latest The prospects of Phuket hosting the October Asean summit of 16 national leaders has seen more swings and roundabouts than a carousel. A final decision is due on Monday.
Final Word on Phuket and Asean Due Monday: PM


MediaWATCH: US Anger at Bomber Set to Flare
News Digest Looming freedom for a Lockerbie bomber; World recovery begins; Indonesia terror arrests; Haze hard to see; Rohingya protest; Consumers more confident.
MediaWATCH: US Anger at Bomber Set to Flare

MediaWATCH: Amnesty Call for Red, Yellow Shirts
News Digest An amnesty for both sides is suggested in the battle of Thailand's red and yellow shirts; Indonesia quake jolt: Man U vendors fight back; Call for Burma to act on boatpeople.
MediaWATCH: Amnesty Call for Red, Yellow Shirts