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

phnompenhpost.com A Thai parliamentarian and six other Thais were arrested for allegedly trespassing on Cambodian territory in Banteay Meanchey province while examining the countries' shared border, the latest turn in the protracted boundary conflict between the two nations.

dailymail.co.uk Kate Moss couldn't have looked happier as she jetted out of London with boyfriend Jamie Hince and daughter Lila Grace for a New Year's holiday. The 36-year-old supermodel actress beamed for photographers as the trio left Heathrow Airport, apparently en route to Phuket to see in 2011 in style. It is claimed she has hired a luxurious yacht to make the seven-day break as memorable as possible.

Phuket Update The New Year's Eve gathering at Amanpuri is Phuket's most exclusive NY party, whether Kate Moss is there or not. The headland retreat expanded across a neighboring property in 2010, adding 16 villas that were reportedly snapped up quickly by friends of friends. More than two decades on, the Amanpuri retains its lustre at the top, despite intense competition. If you don't have your invitation yet, it's probably in today's mail.

dailymail.co.uk He's worth about $7billion, so surely Mark Zuckerberg could afford to dress up when he flies halfway around the world for a friend's wedding. The Facebook co-founder was photographed in Bangkok looking dressed for a trip to the pub rather than a party, wearing a pair of blue jeans and green collar-less shirt.

wsj.com Facebook was the top searched term overall in 2010, the second straight year that the social networking website has topped web queries, while it was also the most visited website this year, according to data provider Experian Hitwise.

afp According to online tracking firm comScore, Google receives more unique monthly visitors than Facebook but visitors to Facebook spend more time at the site than they do on Google properties.

Associated Press A group founded by George Clooney says it is working with Google, a UN agency and anti-genocide organisations to launch satellite surveillance of the border between north and south Sudan to try to prevent a new civil war after the south votes in a secession referendum next month.

Associated Press US and Thai officials have arrested a group of 12 Chinese nationals accused of obtaining fake visas to try to gain entry to the US. The Thai Immigration bureau says the arrests were made after the group came to Thailand from China. Suspects confessed to each paying a Taiwanese man in Bangkok $24,000 for a forged visa and other expenses.

thestar.com.my The heavy snowfall in Europe and the US is estimated to cost at least $350mil in lost revenue for airlines and that the European economy suffered lost business worth millions of dollars, according to analysts.

bloomberg Cathay Pacific apologised to more than 1000 passengers who sat through 16-hour flights only to wait for up to another 11 hours in snowbound planes at New York's main airport.

japantimes.co.jp Something has clearly slipped. Few people now speak of Thai on the same level as Cathay Pacific, Emirates or Singapore Airlines. In the closely followed Skytrax survey, Thai has slipped to four stars, and many frequent travelers think it deserves only three or fewer.
Why is there the erroneous impression of infighting, corruption and nepotism running rampant through the airline? [CEO] Piyasvasti blames it squarely on "the interference from outside, not because of the people here.''

nationmultimedia.com The proposed Thai Tiger Airways will focus on the "ultra low cost" market in the region, including domestic routes. Asean, China and India are key target markets. It will also operate to high-potential destinations in the domestic market like Chiang Mai and Phuket.

bangkokpost.com The Urak Lavoy from Phuket are part of the 10,000-strong community of sea gypsies scattered along the Andaman coast. Because of their previous nomadic life at sea, many do not have legal identity as Thai citizens and lack basic rights. Following the tourism boom, the sea gypsies have been driven out of their beach-front homes and lands because they do not have legal documents to prove land ownership.

economist.com The injustice and oppression in Thai society that red shirts talk of is what ''the police see and feel every day,'' the colonel says. The government promised a process of ''reconciliation'' after the killings in May, but there is little sign of one.

independent.co.uk Danish and Swedish police said they had foiled a potentially devastating terrorist attack after arresting five suspected Islamic militants who wanted to "kill as many people as possible" in the offices of a Copenhagen newspaper that published cartoons of the Prophet Mohamed.

bangkokpost.com The Tourism Authority of Thailand plans to seek cabinet approval for a budget of six billion baht in the 2012 fiscal year starting on October 1 next year. The budget would represent a 14.5 percent increase on fiscal 2011, which in turn was 15 percent larger than the agency's 2010 budget.

afp South Korea officially opened a railway linking its main international airport at Incheon to central Seoul, almost 10 years after the airport itself began operations.

casinocitytimes.com Singapore's Marina Bay Sands ArtScience museum will open February 17. The unusually shaped building - redolent of a lotus flower - will contain 21 gallery spaces, offering 50,000 square feet of exhibits in the area of art, science, technology, media, design and architecture.

mtv.com Veteran rock group Bon Jovi had the most successful tour in 2010. And, following closely behind at No.2 and No.3 are fellow veteran acts AC/DC and U2, concert tracker Pollstar reports.

bernama.com International tourists are flocking to Thailand's mountain peak in the northern resort Chiang Mai province, to view an assortment of full-bloom cherry flowers, dubbed the Thai Sukura. The wild Himalayan cherry flowers dotting a road toward the In-tha-non Mount has attracted thousands of tourists, causing traffic congestion from the park's entrance.


Until January 1 Colorful Phuket Countdown 2011, Phuket City
December 30-January 1 2011 New Year Countdown, Patong
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 Great Phuket Rubber Duck Race Day, Laguna Phuket
February 9-13 The Bay Regatta - Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi
February 11 Phuket Chinese New Year Day
February 23-26 Phuket Gay Pride Festival, Patong
February Phuket International Blues and Rock Festival 2011
February 26-27 Phuket Spicy Soccer 7s, Phuket International Academy
March 14-19 ADFEST 2011 at Movenpick Resort, Phuket
March 27 Earth Hour comemoration on Phuket


Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket