reuters The top UN human rights official urged Thailand on Thursday to drop criminal charges against two journalists accused of defamation for citing a Reuters investigation into the role of Thai naval security forces in smuggling Rohingya asylum seekers.

bbc.co.uk Thailand should not hold an election in February because the risk of violence against candidates is too high, the electoral commission has said. The commission called on the government to postpone the 2 February vote.

dw.de A police officer has died after security forces clashed with anti-government protesters in Bangkok.

AP Protesters trying to halt preparations for elections fought running battles with police in the Thai capital on Thursday, as Thailand's festering political crisis again flared into violence.

asiantribune.com On 26 December 2004, the world witnessed a devastating natural disaster with an impact that still reverberates nine years later. The lack of tsunami warning systems in the region left coastal communities unprepared for the enormity of the devastation as cascading walls of water swallowed up lives and livelihoods.


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

AP Pope Francis offered Christmas wishes for a better world, praying for protection for Christians under attack, battered women and trafficked children, peace in the Middle East and Africa, and dignity for refugees fleeing misery and conflict around the globe.

bloomberg Former US National Security Agency contractor Edward Snowden, in a Christmas message on a London television station, called government surveillance worse than anything envisioned by George Orwell in his novel 1984.

AP Militants in Iraq targeted Christians in three separate Christmas Day bombings in Baghdad, killing at least 37 people, officials said.

bangkokpost.com Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra outlines plans for a reform council to be formed before the general election, and says the next government would act on its proposals.

bbc.co.uk Thai anti-government protesters have failed to stop candidates signing up for a general election, despite surrounding venues for registration.

abc.net.au A senior official in Thailand says a special security law has been extended for two more months to cope with mass opposition protests aimed at overthrowing Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra.

nationmultimedia.com The People's Democratic Reform Committee, claimed 5.8 million people attended their Sunday rally in Bangkok as they closed the capital for half a day in their effort to force Yingluck from her post.

bangkokpost.com Suthep Thaugsuban, Thaksin Shinawatra are both part of the old outdated Thai regime. Eradicate them both, says Voranai.

bbc.co.uk Turkish PM Recep Tayyip Erdogan has announced a major cabinet reshuffle after three ministerial resignations over a corruption inquiry. Police are investigating allegations of illicit money transfers to Iran and bribery for construction projects.



Foreign Correspondents Club of Thailand The FCCT calls for a halt to charges of criminal defamation and alleged violations of Thailand's Computer Crimes Act against our media colleagues. Editor of Phuketwan newspaper, Alan Morison and Chutima Sidasathian, reported to police for questioning and were told their case will be submitted in early 2014. The Thai Navy has brought charges against them for their reporting on links between the armed forces and human trafficking. The Navy threat of more legal action against other journalists is of concern and sets a worrying trend to muzzle investigative journalism and freedom of the press in Thailand.

theage.com.au Both Morison and colleague Chutima Sidasathian are facing up to five years in jail. Human rights activists, lawyers and academics across the world have voiced support for the journalists.

CNN Comment If they [the navy] are innocent, why do they over-react? If they are so angry about the reuters report, why not sue them as well? If you understood Thai culture you would understand. They are picking on this local Thai news source because they have called attention to the Navy's involvement and caused them to lose face.

telegraph.co.uk British military officials will travel to Burma within days on a controversial mission to begin training the country's brutal military, as the UK joins an international scramble for influence in the nation.

dvb.no It's a paradox that the new and democratic Burma should bring about misery, fear, worry and despair to anyone because ideally democracy should convey and bring the message of hope, freedom, peace, prosperity, and equality to everyone. The Rohingya people seem to have the most uncertain future in Burma.

washingtonpost.com ''The lady,'' as Suu Kyi is known, has been resisting calls to wield her moral authority on behalf of the Rohingya, a Muslim minority group that faces state-sponsored discrimination and has suffered attacks by extremist Buddhists in western Burma.

bangkokpost.com The number of mobile subscribers in Thailand this year exceeded the entire population by one-third, as some people subscribe to more than one number.

scmp.com Dragonair is working with police to tackle the problem of organised gangs of Chinese thieves operating on flights. It seems they are targeting the rich pickings to be found in Asian passengers' wallets and bags as they relax on flights, unaware that they are being robbed as they sleep.

watoday.com.au Western Australia's love affair with Bali keeps smashing records, with the number of holidaymakers from Perth leaping fivefold in the past seven years. Official figures show 429,000 West Australians travelled to the Indonesian island last year.

prpick.com Men with high testosterone levels tend to have weak responses to the flu vaccine, researchers say.

smh.com.au At work, the news director is a woman. The deputy news director is a woman. The director of all the Life Media websites is a woman. The manager of the Comment sections is a woman. The editor of the opinion page is a woman. The editor of The Sun-Herald is a woman. Not one of them was given their position because they are a woman but because they were the best qualified for the job. Technically, I work for all of them.



indiatimes.com Jacques Kallis's decision to quit Test cricket after the Durban decider has cast a gloom over Kingsmead, the very venue where he made his debut 18 years back. The Indian team believes that the South African batting line-up has shown signs of frailty.

theage.com.au The Melbourne Cricket Club believes the Boxing Day crowd could threaten the world record for a day's Test cricket. The world record attendance is 90,800 for a day of the Australia-West Indies Test in 1961.



December 26 Commemoration of 2004 Asian Tsunami



PIMEX, the annual Phuket International Marine Exhibition, is being held from January 9 to 12 at Royal Phuket Marina on the island's east coast. Billed as Asia's best boat show, the event brings together everything the boat enthusiast needs and wants.

January 9-12 Phuket International Boat Show, Royal Phuket Marina

March BMW Golf Cup International World Finals 2013 at Blue Canyon Country Club

September 24-October 2 Vegetarian Festival, Phuket

November 14-21 Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket