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

YOUR washing is safe now, say Phuket police. Rangrin Sukkabanjong, 30, was arrested about 4am yesterday in Patong. The owner of a Patong laundry and local officers accused her of being a washing thief. According to police, Khun Rangrin would steal items of clothing from laundries in Patong and resell them second-hand in Phuket City. She had great prices and a good eye for top brand clothing, officers said.
Police found 50 bikinis and large amounts of other clothing in her vehicle. Khun Rangrin told them she had been nabbed once before, but had negotiated a settlement with a laundry. Now it's Khun Rangrin's turn to be hung out to dry.

Phuketwan Update Phuket's new governor will have a trip to Ipswich in Australia, on his (or her) schedule of things to do. The town in the state of Queensland is keen to become a sister city of Phuket, retiring Governor Wichai Praisa-ngob said this week. Governor Wichai led a visit to Phuket's sister city of Nice in France earlier this year.

Associated Press An international maritime group urged Indonesia to increase patrols in the South China Sea after pirates attacked nine vessels in less than three weeks. The International Maritime Bureau said pirates armed with guns and machetes had robbed tankers and bulk carriers of cash and other valuables in the attacks off the Indonesian islands of Mangkai, Anambas and Natuna. This brought pirate attacks so far this year to 26 in the area. Only seven attacks were reported last year.

wsj.com In a decision that will likely be cheered by foreign investors, a Thai court ruled that nearly all the projects at Map Ta Phut industrial park can resume operations, despite environmental and health concerns. The ruling, which will allow most of the $12 billion in new projects to move forward, could lift worries that Ford Motor Co. and others had expressed earlier that investment-friendly Thailand is becoming a more difficult place to do business.

andrew-drummond.com An American internet porn king has won approval from the Thai government to get tax concessions for his new internet business in Pattaya. After first having his business blessed by monks and opened by the Mayor of Pattaya, Michael Strouse, 42, has now been granted tax concessions by Thailand's Board of Investment. I asked Strouse in an email if he attended an Adult Membership Gathering in Phuket where Kat Young, a Thai porn star was advertised (on the net) as being on hand to give massages.

thisislondin.co.uk A Londoner is stranded in Thailand after being paralysed in a road crash, his sister said. Tom Moss, 26, is unable to move from the neck down and has lost 95 percent of his sight after his moped hit a lorry and two cars in the resort of Chiang Mai. He did not have travel insurance and is stuck in hospital in Bangkok while his family tries to raise the fare to fly him home.

mcot.net His Majesty King Bhumibol Adulyadej endorsed Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha as new commander-in-chief of the Royal Thai Army in the annual military reshuffle. Gen Prayuth, 56, currently deputy army chief, will succeed Gen Anupong Paochinda who retires in October.

nationmultimedia.com The rise of two military preparatory-school classmates to the highest positions in the Army and the police force seems to give Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva a comfortable feel politically. The Police Department's deep-rooted corruption problem has been blamed largely on poor distribution of welfare and retirement insecurity felt by the majority of the police force.

thejakartaglobe.com While there is no news on whether the travel advisory from Indonesia to Thailand has been revoked, Indra Nugraha, a representative of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, is optimistic. ''You know how it is. Once they impose it, they just seem to forget all about it,'' he said.

irrawaddy.org Burma's junta chief Senior General Than Shwe, 77, is reportedly worried about possible assassination attempts against him these days, according to military intelligent sources. ''Our higher-ups have informed us that there are concerns about the senior general being targeted by snipers and suicide bombers ahead of the election,'' a junior officer in military security affairs told The Irrawaddy. ''So, we were told to increase security awareness,'' he said, on condition of anonymity.

afp Singapore Airlines has directed its flight attendants to avoid discussing work-related matters on Facebook and other social networking websites, company officials said. The image-conscious airline, which is consistently ranked by passengers as one of the world's best, took action after some cabin crew were found to have discussed confidential job issues on Facebook. The Straits Times reported that some crew got warning letters for grumbling about rosters, passengers, bosses and colleagues on Facebook.

latimes.com Malaysia's reputation as a moderate, progressive Muslim nation has been sullied by a string of embarrassing news stories involving church burnings, pig heads dumped in mosques, Muslim girls caned for premarital sex and an interminable sodomy trial of a senior political figure. Hoping to unite the nation of 27 million people and promote its attractions abroad, government officials have hired a high-powered American public relations firm. The result is 1Malaysia, featuring a slew of billboards and banners invoking images of national unity, including multiracial Malaysian children and adults holding hands and smiling warmly.

afp British and Japanese retail giants along with local operators are in an auction battle to take over the Southeast Asian business of French supermarket chain Carrefour. Tesco is among more than 10 bidders for Carrefour's assets in the region, which total 61 stores in Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand, the Financial Times said. Singapore-based retail group Dairy Farm and French retailer Casino are also in the bidding.

telegraph.co.uk A two-year-old Indonesian boy who smoked about 40 cigarettes a day has kicked the habit after intensive therapy. Ardi Rizal appeared on the internet in May, drawing attention to Indonesia's failure to regulate the tobacco industry.



September 4 Rip Curl Hunt for Young Surfers, Kata beach
September 8 Phuket Governor heading meeting about Phuket's entertainment zones, Metropole Hotel, Phuket City
Until September 9 Ramadan
September 10 International Business Association of Phuket presents a joint association networking meeting (BCCT, Navy League Phuket and SKAL).
September 11 Phuket Surf Lifesaving Carnival, Loma Park, Patong
September 13 Phuket Tsunami Evacuation Drill, Loma Park, Patong, 10.30am
September 16-17 Celebration of the 114th birthday of Luang Pu Supha at the Chalong temple named in his honor.
September 18 Rip Curl Hunt for Young Surfers, Surin beach
September 22-26 Quiksilver 2010 Surf Competition, Kata beach
October 1-3 Asian Hospitality and Travel Show, Central Festival Phuket Convention and Exhibition Center, Phuket City
October 8-16 Vegetarian Festival, Phuket
November 2-7 Phuket womens' beach volleyball, Karon beach
November 5 Phuket Charity Pro Am Golf, Blue Canyon
November 28 Laguna Phuket triathlon
December 4-11 Phuket King's Cup Regatta
December 5 Laguna Ironman title
2011
January 6-9 PIMEX boat show, Royal Phuket Marina
February 9-13 The Bay Regatta - Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi