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

bangkokpost.com Phuket's property market should improve with the global economic recovery, according to research from Knight Frank Thailand. The company believes that political stability will reinforce consumer confidence, not only for Phuket but for Thailand. The average price of a villa on Phuket dropped by 14 percent to 50.3 million baht (US$1.6 million) in the first quarter from 59 million baht ($1.89 million) last year.

nationmultimedia.com The plan to develop Phuket International Airport is moving forward both inside the terminal and outside. However, the terminal has only 30 percent of its space available for commercial leasing. It is now crowded with shop and services.


Phuketwan Update Guests at Monday night's party in Phuket City hosted by British Ambassador Quinton Quayle were impressed by the Blue Elephant mansion but less thrilled when a downpour turned the car park into a bog. Some guests who headed for home early were delayed hours until their vehicles could be towed out.

Associated Press A campaign to vaccinate almost 400,000 dogs against rabies began on Bali, where an outbreak has killed 93 people since 2008. The World Society for the Protection of Animals is running the mass vaccination program with the provincial government.

opodo.co.uk Sri Lanka has overtaken Thailand as the best-value long-haul destination for Britons, according to a new report from Post Office Travel Money. The organisation revealed that Thailand has slipped to sixth place in affordability rankings.

smh.com.au Sydney council proposes to increase its powers to close bars at midnight. Amendments are aimed at balancing the interests of residents with the needs of revellers. Violent incidents increase after midnight but this is the most lucrative time for hoteliers.

moneymorning.com Tourism is rebounding faster than expected after the political bloodshed of the spring. Some 10 million foreign visitors arrived in Thailand in the first eight months of this year, up 13 percent from 2009.

nationmultimedia.com PM Abhisit Vejjajiva said he would assume Suthep Thaugsuban's post of deputy PM in charge of security affairs as Khun Suthep resigns to contest a by-election in Surat Thani.

rustourismnews.com Centara Hotels and Resorts [soon to open the Centara Grand on Phuket] has been awarded a contract to manage the Residences at Fairways and Bluewater, a beach and golf resort at Boracay in the Philippines, effective from October 1.

bangkokpost.com Pavin Chachavalpongpun writes: While Thailand's Ministry of Foreign Affairs has prided itself on having its representative as the President of the UN Human Rights Council, Thailand has continued to violate human rights and curb freedom of expression. I naively believed that a Democrat government would bring back its much publicised ''principled foreign policy'' and reaffirm its affinity for democracy and human rights.

Associated Press Indonesian troops carried out an anti-terrorism drill on Bali, drawing curious onlookers as black-clad soldiers leapt from helicopters outside the international airport and blasted through windows to release dozens of ''hostages.'' The six-minute exercise included elite Australian forces.

abc.net.au Indonesia's National Human Rights Commission has criticised Australian training for the controversial special forces unit, Kopassus. Australia's commander of special forces says Kopasuss is working hard to overcome the concern about human rights abuses.

reuters Visitor arrivals to Singapore in August dipped from July's record number but climbed 18 percent from a year ago as two new casino-resorts continued to draw. The 996,000 people who came to Singapore last month was the highest ever for August, and marked the ninth consecutive month when visitor arrivals hit a record for the month.

straitstimes.com Changi Airport has embarked on a $4 million journey to boost service standards throughout its facility - from the counters and taxi queues, to the shops and restaurants and toilets.

brisbanetimes.com.au An international pilot caught taking photos of nude children at Brisbane's South Bank was not a predator, nor were the pictures for his sexual gratification, his lawyer said. Glenn Anthony Armstrong, 48, was suffering from a clinical disorder which caused him to have an unnatural obsession with circumcision, a Brisbane court was told. Judge Kerry O'Brien agreed not to record a conviction.

afp France's glamorous former justice minister Rachida Dati confused oral sex with rising prices as she launched an attack on foreign investment funds. ''When I see some of them (funds) looking for returns of 20 or 25 percent, at a time when fellatio is almost non-existent . . ." she said during an interview on Europe 1 radio.

smh.com.au An Australian woman has fallen to her death base-jumping in northern Malaysia when her parachute failed to open during a training session at a 165 metre tower. The woman and 19 other base jumpers arrived on Tuesday ahead of the Kuala Lumpur Tower International Jump from October 7.

independent.co.uk Three Burmese news websites operated by activists and exiled journalists have been attacked by hackers on the third anniversary of the Saffron Revolution. Journalists believe the Burmese regime is behind the attacks.

malaysianews.net Thai officials seized more than 90kg of ivory on the weekend, finding it in bulky luggage at Suvarnabhumi International Airport. The cut ivory had been packed into luggage carried by an Ethiopian Airlines flight.

afp British chain Yotel plans to open at a new location on New York's Times Square, complete with 669 capsules of less than 15 square metres for $150 a night. Already present in London and Amsterdam, the British chain proposes cabins with purple neon lighting and featuring a bed, retractable desk and shower.

sbs.com.au Brittney McGlone, Laura Juliff, Casey Hodges and Jessica Penny smashed the world stiletto relay race record in Sydney. The Pinkettes, as they are known, now plan to head to Phuket and use their $10,000 prize for a holiday.



October 1-3 Asian Hospitality and Travel Show, Hafale, Phuket City
October 8-16 Vegetarian Festival, Phuket
October 12 Qatar begins daily flights to Phuket
November 2-7 Phuket womens' beach volleyball, Karon beach
November 5 Phuket Charity Pro Am Golf, Blue Canyon
November 19 AustCham at the new Westin Hotel at Koh Sireh from 3pm. E: harry@ladypie.com Tel: 081 2731740
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