UPDATE
bbc.co.ukThai protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban has promised that his supporters will not obstruct advance voting for next week's general election. Mr Suthep says protesters will not try to stop people from casting their ballots from Sunday, but will demonstrate outside polling stations.
PhuketWATCH Daily Media Wrap
PHUKET: The daily wrap of Thailand news, with a Phuket perspective, plus relevant reports from national and international media. Beware of inconsistent imitations.
nationmultimedia.com The decision to impose an emergency decree has led to cancellations of all Japanese tours to Thailand, according to Anake Srishevachart, president of the Thai-Japan Tourist Association.
bangkokpost.com The Constitution Court ruled 8-0 that the February 2 election can be postponed but stopped short of saying who has the ultimate authority to delay it. The caretaker government will postpone the election if anti-government protesters end their rallies, caretaker PM's Office Minister Varathep Rattanakorn said.
scmp.com Thailand's Constitutional Court opened the way to put off a general election the government has set for February 2, piling pressure on Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra who looks increasingly cornered by legal challenges to her grip on power.
bangkokpost.com The Election Commission has scrapped a plan to use specially trained boy and girl scouts to help staff on polling day in Phuket, Krabi and other southern provinces amid safety reasons.
nationmultimedia.com Fewer flights were being operated between Singapore and Bangkok as travellers shunned the volatile Thai capital. Budget carrier Tigerair axed its first flights on Monday.
bangkokpost.com Suthep says in a letter to President Obama and the UN's Ban Ki-moon: ''Let me assure you that the PDRC is not conducting an anti-democratic uprising. In fact, the PDRC is a pro-democracy movement intent upon removing the dictatorial regime led by Yingluck Shinawatra, who has been empowered through and directed by her elder brother, Thaksin Shinawatra.''
economist.com Most red shirts in the north and north-east now contemplate - indeed they seem to be preparing for - a political separation from Bangkok and the south. If Ms Yingluck is forced out of Bangkok, she will be welcomed in Chiang Mai, where she will be encouraged to keep on governing as the legitimate rival to whoever takes over in the capital.
bangkokpost.com The invocation of the emergency decree will help boost the confidence of airlines and passengers and improve airport security, Suvarnabhumi airport general manager Rawewan Netrakavesna said. The decree could cost the tourism sector about 10 billion baht in lost revenue, according to Chidchai Sakornbordee, chairman of Thai Tourism Business Association.
nationmultimedia.com TAT governor Thawatchai Arunyik said: "We have prepared an urgent meeting for our Asia and South Pacific marketing staff. We will, however, wait to see the market reaction [to the decree] during the Chinese New Year festival, so that we can then put in place a strategy in line with the current situation in Thailand, and the travel behavior of tourists coming from particular markets at different periods of time - such as those from Australia and the Middle East, who travel to the Kingdom during the lower season in June and July,"
Phuket People
Media Release The Royal Dutch Swimming Federation has returned for its second high performance training sessions at Thanyapura Phuket this month, as Thanyapura farewells the Norwegian national swim team after a two-week winter training retreat. The Dutch will be training on Phuket every winter until the Rio Olympics 2016. The Dutch squad includes the world's fastest woman in water, Ranomi Kromowidjojo and fellow freestyle sprint machine Marleen Veldhuis.
AP The ''White Shirt'' movement is intended to give voice to Thais who are neither anti-government protesters nor pro-government ''Red Shirt'' activists, who have vowed to hit the streets themselves if Prime Minister Yingluck is overthrown. The White Shirts say they see the Feb. 2 elections, followed by political reforms, as the only way to defuse a volatile moment.
bangkokpost.com Thailand's democracy has unique complications similar to the development of democracy in other nations in Southeast Asia where traces of oligarchy remain influential, as well as local influences and power, and faith in an individual figure. But when it comes to democracy, denying the passionate political expression of a certain group is certainly not the way to go.
andrew-drummond.com A young American student, who said she was raped in Krabi seven weeks before the Dutch model whose ordeal was brought home to Thailand by her father's musical video protest, has broken her silence on her ordeal. Her alleged foreign attacker, who left her badly beaten on the beach, was released by Krabi authorities and allowed to flee the country on bail, she says.
dailystar.com.lb Pakistan has handed a death sentence for blasphemy to a 69-year-old Briton with a history of mental illness, even though his lawyers were barred from the courtroom partway through the trial, the lawyers said.
scmp.com A suicide car bomber struck Cairo police headquarters, the first of four blasts in Egypt's capital that killed six people on the eve of the anniversary of the 2011 uprising.
wsj.com A small bomb exploded near a French religious establishment in central Rome, damaging three cars and some windows in surrounding buildings, a spokesman for the Carabinieri military police said.
nationmultimedia.com Bali exceeded its target of attracting 3.1 million foreign tourists last year, as the number of direct foreign-tourist arrivals to the island reached 3.27 million. [Phuket's overseas visitors numbered about 2.9 million.]
theage.com.au Nearly two-thirds of Australians think Bali is not a safe holiday destination and only one in five has confidence that they would get proper medical help if they got sick or injured there.
Phuket World Sports Wrap
afp Lukas Podolski struck twice as Arsenal eased into the FA Cup fifth round with a comfortable 4-0 victory over League One side Coventry at the Emirates Stadium.
bbc.co.uk Rafael Nadal powered past Roger Federer to reach the Australian Open final and maintain his dominance over the 17-time Grand Slam champion. The world number one came through 7-6 (7-4) 6-3 6-3 and goes on to face Federer's compatriot, Stanislas Wawrinka, for the title on Sunday.
afp Manchester United confirmed they have agreed a club record $A70 million deal to sign Spanish midfielder Juan Mata from Chelsea.
skysports.com England captain Alistair Cook's men avoided the ignominy of back-to-back whitewash series defeats with a 57-run victory in Perth, albeit against an Australia side missing a number of key players.
Phuket Coming Events 2014
THE ROTARY Club of Patong Beach and Montes Restaurant present a fun filled night on January 25 from 6.30pm in aid of the Moken Sea Gypsy village on Kho Lao near Ranong and the Burmese border, where they have no electricity and no running water (until recently when we put in a water system for the village). They still have no toilets. Only 650 baht for a great seafood, beef, and pork BBQ dinner with fun auctions. Contact esppkt@ksc.th.com or 081 633 4279.
January 30-February 5 Wat Chalong Fair
January 31 Chinese New Year (Horse)
February 12-14 Bay Regatta
February 14 Valentines Day
February 14 Makha Bucha Day
April 11-19 Phuket Bike Week
April 13-16 Songkran New Year Water Festival
March BMW Golf Cup International World Finals 2013 at Blue Canyon Country Club
August 12 Queen's Birthday
September 24-October 2 Vegetarian Festival, Phuket
November 14-21 Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket
December 5 King's Birthday
