The driver of a ''black'' illegal minivan that plunged off an expressway in Bangkok, killing nine passengers, was carrying 17 people in a vehicle designed for 12. He faces serious charges. Phuket has about 5000 ''black'' taxi vehicles.


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

Bangkokpost.com Qatar Airways confirmed that a suspected Al-Qaeda package intercepted in Dubai was flown on one of its aircraft and only discovered after an intelligence tip-off.

guardian.co.uk American officials are conceding that although cargo bombs were tracked down after a tip-off from Saudi intelligence, the fact that a loss of life was averted was down to a certain amount of luck. Qatar Airways said the bomb discovered in Dubai on its way to Chicago with FedEx had been put on a passenger flight from the Yemeni capital, Sana'a, to Doha in Qatar before being transferred to another plane to Dubai.

Phuket Update Phuket Governor Tree Ackaradecha is visiting Hainan in China, attending The 14th Inter-Island Tourism Policy Forum. He will return to Phuket on Thursday.

dailyrecord.co.uk The Royal Bank of Scotland is treating executives to a luxury break at an exclusive five-star hideaway in Thailand. The Edinburgh-based firm, 84 percent owned by the taxpayer after being bailed out at the height of the financial crisis, is hosting a 1600 pounds-a-head, three-day bash at the Banyan Tree resort on Samui.

mirror.co.uk Campaigners are urging British PM David Cameron to cancel his Christmas holiday in Thailand over claims the government there murdered protesters. Activists accuse Thai premier Abhisit Vejjajiva - an Old Etonian like the PM - of widespread persecution of red shirts during rallies this year.

thephuketinsider.com Leading Thai Group Minor International is ramping up the launch of the shared ownership focused Anantara Vacation Club. Initially focused in the Phuket and Koh Samui markets, expansion within Asia Pacific is planned.

afp Burma's state media warned that citizens must vote ''without fail'' in the November 7 election and accused those advocating a boycott of misleading the people. ''Every citizen who values democracy and wants democratic rule must cast their votes without fail," said an editorial in the 'New Light of Myanmar' newspaper, a junta mouthpiece.

sify.com US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton toured Cambodia's famed 12th-century Angkor Wat temple complex and pledged to do more to help end the scourge of sexual slavery on a visit to a rehabilitation center for child prostitutes.

telegraphindia.com An unusually hot summer and a delayed monsoon have combined to play havoc with one of the Andamans' biggest tourist attractions: the multi-colored coral reefs. Some 80 percent of the reefs up to a depth of two to three metres - the part visible from the shores and tourist boats - have decayed beyond recovery, a study by the Zoological Survey of India and the National Coral Reef Research Institute have found.

xinhuanet.com The Shanghai World Expo, set to close Sunday, has set new standards, said Vicente Loscertales, secretary-general of the International Expositions Bureau. The Shanghai Expo has "achieved new records: a record number of participants, a record number of visitors, and you have built the largest site ever."

smh.com.au Krispy Kreme doughnuts' Australian division is going into voluntary administration because of poor sales. The Australian arm of the US company was placed in the hands of accountancy firm Smith Hancock. Krispy Kreme has 50 stores across Australia, employing 660 staff.

koreatimes.co.kr In 2010, newlyweds still prefer Phuket, an island in Thailand, Bali in Indonesia or Cebu in the Philippines. This year 65 percent of Korean honeymooners traveled to one of these islands. On the other hand, the Maldives and Hawaii, conventionally regarded as much pricier places, are emerging as the next hot spots.

sail-world.com Seventeen Optimists and seven Lasers took to the startline on October 30-31 for five scheduled races in the second of the four-part 2010 Phuket Dinghy Series. The blue skies soon made way for gusting conditions interspersed with dead calm during the first race, followed by rain and further gusts during races two and three.



PHUKET'S QSI International School will hold its annual fun run at Bang Wad Dam in Kathu on January 22. There will be a one-kilometre fun run and a 6.3 kilometre race for all age groups, with individual age group medals and team trophies. The first 200 registered runners under age 15 will earn a participation medal. A family fun day is included with great food and drinks, live band later in the afternoon, jumping castles for the very young, and a festival atmosphere for a great family day of fun and sports. More details : http://phuket.qsischool.org/.

November 1 Yellow Submarine Divers on Phuket will launch the Donate As You Dive campaign
November 2-7 Phuket womens' beach volleyball, Karon beach
November 5 Phuket Charity Pro Am Golf, Blue Canyon
November 6 Charity golf at Tab Lamu, near Khao Lak: Call Sam on 089 875 1995 E: sam@khaolakappeal.com
November 6 Thailand Property Awards, Bangkok
November 12 IBAP meets at Thai Naan restaurant to hear Woody Leonard on what's best for internet access on Phuket.
November 19 AustCham at the new Westin Hotel at Koh Sireh from 3pm. E: harry@ladypie.com Tel: 081 2731740
November 21 Loy Kratong Festival
November 28 Laguna Phuket triathlon
December 4-11 Phuket King's Cup Regatta
December 5 Laguna Ironman title
December 15-20 Patong Carnival
December 30-January 9 Phuket Red Cross fair, Saphan Hin park, Phuket City
2011
January 6-9 PIMEX boat show, Royal Phuket Marina
January 22 QSI International fun run day at Bang Wad Dam, Kathu
January 23 The Great Phuket Rubber Duck Race Day, Laguna Phuket
February 9-13 The Bay Regatta - Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi