cnn.com A 7.6-magnitude earthquake struck in the Pacific Ocean's Vanuatu Islands region early Sunday, prompting a tsunami warning for the area, according to the US Geological Survey. The quake struck 135 kilometers west of the island of Tanna, Vanuatu and 1740 kilometers off Australia's eastern coast just after midnight local time.


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

nationmultimedia.com [Former Phuket politician] Anchalee Vanich Tephabutra is tipped to become the new secretary-general of PM Abhisit Vejjajiva. "Yes. We're entering the election mode," said the premier, adding that Korbsak Sabhavasu, the outgoing PM's secretary-general, would focus on the coming polls.

bbc.co.uk An inquiry has been launched by BAA to look into "what went wrong" at Heathrow Airport as flights were grounded for days following snowfall. The panel of experts from other airports and airlines will judge BAA's "planning, execution and recovery".

bangkokpost.com Child pornography and other sex films have largely disappeared from Pattaya's Beach Road despite being widely available there only a week ago. Foreigners were observed desperately hunting for porn at a stall in front of a coffee shop on Soi 13/1 that had displayed about 100 pornographic titles, including child porn.

afp A manhunt was under way in Mumbai for four alleged members of the same Islamist group that attacked the city in 2008, amid warnings of a strike on foreign targets over Christmas and New Year. Roads were closed in and around the luxury Taj Mahal Palace hotel - the focus of the siege two years ago that killed 166 - and armed police were out in force at prominent sites, including overseas consulates.

breakingtravelnews.com The Crowne Plaza Bangkok Lumpini Park is the group's fourth hotel in Bangkok and the tenth IHG hotel in Thailand - joining hotels in Hua Hin, Pattaya, Phuket, Cha-am, Phi Phi and Chiangmai. IHG will be opening its eleventh property in mid-2011 with the Holiday Inn Resort Mai Khao Beach in Phuket.

aap Nearly 100 asylum seekers are feared to have died at sea en route to Australia from Indonesia. Frantic relatives of 14 of the missing people say they last had contact with them on November 13.

afp Taiwanese authorities said they have fined the local subsidiary of Japan Airlines for illegally firing 18 senior flight attendants in a bid to cut costs.

asiaone.com Singapore is in an unique position to embrace the next paradigm of cloud computing, called Cloud 2, due to its high-levels of broadband penetration, proliferation of mobile devices, and strong uptake of social media, according to Salesforce.com.

temasekreview.com In 2010, the UN Data website listed the number of people of foreign stock in Singapore as 1,966,900 and forming 40.7 percent of the total population.

sbs.com.au Christmas ornamentation had been put up in an "excessive and provocative way,'' said Muhyidin Junaedi, one of the chairmen of the Indonesia Ulema Council. "It should be done in a proportional manner as Muslims are the majority here, otherwise it will hurt their feelings."

telegraph.co.uk Parts of the UK have experienced a traditional white Christmas this year, as snow fell in Scotland and north-east England.



PHUKET is to join in marking Earth Hour on March 27 at 8.30pm. The growing international gesture that emphasises energy conservation involves cities around the world switching off electric lighting for an hour.

PHUKET International Academy is to handle all Phuket Soccer 7s tournaments at their 11-a-side astroturf pitch for the next three years. The Phuket Spicy Soccer 7s will be held on February 26 and 27 with Open Age and Women's caregories.

December 26 Tsunami sixth anniversary: Memorial commemorations at Patong (6.30pm), Kamala (11am) and Mai Khao's Wall of Remembrance (8.30am). Others in Phang Nga.
December 30-January 9 Phuket Red Cross Fair, Saphan Hin park, Phuket City


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
February 26-27 Phuket Spicy Soccer 7s, Phuket International Academy
March 14-19 ADFEST 2011 at Movenpick Resort, Phuket
March 27 Earth Hour comemmoration on Phuket


Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket