afp Police found a bloodied cricket bat at the home of Oscar Pistorius, a local newspaper reported following the Valentine's Day killing of his model girlfriend. Her skull had been ''crushed.'' She was shot four times.

AP Police say suspected insurgents have detonated a motorcycle bomb that killed two security volunteers following overnight explosions that left one person wounded.

bangkokpost.com A bomb went off early Sunday destroying the Diana Supermarket in Pattani's central district, police said. There were no injuries. Eight improvised explosive devices and suspicious objects were planted, according to the Internal Security Operations Command.


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 Department of Special Investigation will use the new Anti-Money Laundering law to crack down on influential figures who have allegedly encroached on over 3000 rai of the Sirinart National Park on Phuket to develop luxury resorts worth 10 billion baht. The chief of the DSI's Consumer and Environment Protection Office, Lt-Colonel Prawuth Wongsinil, said the DSI will probe whether foreigners are using nominees to own these Phuket plots.

bangkokpost.com The DSI has also found that plans are under way to issue land right documents for additional plots of land in the Phuket park. Representatives of the Parks Department raised concerns that forcing the resorts and hotels involved to close would hurt tourism and foreign investment in Phuket. Lt-Colonel Prawuth said the DSI would enforce relevant laws and force operators to shut down if need be.

bangkokpost.com Sri Lanka's navy rescued 38 Burmese (Myanmar) nationals who were drifting off the island's east coast, the second batch of Rohingya boat people to be saved in as many weeks, officials said. On February 3, the navy rescued 138 from a sinking boat. One of the passengers had died.

bangkokpost.com Nittaya Mukdamas, head of the Songkhla Women and Children Shelter, told senior officials and members of the National Human Rights Commission during their visit earlier this week that the Rohingya were feeling the strain of being detained and quarrels were common. A pregnant woman was assaulted by other women and sent to Songkhla Hospital.

4hoteliers.com Phuket's exquisite, secluded Emerald Bay is an ideal setting for Rosewood to debut its first Asia resort. Rosewood Phuket's innovative architecture with subtle Thai influences will blend organically and sensitively into the hillside forest landscape while uninterrupted views of the Andaman Sea will be visible from 87 spacious villas, 20 residences and five hideaway homes.

bangkokpost.com Police are investigating the alleged gang rape of a Scottish woman in Nakhon Si Thammarat. The woman was found crying on the balcony of the shophouse in which she was allegedly raped by at least two men.

afp The UN raised concern over the Burmese (Myanmar) army's ''arbitrary arrest and torture'' of men accused of being Kachin rebels, and urged further efforts to end hostilities in the far north.

nationmultimedia.com Thailand's energy authorities are scrambling for ideas to prevent a possible power shortage in April - the hottest month - as Burma is shutting down two gas fields that have supplied one-fourth of Thailand's natural gas demand.

bangkokpost.com Starting in April, an emergency shortage of gas from Burma means Thailand conserves or suffers - either we all turn off some lights, sometimes, or overloads will bring many total blackouts. Thailand's electricity generation is 70 percent dependent on natural gas.

heraldsun.com Australian Senator Nick Xenophon snacked on McDonald's and table crackers as he awaited deportation from Malaysia for being a threat to national security. The Independent Senator is due to arrive in Melbourne in after he sparked a diplomatic incident when he was detained at Kuala Lumpur airport.

mirror.co.uk Investigators are probing whether Reeva Steenkamp's friendship with rugby star Francois Hougaard may have sparked rows with murder-charge boyfriend Oscar Pistorius in the hours before her Valentine's Day shooting.

afp ''Not just your journey in life but the way that you go out and make your exit is so important, you have either made an impact in a positive way or a negative way,'' Reeva Steenkamp said in a snippet of a celebrity reality TV show set to air in full on Saturday.

theglobeandmail.com A bomb targeting Shiite Muslims in a busy market in Pakistan's insurgency-hit southwest killed 79 people including women and children and wounded 180 others, police and officials said.

bbc.co.uk Singaporeans have staged a rare demonstration, in protest at government plans to allow more immigration. Organisers said more than 4000 people attended the rally, making it one of Singapore's largest ever protests.

scmp.com Hong Kong is home to the most skyscrapers in the world, more than double the number in New York.

guardian.co.uk Run by an openly gay prime minister, Iceland is now considering becoming the first democracy in the western world to try to ban online pornography. A nationwide consultation has found wide support for the move from police and lawyers working in the field of sexual violence.



smh.com.au As many as a thousand people participated in the world's first nude ocean swim, the Sydney Skinny. People lined up from 8am to toss off their inhibitions and bathers to swim the 900 metres in Sydney's Middle Harbor.

abc15.com The president of wrestling's international federation has resigned after the Olympics recommended dropping the sport from the 2020 Summer Games, the group said. Raphael Martinetti's departure was announced on Phuket, Thailand, at a meeting of the International Federation of Associated Wrestling Styles. The governing body for the sport in the US was so appalled at the decision that it started a Facebook page, 'Keep Wrestling in the Olympics.'

bayoubuzz.com Raphael Martinetti stepped down to give others a chance to fight for wrestling in 2020 Games. The sport has an uphill battle for inclusion. Martinetti's departure was announced on Phuket.

cnn.com She graced the cover of Vogue, launched a best-selling biography and was named Australian Sportswoman of the Year.

heraldsun.com.au In a comeback after a seven-month break, the champion mare blitzed her rivals in the race named in her honor, the Black Caviar Lightning, and broke the Flemington track record that has stood for 25 years. It was her 23rd consecutive win as she passed $7 million in prizemoney.



Until February 17 Phuket Old Town Festival, with roads in central Phuket Town walking streets each evening. Parade 5pm on February 15. Street performances nightly.

February 17 Ao Chalong Yacht Club Open Day. Bbq, Sunday roast noon-4pm

March 2 Phuket FC v BBCU FC Away

March 10 Phuket FC v Bangkok FC at Surakul Stadium, Phuket City

March 16 Phuket FC v Sriracha Suzuki FC at Surakul Stadium, Phuket City

October 5-13 Phuket Vegetarian Festival



November 14-21 Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket