nationmultimedia.com US President Barack Obama arrived in the Thai capital on Sunday on a three-nation visit to Southeast Asia that underscores a new US emphasis on the Asia-Pacific region. Obama's Air Force One was initially scheduled to land in Bangkok on 2pm but was delayed to 3.10pm.


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

independent.co.uk Fears of a possible ground invasion intensified among Gazans last night. Israel's Iron Dome anti-missile system knocked out a third rocket launched on Tel Aviv in as many days, and Jerusalem ramped up its rhetoric at home and abroad on the need to deter Hamas.

haaretz.com Hackers attack Israeli websites in response to IDF operation in Gaza: Anonymous says took down 40 official Israeli websites, although the single website that they presented as having been attacked belonged to a security and cleaning services company.

bbc.co.uk Fifty children aged four to six years old and the driver of the school bus they were on were killed when their vehicle was hit by a train in central Egypt, officials said. The provincial governor said the man in charge of the crossing was asleep and had been arrested.

AP For President Barack Obama, expanding US influence in Asia is more than just countering China or opening up new markets to American businesses. It's also about building his legacy.

smh.com.au ''It is telling that Asia will be the first trip that the President makes since his re-election,'' said the US national security adviser Tom Donilon. ''It sends a powerful statement that the Asia-Pacific will continue to be a strategic priority in his second term, as it was in his first term.''

saudigazette.com.sa The Organisation of Islamic Cooperation called for the international community to protect Muslims in Burma's unrest-hit Rakhine state from ''genocide'' as US President Barack Obama readied for a landmark trip to the country.

thedailystar.net In a letter sent to the UN, President Thein Sein made conciliatory remarks that condemned the ''senseless violence'' in western Rakhine state between Rakhine Buddhists and Muslim Rohingya.

bangkokpost.com All countries involved - Thailand, China and America - will do what they feel is in their best interests, or to be more precise, the best interests of the ruling elites of their respective countries. Hence the side Thailand will take is, generally speaking, Thailand's side and in particular the Shinawatra family's side.

ft.com ''I'm not running Thailand,'' Thaksin Shinawatra said. ''My sister is running Thailand, but she may ask my advice on some issue. But not every issue. She is very capable - much better than I expected.'' Ouch.'

bangkokpost.com In recent years Thailand has been flooded with illegal firearms and the misery they cause is plain for all to see. Every day there are media reports of shootouts and homicides that begin with domestic quarrels, school rivalries and traffic accidents, and quickly escalate.

nationmultimedia.com Thai Airways International will move ahead with its core business strategy next year by looking for ways to earn more from all business units to achieve Bt5 billion in net profit.

eturbonews.com Centara Hotels & Resorts, Thailand's leading operator of hotels, is celebrating its 30th anniversary on December 12. Centara operates several resorts on Phuket along the popular west coast.

inquirer.net The Philippines and Thailand have agreed to increase the number of allowed flights between key cities to support the growth in air travel in the region. Both sides also agreed to allow for unlimited flights between all points outside Manila and all points to Thailand outside Bangkok, ''in line with (Executive Order) 29.''

guardian.co.uk ''I can't believe we did the whole thing. We had little kids, too - our days were just exhausting. Annie and I were both shattered. How did we do it?'' asks Douglas Brown. Do it they did, though: every day, for 101 days. Charla and Brad Muller, though, did better: they managed the full 365. Can you imagine? Sex, every day, for a whole year. Even when you're knackered. Even when you're barely speaking to each other. Even when there are lots of things you'd rather be doing.

dailymail.co.uk The higher level of air pollution in towns and cities is ageing the brains of over-50s by up to three years, research suggests. Scientists have found that exposure to higher levels of air pollution can lead to decreased brain power in over-50s.

aap Police searching for a missing girl in the Northern Territory have found what they believe to be human remains inside a crocodile. The seven-year-old girl was swimming with other children and an adult at a local waterhole at the Gumarrirnbang outstation, 100 kilometres west of the remote community of Maningrida, when a crocodile attacked on Friday afternoon.

crikey.com.au Glum news for newspapers in Germany, the US and Canada with closures, job losses and the threat of more to come. Quebecor Media will sack 500 workers and introduce more paywalls on the websites of its major Canadian publications.



guardian.co.uk Everyone inside Carrow Road waited patiently for the Manchester United onslaught but it never materialised. Instead an insipid display saw United lose for the third time this season and relinquish their lead at the top of the table to Manchester City. Norwich 1-0 Manchester United.

goal.com Tottenham goalkeeper Hugo Lloris believes that Emmanuel Adebayor's sending-off against Arsenal was the difference between the sides after a 5-2 defeat at the Emirates.

scmp.com Macau Grand Prix Touring Car Cup winner Paul Poon Tak-chun told how he put aside tears and fears to take the chequered flag after two deaths in two days at the track.

news.com.au With the Major League Soccer competition in America finishing in a fortnight, Fox Sports can reveal the LA Galaxy megastar has been offered to several A-League clubs, with Perth Glory and Melbourne Heart believed to have expressed strong interest.

nytimes.com Johnny Damon was 2 for 4 with a run scored, but his Thailand team was eliminated from World Baseball Classic qualifying by New Zealand, 12-2, in eight innings.

guardian.co.uk Australia were down and out in Paris last weekend, but up for it in London on Saturday. it was a reminder that when ambition exceeds ability failure invariably follows. England 14-20 Australia.

belfasttelegraph.co.uk Wales find themselves facing a deepening injury crisis as they count the cost of an abject 26-19 rugby defeat to Samoa.



November 18 Futsal World Cup Final, Bangkok

November 25 Laguna Phuket Triathlon

November 28 Loy Kratong Day

November 30 AustCham Phuket sundowners social and business networking

December 1 World AIDs Day

December 1-8 King's Cup Regatta

December 5 HM The King's Birthday

December 10 Constitution Day

December 15-20 Patong Carnival

December 16-18 Asia Superyacht Rendezvous, Bang Tao beach

December 25 Christmas Day



October 5-13 Phuket Vegetarian Festival



November 14-21 Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket