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

PHUKET pair Tep, 41, and Keaw, 40, were arrested late on Sunday by Patong police who noted the Burmese couple had 900 marijuana leaves ready to boil and mix with cough syrup to sell to youngsters in the west coast holiday resort. There is no customer research on whether the mixture actually works on coughs.

Phuket Update KOREAN Kim Chang Ha of the firm Global Business Leaders met Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha and said he would welcome involvement in Phuket's light rail project. GBL has one billion baht ready and a track record building light rail, hospitals, universities and airports. Several large companies are in contention for the Phuket project.

independent.co.uk Airlines are expected to make just a fifth of the profits they made last year as higher oil prices increase the cost of flying and deter cash-strapped customers, their industry body has warned. The International Air Transport Association forecasts that airlines will make profits of four billion US dollars in 2011, a 78 percent drop from the 18 billion US dollars in 2010.

telegraph.co.uk The world's major airlines have slashed their profits forecast following the Japanese earthquake, with IATA's outgoing general secretary renewing his attack on Britain over Air Passenger Duty.

reuters At an annual meeting of airline chiefs in Singapore, the International Air Transport Association displayed for the first time a mock-up of a three-channel passenger screening system of the future. It could be the answer for every weary air traveller, a high-tech screening system that filters passengers according to risk and scans and "sniffs" them as they walk through, taking a fraction of the time of a usual security check.

Phuket Update THE Tourism Authority of Thailand says it has one million baht to spend promoting August as seafood month on Phuket with tour groups and locals likely to gain large discounts at a Saphan Hin fair and other events to be held that month.

reuters Singapore Airlines said it is open to offers for its 49 percent stake in Virgin Atlantic, but would not comment if any bidders have approached the airline.

Associated Press Malaysia Airlines says it will join the airline alliance oneworld and start flying as a member in late 2012. The flag carrier said that its entry will expand oneworld's global coverage to almost 950 destinations in 150 countries, served by a combined fleet of over 2600 planes carrying 358 million passengers a year.

Phuket Update REPRESENTATIVES from Karon visited Phuket Governor Tri Augkaradacha to seek to join with the whole island in a Countdown 2012 this New Year's Eve. The event would involve festivities, fireworks and a large clock. A reporter from a tabloid newspaper asked if they could sponsor Phuket's New Year's Eve this year.

mypetjawa.mu.nu Some 800 Muslim women in Malaysia are members of the Obedient Wives Club that is generating controversy in one of the most modern and progressive Muslim-majority nations, where many Muslim Malaysian women hold high posts in the government and corporate world. On a personal level, my wife tells me that obedience is not and will not be a problem as long as I do what she says.

mcot.net Yingluck Shinawatra, candidate for premier from Thailand's main opposition party, the Pheu Thai, turned the hype of the gadget into a buzz that raised the profile and likely public support for votes in the July 3 election. Demonstrating the Pheu Thai party education policy via iPad2, Ms Yingluck received a warm welcome and cheers from both pupils and teachers during a school visit to a northeastern province.

cnn.com Japan's Fukushima Daiichi nuclear power plant experienced full meltdowns at three reactors in the wake of an earthquake and tsunami in March, the country's Nuclear Emergency Response Headquarters has admitted.

indiatimes.com A walk around Patong's famous Bangla street, known for a Thai kick-boxing stadium, night life and massage parlors, gives a glimpse of the dozens of eateries with the familiar Indian names. The clientele is cosmopolitan, though the flow of Indians has helped. ''This year, we expect 60,000 Indians in Phuket - double the numbers last year. In the next few years it is expected to go up to 100,000-plus,'' said Bangornrat Chinaprayoon, director of the regional TAT.

ballinaadvocate.com.au Panwa House is a beautifully restored former coconut plantation owner's home in the grounds of Cape Panwa Hotel and Spa in Phuket, Thailand. Apart from eating well, it's possible to snorkel above the coral in emerald green bays surrounded by limestone headlands and make friends with a huge variety of marine creatures from inquisitive sea turtles, families of clams and sea cucumbers, to a who's who of South-East Asian tropical fish.

Associated Press Karen Butler has a British-sounding accent, but she's never been to Europe. The American woke up from dental surgery one day talking funny. A year and a half later her "foreign" accent remains.

smh.com.au US congressman Anthony Weiner has admitted a picture of a bulging crotch that appeared on his Twitter feed was taken and sent by him. At times, the press conference became particularly rowdy with one man yelling out: "Will you help to support Arnold's love child?"



Until June 12 Southern Prison Produce Fair, Saphan Hin, Phuket City
Until June 25 Kalim Kinetic Art Fair, Brush, Kalim
June 6-11 Phuket Snooker Championships, Patong
June 10-11 Traditional Baba wedding festival, Phuket City
June 12 Laguna Phuket International Marathon
June 17 Phuket Property Dot Com Pro Am Invitational, Laguna
June 23-26 Phuket Fun Fly paragliding, Nai Harn
July 2 Phuket Navy League US Independence Day fair at Headstart International School
July 15 Asarnha Bucha Day public holiday
July 20-24 Six Senses Phuket Raceweek
August 12 HM The Queen's Birthday public holiday
September 21-24 Quiksilver Thailand Surf Competition 2011, Kata
October 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

November 14-21 Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket