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

nationmultimedia.com The tourism business is expected to record a drop of 10-15 percent this year mainly due to the political turbulence midyear, but the future appears bright for 2011. According to Thai Hotels Association and the Association of Thai Travel Agents, more international travellers will head directly to Phuket, as many airlines have started direct flights to the island.

bangkokpost.com In the 11 countries that comprise the World Health Organisation's Southeast Asia Region, the latest data suggest a downward trend in new HIV infections. But still, 3.5 million people in the region are living with HIV, mainly in India, Indonesia, Burma, Nepal and Thailand. In 2009, there were an estimated 220,000 new HIV infections and 230,000 people died due to Aids-related illnesses in the region.

guardian.co.uk WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange is facing growing legal problems around the world, with the US announcing that it was investigating whether he had violated its espionage laws. In contrast to previous WikiLeaks releases, Assange has on this occasion kept a relatively low profile.

nationmultimedia.com Burma's pro-democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi called on Thais to be kind to migrants and refugees from her country. "We know it is not easy for Thailand to cope with the situation, but we would so appreciate it if you could do what you can for them," she said in a phone interview with Bangkok-based Thai-Asean News Network.

straitstimes.com The Department of Mental Health will conduct a major study to measure the Intelligence Quotient (IQ) of nearly 100,000 primary and secondary students across Thailand after finding the IQ of Thai teenagers was at a critically low level. The study aims to collect information that can be used to boost the IQ of Thai teenagers over five years.

Phuket Update It must be the sea air. The Netherlands Consulate is not moving to the Centara Grand Resort at Karon, as Mediawatch reported yesterday. It's staying at another resort in Phuket City, the Dara Hotel. However, a consulate party was held at the Karon resort last night.

cnn.com North Korea claimed that it is has "thousands of centrifuges" working to create nuclear energy for peaceful purposes. The claim printed in North Korea's state-run KCNA news service comes just a week after North Korean shelled a South Korean Island killing four people.

caboodle.hu A Hungarian man, suspected of a series of fraud, has been brought back to Hungary from Phuket. Wanted by Interpol and Hungarian police Arpad H Z was arrested on Phuket on October 30. Since 2007 the suspect, aged 28, has allegedly cheated 60 victims by offering cheap air tickets to Spain and Thailand and asking for deposits. Despite lack of a relevant agreement, Thailand has extradited three suspects to Hungary this year.

telegraph.co.uk Rowan Somerville, the Irish author, has won this year's Bad Sex in Fiction Award: ''Like a lepidopterist mounting a tough-skinned insect with a too blunt pin he screwed himself into her.''

abcnews.go.com The stock exchanges of Malaysia, Singapore and Thailand will link via an electronic trading system that will give investors access to all three markets simultaneously by the second half of 2011, officials said.

reuters.com Tens of thousands of Indonesians who fled their homes to escape an erupting volcano have been offered the chance to start anew on a less populated island, authorities said. Around 60,000 people are living in temporary shelter on densely populated Java island after Mount Merapi Volcano erupted last month.

dnaindia.com ''The growth of the Indian economy has resulted in the growth of the masses. India has a 300 million strong middle class who can afford outbound travel,'' said Olan Bundhuratana, general manager- India, Thai Airways International. The airline plans to commence direct flights between Mumbai and Phuket, which has turned into a favorite destination for Indian weddings, in the next year.

guardian.co.uk "This is not a battle! This is not a war!" Richard Branson declared, guns blazing, at the launch in New York today of his new digital venture - a monthly interactive magazine custom-designed for the iPad. Branson went on to say that he was picking a fight with Rupert Murdoch over quality.



December 1 World Aids Day
December 4-11 Phuket King's Cup Regatta
December 5 Laguna Ironman 70.3 title
December 3-5 North Phuket Culinary Arts Festival, Mai Khao resorts
December 15-20 Patong Carnival
December 16-18 2010 Asia Superyacht Rendezvous
December 17 US Consular outreach service on Phuket
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