Australia doing it easy 4/482 at stumps in the second cricket Test against India (Clarke 251 not out, Hussey 55 not out) Ponting 134.


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

rap-up.com Kelly Rowland kicked off 2012 with a bang. The sexy singer commanded the stage (and a sizable check) at a private New Year's Eve party for a Russian oil and gas magnate near Phuket, Thailand. Kelly served up her hits including ''Motivation'' and ''Commander'' for guests at the private villa.



Phuket Update Twinpalms - a Phuketwan sponsor - hosts some of Phuket's best parties. Today's photo album offers some highlights from their New Year shindig at Catch Beach Club.

pattayapeople.com Sadly, one fatal incident occurred in the early hours of New Year's Day, when Pattaya Police received a call that an Australian tourist had fallen off a balcony at a hotel on Second Road. Mr Paul Porer aged 37 was found in a very poor state on the ground floor after falling from the 5th floor. The Sawang Boriboon Rescue Team immediately sent him to the nearest hospital but was pronounced dead on arrival.

nationmultimedia.com The Road Safety Centre ordered checkpoints to look out strictly for drunk or speeding drivers returning to Bangkok from spending the year-end holidays at their home towns. The first five of the seven dangerous days of New Year festivities have killed 282 people and injured 2783 in 2544 traffic accidents nationwide, the centre reported. Most accidents (83 percent) involved motorcycles.

bangkokpost.com Given unresolved concerns about the euro-zone debt crisis, and widespread uncertainty about the global economic outlook for 2012, airlines are bracing themselves for another tough year ahead. Indeed, the bleak outlook has prompted IATA to warn that if the euro-zone debt crisis developed into a full-blown banking crisis and European recession, it would have severe consequences for the world's airline industry with losses running in excess of US$8 billion.

msn.com Bangkok, Thailand. To Go or Not to Go? Go. Visit Phuket or the beaches, but still use caution when navigating Bangkok.

smh.com.au Google has penalised itself and will drop the search ranking of its Chrome website for at least 60 days after it apparently violated its own rules when paying hundreds of bloggers to spruik the web browser.

mashable.com A toy company has set up a promotional page to tout the launch of its Steve Jobs action figure, showing the tech visionary in a signature black turtle neck, circular rimless glasses and blue jeans. The 12-inch (11.6-cm) figurine from In Icons - will sell for $US99, before shipping.

Associated Press Burma began releasing some prisoners on Tuesday, but activists and relatives said a government clemency fell short of national reconciliation promises and showed that political prisoners may remain behind bars for a long time.

bbc.co.uk A man, believed to be from Bath, is being held in Thailand on suspicion of drugs offences. Benjamin Cox, 22, was allegedly caught with 2.25g of crystal methamphetamine in Pattaya on December 22 and is in prison awaiting trial.

jacksonnewspaper.com Former Marine Morgan Blaine Hayes died unexpectedly as a result of a motor vehicle accident on December 22 on the island of Samui, Thailand. He was 43 years old. A memorial service will be held at 2pm Saturday, January 7, 2012 at the Epworth United Methodist Church, Ripley.

guardian.co.uk One of the UK's most beloved cartoonists, Ronald Searle, creator of the tearaway girls' school St Trinian's, has died aged 91, his publisher Penguin has announced.

straitstimes.com An error in a government laboratory resulted in the solution used in DNA testing in criminal cases to be 10 times stronger than it should have been. As a result, 412 cases had to be reviewed, and the Attorney-General's Chambers now wants DNA tests in 87 of the cases to be redone, as a precaution.

ameinfo.com Malaysia Airlines has embarked on a significant route rationalisation exercise as part of its Business Plan announced last week, to stem its losses anticipated this year and in 2012.

mynewsdesk.com Once in Phuket is a new Swedish romantic comedy from the team behind the hit comedy 'Summer with George.' The film is produced by Lena Rehnberg stella nova Film in co-production with Nordisk Film, Film i Vast, TV4, Chimneypot and Daylight. Once in Phuket will then have a theatrical release across the country this February 3.



smh.com.au Ricky Ponting begins this morning unbeaten on 44, having averted disaster with Michael Clarke (47 not out) late on the first day of the second Test in steering the hosts' innings from dodgy beginnings to 3-116 after India made 191.

afp Jacques Kallis and Alviro Petersen hit centuries as South Africa dominated the first day of the third and final Test against Sri Lanka.

skysports.com David Beckham will not be joining Paris Saint Germain, according to the French club. Beckham, whose contract with LA Galaxy expired at the end of December, does not want to relocate his family from their home in America.



Until January 8 Red Cross Fair, Saphan Hin, Phuket City

January 14 Children's Day, Phuket

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