afp Thailand's defence minister has cancelled his planned trip to Cambodia today for talks on a border ceasefire, an army spokesman said, in a setback to efforts to end the deadly fighting.


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

bbc.co.uk The offices of 13 radio stations linked to Thailand's anti-government red shirt protesters have been raided by police. A police commander said the radio stations were targeted because they were operating without licences.

bangkokpost.com The governor of Pattani survived a bomb explosion that targeted his vehicle, police said. The blast deflated three tyres of the governor's vehicle and damaged its trunk. The governor instructed the driver to continue to Panare police station, 1.5 km from the blast scene.

bangkokpost.com Cabinet yesterday decided to close down in 60 days the loss-ridden Thailand Privilege Card Co, operator of the Thailand Elite Card, the brainchild of former premier Thaksin Shinawatra.

theage.com.au Two Thai nationals charged with the murder of Luke Mitchell will fight extradition from Bangkok, claiming that they would not receive a fair trial in Melbourne and that the Australian jails they would be held in are Third World standard. [One man was arrested on Phuket.]

Dow Jones Japanese electronics giant Sony said it is informing its 77 million PlayStation Network customers that personal information - including names, addresses, billing history and birthdays - was obtained by an "unauthorised person" following a hacking attack that prompted Sony to shut down its Internet gaming service last week

telegraph.co.uk A New Zealand man has accused Thai authorities of a ''cover up'' over the death of his daughter, who was staying at the same hotel where a British couple were found dead. Richard Carter of Auckland has also set up a website, which he says is to warn other tourists of the dangers of travelling in Thailand. Mr Carter said Thailand was touted as a haven for young tourists ''but it's not, it's a Third World country".

guardian.co.uk Despite the benefits of generating income, critics say Thailand's plans to become an international leader in medical tourism could adversely affect health treatment for the poor. One prominent Thai economist, Ammar Siamwala, has described the intention to create an international medical hub in Thailand as an "evil plan."

smh.com.au The Australian dollar has moved further into record territory. Early today, the local unit was trading at 107.97 US cents, highest level since the currency was floated in 1983.

Associated Press US investigators say they have found rivet holes that were too wide for the rivets and appeared to be misshapen from wear in a Southwest Airlines jet that peeled open in flight earlier this month.

afp Some Britons go on the rampage abroad, waking up upside down and naked in rubbish bins, the Foreign Office said. One stag do reveller ended up being hurled into an Amsterdam canal while others have found themselves chained to police cars or falling off hotel balconies, the ministry said.

stickmanbangkok.com While Patong's nightlife is similar to what you find in Bangkok and Pattaya, it has its own distinctive flavor. Perhaps the biggest difference is that, for the most part, the customers in the naughty bars in Patong are young, often fit and handsome guys. The depressing scenes of Bangkok and especially Pattaya, of tired guys who have let themselves go isn't the norm in Patong at all. Phuket probably has the youngest and most handsome sex tourists in all of Thailand.

pcworld.com Malaysia plans to offer every adult in the country a free e-mail account to ensure that tax returns, court documents and other official notices reach the population of 28.3 million Starting from July, the company will begin setting up a email account for citizens over 18, with a goal of total coverage by 2015, company officials said.

nytimes.com More than 30 years after the murderous Khmer Rouge were driven from power in Cambodia, the UN-backed effort to bring justice to the victims of the killing fields stands on the brink of ignominious failure due to political interference from the Cambodian government and the indifference of the international community.

wsj.com In a wide-ranging interview, Lee Kuan Yew, the 87-year-old founder of modern Singapore said he thought his country could become a "secondary center" for trading the Chinese yuan, after Hong Kong, as it continues to expand its role as one of Asia's primary financial centers. He said he believes Singapore will continue to benefit from rapid growth in China and India, despite risks of overheating and higher inflation.

aap I used to think the inflated hotel star-rating system that has seen the rise of seven-star facilities was ridiculous. But standing in front of a vending machine that dispenses nothing but gold in the lobby of Abu Dhabi's Emirates Palace Hotel, it's starting to make sense. The Gold to Go machine is only the tip of the extravagant iceberg that is this hotel, which is every bit as palatial as its name suggests and every bit as luxurious as its rating would have you believe.



April 28 Pierre-Yves Cousteau dinner at IndoChine
May New PPAO Hospital to open, Phuket City
May 1 National Labor Day public holiday
May 5 Coronation Day public holiday
May 13 Royal Ploughing Day public holiday
May 17 Visakha Bucha Day public holiday
June 12 Laguna Phuket International Marathon
June 17 Phuket Property Dot Com Pro Am Invitational, Laguna
June 23-26 Phuket Fun Fly paragliding, Nai Harn
July 3 Phuket Navy League US Independence Day fair at Headstart International School
July 15 Asarnha Bucha Day public holiday
July 20-24 Six Senses Phuket Raceweek
August 12 HM The Queen's Birthday public holiday
October Vegetarian Festival, Phuket
November 26-27 9th Phuket International Soccer 7s
November 27 Laguna Phuket Triathlon
December 3-4 6th Andaman International Soccer 7s
December 4 Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship, Laguna


March 18-28 National Youth Games, Phuket

November 14-21 Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket