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

Phuket Update Road rage to road race: Officials say about 50,000 Phuket people turned out to watch two days of motor sports at the Honda Racing Fest 2011 at Saphan Hin public park in Phuket City. It was the second year that large crowds have flocked to see racing Honda Jazzes and Civics. Organisers say the event will return next year.

bangkokpost.com Thailand should work with other Asean countries to seek more tourism opportunities in a bid to make the most use of free trade agreements in the region, says the Tourism Council of Thailand. Surapol Svetserani, Governor of the Tourism Authority of Thailand, said the agency expected more rapid growth of Asean tourist arrivals to Thailand than from Europe and the US soon, while another key driver would be China.

bernama Malaysians are being advised to postpone non-essential travel to southern Thailand due to bombing incidents that killed four Malaysians and a Thai rescue worker and injured 18 others. Malaysians are advised to postpone non-essential travel to the area ''until the security situation normalises.''

nationmultimedia.com It was the first time that bomb attacks had killed foreign tourists. ''Tourists have cancelled reservations for 1800 rooms owned by 42 hotel operators,'' said Saengthong Preechawuttidej, chairman of the Su-ngai Kolok Hotel Association.The district's normally lively downtown area has been mostly silent.

bangkokpost.com A proposal to make Phuket a special economic administrative zone has been renewed in a bid to help the resort island better address its problems. Bhumkit Raktae-ngam, chairman of the provincial tourism association, revived the proposal during a seminar held by the Senate committee on transportation to discuss sustainable development in Phuket.

Phuket Update A campaign to reduce the number of roadside billboards on Phuket appears to be failing. Judging by a stretch of 150 metres of roadway near the Tesco-Lotus supermarket, billboard erectors are replacing billboards faster than officials can pull them down. Phuketwan suggests that instead of wasting energy, council officials need to visit the offices of the advertised companies.

nationmultimedia.com In Thailand's rapidly growing population centres, strategic city planning is needed. Dare to think outside the box. For example, if Thailand targets hosting an Olympic Games in 2028 or 2032, it should think of submitting a bid on behalf of the nation - including Chiang Mai, Phuket and Khon Kaen.

bangkokpost.com The Real Estate Information Center will provide more property data, indices and market surveys next year, planning to charge for material in a ready-to-use format from next month. Besides Greater Bangkok, it provides market surveys in major provinces including Chon Buri, Phuket and Chiang Mai where the development markets are large.

goldcoast.com.au Australian school leavers are ditching the Gold Coast to celebrate ''Schoolies'' in Thailand, where they can buy cheap drugs without the scrutiny of police usually called in to control them. The Sunday Mail reports bookings to Thailand's notorious drug-fuelled Full Moon beach parties on Koh Phangan have soared, with local celebrations now deemed too ''bogan''.

scmp.com Cocaine recovered from a recycling warehouse in Hong Kong stacks up to the largest seizure of the drug ever in the city - 567 kilos worth some HK$600 million.

andrew-drummond.com The 28-year-old son of the Deputy Major of London has collapsed and died in a 12 pound a night guest house after attending a wild Full Moon Party on the Thai island of Koh Phangan.

afp About 50 women in Indonesia, the world's most populous Muslim country, donned miniskirts to protest remarks by the Jakarta city governor who blamed a recent gang rape on the victim's choice of clothing. Fauzi Bowo called on women not to wear miniskirts when riding on public transport after a 27-year-old woman was attacked in a public minivan.

telegraph.co.uk The world's largest sperm bank has started turning down redheaded donors because there is too little demand for their sperm.

smh.com.au Letter: Regarding the question of whether to travel to Burma, my husband and I had the absolute pleasure of a holiday there, which was a life-changing experience. The Burmese are a beautiful, peaceful people and we were welcomed everywhere we went and never felt threatened or frightened.

telegraph.co.uk Italian PM Silvio Berlusconi was at the centre of further sordid revelations after leaks of taped conversations revealed he was caught boasting about having sex with eight women in one night. Taped conversations revealed in extraordinary detail how parties involving dozens of young starlets and escort girls were organised for the 74-year-old by a convicted cocaine dealer.

Associated Press Dominique Strauss-Kahn, the former head of the International Monetary Fund, says his sexual encounter with a New York hotel maid did not involve violence, constraint or aggression but still constitutes a moral failing on his part.



World Cup rugby latest England 41, Georgia 10; Wales 17, Samoa 10; France 46, Canada 19.

dailymail.co.uk Fernando Torres' miserable season reached a new low as one of the worst misses in Barclays Premier League history helped Manchester United to a 3-1 win over Chelsea at Old Trafford.

afp Manchester City surrendered their 100 percent start to the Premier League season as Fulham fought back from two goals down to draw 2-2, while Tottenham routed nine-man Liverpool 4-0.



TWINPALMS, noted for holding some of the best parties on Phuket, is celebrating its seventh anniversary on Saturday September 24 with an event at the Catch Beach Club in Surin from 8pm to Midnight that features performers and the intriguing dress code: white (latex welcome.) Telephone: 076 316657.



September 21-24 Quiksilver Thailand Surf Competition 2011, Patong

September 27-October 5 Vegetarian Festival, Phuket

November 1-6 Women's Beach Volleyball Series at Karon on Phuket

November 26-27 9th Phuket International Soccer 7s

November 27 Laguna Phuket Triathlon

December 3-4 6th Andaman International Soccer 7s

December 4 Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship, Laguna



March 18-28 National Youth Games, Phuket

March 29-April 1 Phuket International Boat Show, Royal Phuket Marina



November 14-21 Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket