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

bangkokpost.com The government should study developing Phuket as an Asean financial hub along the lines of Singapore to enhance Thailand's attractiveness for trade and investment, experts said. Sumeth Laomoraphorn, the chief executive of CP Intertrade Co, the CP Group's rice trading arm, said this should be done in parallel with enhancing Phuket's international tourism potential by investing in overhauling the IT infrastructure and lowering the corporate income tax rate to 10 percent from 30 percent.

telegraph.com.au The world stands on the brink of a new economic crisis that would leave countries like Britain ''staring down the barrel,'' Prime Minister David Cameron has warned.

theage.com.au The Australian dollar [Phuket tourism's lifeblood] was in freefall this morning, plunging to 10-month lows overnight against the greenback, as renewed fears about a global recession sent stocks and commodity prices tumbling in the US and Europe.

Phuket Update A 'Getting to Zero' campaign to reduce HIV/Aids infections will begin in October on Phuket where latest figures show 4022 people remain infected. A survey of the mostly 25-40 years old patients - 1335 are female - shows 97 percent of infections came via unprotected sex, often with random partners. Phuket's contraction rates are the third highest in Thailand.

Phuket Update The new Phuket fountain and light and sound show at Saphan Hin public park is to be launched at 7pm on Monday, the eve of the Phuket Vegetarian Festival. From then, there will be three fountain performances nightly at 7pm, 8pm and 9pm.

voanews.com Thailand's government says it will review hundreds of prosecutions since the 2006 military coup that led to years of political turmoil. The cases under review are expected to include prosecutions of hundreds of protesters in Bangkok in recent years, corruption charges against former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra and scores of people charged with defaming the royal family.

bangkokpost.com The assignment given to Cabinet members of the Pheu Thai Party by former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra via a Skype internet conference showed clearly that Yingluck Shinawatra is just a puppet prime minister, opposition chief whip Jurin Laksanawisit said. Ms Yingluck must be aware that the cabinet is the country's Cabinet, not the family cabinet, said Mr Jurin.

nationmultimedia.com Thaksin Shinawatra loves to push the limits, but Wednesday's incident was as if he was attempting to demolish the barriers. His Skype contact with Pheu Thai ministers was the most legally defiant act since his youngest sister became prime minister.

freemalaysiatoday.com Thai Foreign Minister Surapong Towichukchaikul said he was considering returning the passport of fugitive former premier Thaksin Shinawatra. ''I am trying to determine if it was right to seize [Thaksin's] passport. A passport is an important official document required when you travel overseas. It is not different from an identification card. Do convicts get their ID cards seized?''

atimes.com How long will Thailand's political peace last? By certain estimations the pre-election accommodation that paved the way for Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra's rise to power and self-exiled former premier Thaksin Shinawatra's return to influence is already showing signs of strain.

wsj.com Facebook unveiled new music, movie and organisation features, moves that ramp up the social networking service's competition with Google as well as muscle into the territory of Apple and others.

hindustantimes.com A suspected Chinese spy ship apparently camouflaged as a fishing trawler has been detected by the Navy near the Andaman and Nicobar Islands to possibly keep an eye on Indian military activities in the area. The incident reinforced the assessment in the country of an increasing Chinese presence and interest in the Indian Ocean Region and the Bay of Bengal.

Phuket Update The destroyer USS Pinckney anchored off Phuket on Thursday, latest in a growing number of US warships to choose Phuket for shore leave. A larger-than-usual US Embassy delegation welcomed the ship, indicating both US concern at making Phuket a strategic Andaman/Indian Ocean outpost and growing US interest in Phuket's future as a Thai-international IT hub close to Singapore and Malaysia.

Phuket Update Almost 600 Muslims from the Phuket region will be making the Hajj pilgrimage to Mecca this year, with 295 passengers scheduled to leave from Phuket International Airport on a special Thai International flight on October 10 and another 275 booked on a similar flight to Jeddah the next day.

Associated Press Flash floods at a centuries-old temple near Angkor Wat in Cambodia stranded about 200 foreign tourists, forcing officials to use helicopters to evacuate them. The group visiting the 10th century Banteay Srey temple included tourists from the US, South Korea, France, Britain and Russia, a district official said.

nationmultimedia.com Traffic police in Bangkok are set to have smalll cameras installed inside traffic policeman dummies, which are called ''Sergeant Idle,'' to help detect traffic law violations, said a police major general in charge of traffic direction in Bangkok.

Phuket Update Some resort groups are consolidating brands while others are adding to their repertoires. And the letter ''A'' still dominates, with Thailand's Minor Group now adding Avani to Anantara [Phuket has an Ananatara]. The first Avani property is to open in Sril Lanka before year's end. The new brand ''fuses timeless essence with the relevance of a contemporary lifestyle to create a highly flexible approach to the overall journey.'' We knew it would.

Associated Press Police say a small plane has crashed in Indonesia's eastern province of Papua, killing all three people on board, including the American pilot., Paul Westlund.

Associated Press Malaysia's anti-graft watchdog has suspended three officers who allegedly robbed moneylenders of $300,000 at the country's main airport. The incident is another blow to the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission's reputation. It has suffered criticism over failed prosecutions and accusations of brutality after two men interrogated by its officers died under suspicious circumstances.

jsonline.com A measles alert in Milwaukee began when an unvaccinated 23-month-old refugee from Burma flew there from Malaysia, according to a report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention in Atlanta.

thejakartaglobe.com The International Air Transport Association forecasts Indonesia will be among the top 10 markets for air travel due to the country's robust economic growth, tourism, and thriving industries.



bangkokpost.com Japan ended Thailand's reign as the continental champions with a thrilling 3-2 win in the semi-finals of the 16th Asian Women's Volleyball Championship in Taiwan.

afp Ferrari drivers Fernando Alonso and Felipe Massa believe they can both finish on the podium in the Singapore Grand Prix this weekend and delay Sebastian Vettel's double world title celebrations. Two-times world and Singapore winner Alonso is aiming for a hat-trick.

smh.com.au Defending champions South Africa broke their own Rugby World Cup points record with an 87-0 blitz of doughty Namibia to all but seal a place in the quarter-finals.



A WARDROOM party will be held at the Malbu Bar in Patong tonight to welcome officers and crew of the destroyer USS Pinckney. ''The ship's crew really want to meet us locals,'' says the Phuket Navy League spokesperson. A second ''all crew'' party is scheduled for Saturday night at the Malibu Bar.

THE FIRST-EVER joint Skal and PATA event on Phuket will be held at the Movenpick Resort and Spa Karon Beach on Saturday September 24 from 5.30pm, with leading tourism officials attending, with a delegation from Bangkok. Phuket resort GMs, travel and tourism industry leaders are invited to join. The cocktail and dinner event can be booked by emailing Arnupab Satakorn on Arnupab@PATA-Thailand.org

TWINPALMS, noted for holding some of the best parties on Phuket, is celebrating its seventh anniversary on Saturday September 24 with an event at the Catch Beach Club in Surin from 8pm to Midnight that features performers and the intriguing dress code: white (latex welcome.) Telephone: 076 316657.



Until September 24 Quiksilver Thailand Surf Competition 2011, Patong

September 27-October 5 Vegetarian Festival, Phuket

November 1-6 Women's Beach Volleyball Series at Karon on Phuket

November 26-27 9th Phuket International Soccer 7s

November 27 Laguna Phuket Triathlon

December 3-4 6th Andaman International Soccer 7s

December 4 Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship, Laguna



March 18-28 National Youth Games, Phuket

March 29-April 1 Phuket International Boat Show, Royal Phuket Marina



November 14-21 Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket