vietnamnet.vn Approximately 700 Vietnamese tourists who went to Thailand were abandoned because the Vietnamese tour operator did not pay its Thai partner. After a two-day seminar, the visitors of Travel Life were abandoned at the conference center because the Thai partner refused to continue serving them.


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

Phuket Update Savage winds that toppled stage scaffolding, killing a man at Saphan Hin park in Phuket City also crashed a large tree in the Talad Yai area of Phuket City about 10.30pm, seriously damaging five homes and wrecking three others. More strong winds are forecast today. It's unsafe for small boats to venture out.

ttrweekly.com Tourism Authority of Thailand's Phuket office says authorities on Phuket must end commercial encroachment on beaches. TAT Phuket office director, Chanchai Duangchit, said to expand tourist arrivals the authorities have to seriously take care of the beach environment and that should start by enforcing the law encroachment at beaches: ''The government and relevant authorities need to take it seriously and ensure beaches are clear of illegal buildings and activities.''

nationmultimedia.comA suspected insurgent now in custody, Sakariya Tohtayong, has implicated alleged masterminds of the movement behind unrest in the deep South, a senior official said. He has been connected to major unsolved crimes.

bangkokpost.com Partial figures show losses of 136 billion baht and rising, so a Tuesday meeting will discuss whether to lower the ceiling payment to farmers from 15,000 to 13,500 baht - as ''politically motivated'' rumours spread that fumigated rice stocks are dangerous to health.

AP A man loudly ranted about national security, the CIA and international spying aboard a flight from Hong Kong to Newark, causing passengers to tackle him and bind his hands and feet for the duration of the flight.

voanews.com Air pollution in Singapore and Malaysia rose to unhealthy levels thanks to illegal forest clearing in Indonesia, prompting Singapore to advise people against staying outdoors for long and to urge Indonesia to do something to stop it.

bbc.co.uk BBC broadcaster Stuart Hall has been sentenced to 15 months in jail for sexually abusing girls. Hall, 83, admitted 14 offences that occurred between 1967 and 1985.

irrawaddy.org In the wake of attacks on Burmese migrants in Malaysia, 167 Burmese nationals returned to Burma from Kuala Lumpur, Eleven News reported. The returning workers said they had left Malaysia in fear after several of their countrymen were killed with the violence being linked to recent unrest between Buddhists and Muslims.

bnionline.net A Rakhine man that was caught trying to torch homes in a Rohingya village told authorities that he was kidnapped and tortured by residents while collecting frogs near the village. One trader pointed out that Rohingyas haven't been able to leave their villages at night since the last year's sectarian so how could they have left their village to kidnap U Aung Than.

kippreport.com Hotel operator Accor has announced new expansion plans and a re-positioning strategy for Pullman to match new business traveller behavior. Pullman has hotels and resorts in 23 countries and the aim is to have 150 hotels by 2020.

dailymail.co.uk Hundreds of bikers were among a congregation blessed by Pope Francis at an open air mass in St Peter's Square. As part of a three-day celebration of the 110-year anniversary of the US company that produces the ''hog,'' riders parked their bikes along the broad avenue that leads up to the Vatican.

etravelblackboard.com Leading online travel company the Wotif Group has announced Olivier Dombey as the new Executive General Manager for the Group's Asian Business Unit. Olivier has strong e-commerce and travel experience in Asia, and joins the Wotif Group from his role as Chief Information Officer at Hoteltravel.com based in Phuket.

etravelblackboard.com Popular beach resorts such as Phuket, Thailand offer visitors a wide variety of traditional, fiery dishes brimming with color and passion. New research has revealed a rise in food-savvy travellers who are discovering culture through cuisine.



bbc.co.uk Legendary Formula 1 commentator Murray Walker has been diagnosed with cancer. The 89-year-old said he had a form of lymphatic system cancer, which was diagnosed during tests after a fall in which he broke his pelvis last month.

newstrackindia.com Junior Indian wrestlers won a rich haul of medals at the recently concluded Asian Junior Championships on Phuket. The grapplers won in freestyle, greco-roman and female categories. This is the first time in wrestling history that Indian juniors bagged 17 medals out of the 24 on offer.

bbc.co.uk Sri Lanka progressed into the Champions Trophy semi-finals with victory over Australia, who failed in their ''mission improbable'' at The Oval. The holders had to win and reach the 254-run target set by their opponents inside only 29.1 overs in order to qualify, but it proved to be too great an ask.



Until June 17 Phuket Prison fair, Saphan Hin, Phuket City: furniture and other Otop items made in 25 prisons across Thailand's south for sale.

June 22-24 Baba style traditional wedding, Old Phuket Town

July 6-7 Phuket Air Show and Family Picnic, Phuket Air Park

July 17-21 Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek

July 22 Arsarnha Bucha Day

August 12 HM The Queen's Birthday

October 5-13 Phuket Vegetarian Festival

October 23 Chulalongkorn Memorial Day

October 29-November 3 Womens' volleyball, Karon beach

November 17 Loy Kratong Day

November 24-December 1 Challenge Laguna Phuket Tri-Fest. Laguna Phuket

December 5 HM The King's birthday



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

November 14-21 Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket