afp A policeman in southern Thailand shot dead six fellow officers before turning the gun on himself after a drinking session in a police canteen turned sour. The incident took place late on Monday in a border patrol police camp in Phatthalung province, some 840 kilometres south of Bangkok.

guardian.co.uk Sachin Tendulkar threatened to bring up a historic 100th international century but was dismissed for 73 late on day two after helping put India in command of the first Test against Australia.


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

nationmultimedia.com Finance Minister Thirachai Phuvanat-naranubala has pledged to accelerate long-delayed major property projects that include a convention centre on Phuket: ''Some of these projects have been delayed for 18 years. I don't want them getting stuck any longer." Treasury will next year announce new land appraisals, averaging 20 percent higher nationwide, on which to base tax collection.

scmp.com An experimental train capable of travelling at 500km/h was unveiled in Qingdao at the weekend despite widespread concern over safety on China's high-speed rail network.

skynews.com.au Despite the 2004 tsunami, Phuket has remained a popular destination for Scandinavians. ''Last year, some 330,000 Scandinavian tourists came to Phuket, making them our largest-single market,'' said Bangornrat Shinaprayon, Phuket director of the Tourism Authority of Thailand. The island is expected to attract 5.1 million tourists this year, up from four million in 2004, she said.

bangkokpost.com In Krabi, Governor Prasit Osathanon joined a merit-making ceremony on Phi Phi. Multi-faith ceremonies were held, with about 300 Thais and foreigners joining. About 700 people including tourists were killed on Phi Phi.

xinhua Some 500 foreigners and Thais, who are relatives of tsunami victims, gathered at Baan Nam Kem Memorial Park in Phang Nga province to commemorate the 2004 tsunami in the small fishing village where some 4000 people or half of the village's population were killed. [Nam Khem victims actually numbered 800-850, part of a total Thailand toll of 5400.]

nationmultimedia.com ''I miss my dad. I hope such a disaster will never happen again," nine-year-old Hatchai Noophom said. His father was among at least 8000 killed or lost in Thailand. [The total toll in Thailand was 5400, but Thai officials still double-count missing and nameless bodies.]

winnipegfreepress.comGovernment officials in Canada are preparing for the massive wave of debris heading to Pacific Northwest shores because of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami in Japan. Some experts say it covers an area the size of California.

bernama Over 6000 people gathered in Aceh, Indonesia, for "zikir" (religious chanting) and "doa" (invocation) in remembrance of the more than 160,000 residents who perished in the 2004 tsunami. A program attended by over 1000 school students aimed to teach them to be always prepared for earthquakes and tsunami and how to react in such disasters.

cnn.com A delegation of South Korean citizens arrived in Pyongyang to express condolences over the death of the North Korean leader Kim Jong Il, the North's state-run news agency reported. The visit comes at a delicate point in relations between the two Koreas.

adelaidenow.com.au Adelaide airport management forecasts new flights direct to Phuket, Bangkok, Guangzhou and Shanghai, Dubai and Ho Chi Minh City over the next two years.

nationmultimedia.com Chief executive officer Tipp Dalal said Triple i, via its subsidiary Asia Network International, was last month appointed exclusive air-cargo agent for Hainan Airlines in Bangkok and Phuket. Hainan Airlines operates Bangkok-Hangzhou (three flights a week); Bangkok-Haikou (two a week); Phuket-Hangzhou (two a week); and Phuket-Beijing (three flights a week).

afp Indonesia is investigating the case of an Australian who is believed to have been infected with HIV while getting a tattoo on the resort island of Bali, an official said.

reuters A New York man is suing Delta Air Lines and Air France-KLM for $US10 million for injuries he says he sustained while helping to stop the so-called ''underwear bomber'' from blowing up a plane on Christmas Day 2009.

aap Sydney was voted the world's number one city in the Conde Nast Traveler readers' choice awards in October, beating Florence, Paris and New York.



telegraph.co.uk A 5-0 Boxing Day rout of Wigan Athletic, five days after an equally-emphatic victory at Fulham, ensures that Manchester United will claim top spot before Big Ben rings in 2012 if they avoid defeat at home to Blackburn Rovers on Saturday lunchtime.

telegraph.co.uk West Bromwich Albion's back four harried and headed clear as if their season depended on it, utterly frustrating the leaders who failed to score for the first time in the Premier League this season. W Brom 0-0 Manchester City.

afp Opener Ed Cowan called on cricket's governing body to use the review system in all test matches after two controversial umpiring decisions went against Australia on the opening day of the first test against India.



bangkokpost.com Phuket is hosting the ''Creative IP DJ Hunt 2011 Southern Region,'' which will take place on Karon Beach on Friday at 3pm. The contest is held as part of the Phuket Electronic Music and Dance Festival, which takes place Friday and Saturday.

December 27-30 Art festival, Royal Phuket Marina, Phuket City

December 29-January 8 Red Cross Fair, Saphan Hin, Phuket City

December 29-31 New Year Fair, Sanam Chai park, Phuket City



January 23 Chinese New Year

February 24-25 Phuket Blues Festival, Laguna Phuket

April Opening of Gardens by the Bay, Singapore, three waterfront gardens that will dwarf Kew in London and provide ''green lungs'' for the city.

May 26-June 5 National Youth Games, Phuket

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



November 14-21 Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket