abc.net.au A local tourist has been killed at a disputed border temple. The Cambodian tourist was apparently killed while photographing the Preah Vihear Temple on the Cambodian side of the border.

indiatimes.com Machine-gun and artillery fire echoed across the frontier as Thailand and Cambodia troops clashed near an 11th century temple in the fourth day of fighting that has killed at least five people.

bernama.com Thailand has closed its Preah Vihear National Park and Thai troops have evacuated park officials after clashes between Thai and Cambodian soldiers re-erupted.

THE BODY of an American who taught English in Nakornsithammarat has been found at the foot of Phromlok waterfalls. Angelo Anthony Bonadonna, 25, slipped over the cascade at the weekend while on a sightseeing visit with friends.


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

bangkokpost.com.au Strategic Airlines, Australia's newest full-service carrier, will touch down in Phuket on February 22, joining several Australia-based carriers. Strategic plans to offer two non-stop weekly services each between Melbourne and Brisbane to Phuket.

Associated Press Spain's government says police removed more than 100 passengers from a plane preparing to leave the Canary Islands after a large scuffle broke out on board. La Provincia, a Spanish newspaper, said the disruption happened when low-cost Ryanair tried to charge one passenger extra for carry-on baggage and his friends aboard the plane "mutinied". Of the 168 passengers, only 64 were allowed to reboard the flight.

nationmultimedia.com The hotel business in Samui is facing tough times due to inadequate airport capacity and overdevelopment, according to C9 Hotelworks, a consulting firm. The hotel business in other destinations like Phuket dropped during the political crisis last year, but returned fast as many airlines could put up flights on local international routes as well as charters.

bbc.co.uk Cambodia says an 11th-Century temple has been damaged during continued cross-border clashes with Thai troops. An official statement said damage to the disputed Preah Vihear temple was caused by Thai artillery bombardment. Thailand has so far not commented.

mcot.net Thai and Cambodian soldiers have agreed to end ongoing fighting at their disputed border, while five Thai soldiers reported captured at a coordination point at Keo Sikha Kiri Svara Pagoda have returned from the area, a Thai army spokesman said.

nationmultimedia.com Thai AirAsia expects load factors on its recently launched routes from Bangkok to the Indian cities of Kolkata and Delhi to reach as high as 95 percent this year. Bangkok, Pattaya, Phuket and Chiang Mai are popular destinations.

afp Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak's embattled regime has held landmark talks with opposition groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood, agreeing to jointly pursue democratic reform. But the government's chief negotiator, Vice-President Omar Suleiman, refused a call for him to assume Mubarak's powers, and it was unclear if the concessions would satisfy protesters occupying Cairo's Tahrir Square.

smh.com.au Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce has senior executives exploring all options - including a joint venture with a Chinese carrier - to economically reinvigorate its international services by adding new routes. Mr Joyce warned Qantas faces ''severe limits to growth''.

bloomberg An American Airlines jet almost collided with two US Air Force planes after taking off from New York's John F. Kennedy International Airport last month, US transportation safety investigators said.

bangkokpost.com The Tourism Authority of Thailand plans to revise its marketing plans both domestically and abroad to utilise a small budget more efficiently. The agency will be more selective with its smaller budget of 320 million baht, focusing on TV commercials during popular sports programs.

afp From McDonald's burgers in the US to sugar in Bolivia and chilis in Indonesia, food prices across the globe are soaring. But consumers and governments should brace themselves for even higher prices, experts warn, as demand in populous emerging economies will put pressure on supplies for years to come.

hindustantimes.com The Indian Navy and Coast Guards captured 28 Somali pirates off the coast of Lakshwadeep Islands. The operation also saw 24 fishermen, mostly Thais, on board Prantalay-11, the hijacked fishing trawler.

straitstimes.com Ticket touts are making use of security loopholes at Indonesia's airports to sell tickets on domestic flights at inflated prices, as they prey on travellers desperate for a ticket during busy periods. Analysts say the security loophole could allow all sorts of criminals, including terror suspects on the run, to move around the country.

afp More than 1000 Indonesian Muslims clashed with supporters of a minority sect branded heretical by the government, leaving up to six people dead, a report said. Protesters surrounded a house in Pandeglang district in West Java on Sunday morning, state-run news agency Antara reported, to stop the Ahmadiyah Islamic sect from holding their worship there.

bbc.co.uk The renowned rock guitarist Gary Moore has died in a hotel room while on holiday in Spain. Moore, 58, originally from Belfast, was a former member of the legendary Irish group Thin Lizzy.

thehindu.com WikiLeaks chief Julian Assange threatened to sue The Guardian over a book its journalists have written about his whistleblowing website. A Guardian spokesperson said: ''The irony of an organisation dedicated to the free and open flow of information threatening to sue a newspaper will be lost on no one.''

thestar.com With the authorities cracking down on mangrove log smugglers, the thieves have changed their modus operandi by forging documents and getting false approval permits. Over the last 10 days, the Selangor Forestry Department together with the Marine Police and Malaysian Maritime Enforcement Agency have seized two vessels carrying 4000 mangrove logs smuggled from Indonesia.



Phuket, Phang Nga and Krabi will provide the backdrop to The Bay Regatta (formerly the Phang Nga Bay Regatta), one of the world's most scenic sailing events, from February 9-13.

February 8-10 Old Phuket Town Festival, food and walking street fest
February 9-13 The Bay Regatta - Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi
February 11 IBAP for Michael Doyle, US attorney and co-author of 'Doyle's Practical Guide to Business Law in Emerging Countries in Asia.'
February 18 Makha Bucha public holiday
February 23-26 Phuket Gay Pride Festival, Patong
February 25-26 Phuket International Blues and Rock Festival 2011
February 26-27 Phuket Spicy Soccer 7s, Phuket International Academy
March4-6 Pool Asia Expo and Conference, Hilton, Phuket
March 14-19 ADFEST 2011 at Movenpick Resort, Phuket
March 27 Earth Hour commemoration on Phuket
April 13-15 Songkran Festival
May New PPAO Hospital to open, Phuket City


Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket