AN ELEPHANT rampage, a mass circumcision, and a newborn child without a country to call home . . . these are among the Phuketwan articles that linger in the memories of editors and reporters about Phuket and the Andaman region in 2010.

Perhaps the most significant topic of the year, though, was corruption. Never before has Phuket had a public meeting at which corruption was discussed openly, yet that's what occurred in Patong in 2010.

Corruption is also being raised increasingly at the innovative quarterly Phuket ''Parliament,'' where honorary consuls and embassy representatives are now discussing important issues openly with Phuket's Governor, police and island leaders.

The realisation is dawning that although corruption is ingrained and will be difficult to eradicate, a start must be made if Phuket is to remain competitive within the increasingly transparent international tourism marketplace.

There is no future for a holiday destination where corruption adds an increasingly high levy to the cost of doing business. Clean, lean and green is where Phuket needs to be.

Of all the variations of corruption, most of which can be experienced on Phuket, the worst is human trafficking.

In October, human rights groups cited an article written by Phuketwan journalists in calling on United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon to intervene to prevent further abuse of Burmese migrants deported from Thailand.

The statement from the groups said publication of the article in The South China Morning Post newspaper in Hong Kong ''revealed migrants are being sold to traffickers during deportations in waters between Southern Thailand and Kawthuang (Burma/Myanmar) and then returned to Thailand.''

The article contained interviews with two Burmese who accused officials in the border town of Ranong, north of Phuket, of selling illegal migrants by the boatload to people-smugglers and engaging in the sexual enslavement of young women. Later that week, the Phuketwan report was reprinted in The Bangkok Post.

The three rights groups also noted that television channel Al-Jazeera ''reported how migrants deported to Myanmar are being sent to camps controlled by the Democratic Karen Buddhist Army where they must pay for their release before being smuggled or trafficked back to Thailand.''

Phuketwan has no hesitation in saying that this was the most important article of our year.

Here's that article, amid a selection that we regard as adding to an understanding of the complexities of Phuket and the Andaman region.