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

afp Thailand's king, the world's longest reigning monarch, on Sunday left the hospital where he has been staying for over a year to join elaborate celebrations and make a speech to mark his 83rd birthday. HRH King Bhumibol Adulyadej said citizens should "do our duties for the country's benefit" in the anniversary remarks to top dignitaries and politicians, televised across the country.

nationmultimedia.com Thailand's social media networks virtually dropped everything they were doing yesterday to commemorate His Majesty the King's birthday anniversary, sending a "#weloveking" hashtag rising to number one of the nation's twitter trending topic.

sail-world.com Phuket King's Cup Racing Class challenger, Ray Roberts's Evolution Racing, is loaded up with new sails, a keel change and some fairly heavyweight crew as they head into the first race on Monday. Roberts has had a fearsome 11 months leading the racing class to overall wins at most Asian regattas. The only blip has been last week's Raja Muda where the Evolution Racing team fell back to second place.

movieweb.com A legendary hero returns to fight his most fearsome adversary as an all-new adventure unfolds in The Scorpion King 3, now shooting in Thailand.

afp The public marriage celebration in Malaysia between a 14-year-old girl and a 23-year-old teacher has triggered a call for a fresh debate on child marriage. On Saturday, schoolgirl Siti Maryam Mahood and Abdul Manan Othman celebrated their marriage at a mosque in Kuala Lumpur, after a Sharia court approved the union.

telegraph.co.uk A young Russian woman working in the House of Commons for the Liberal Democrat MP Mike Hancock is facing deportation as a suspected spy. Katia Zatuliveter, a researcher for an MP on the influential defence select committee, is to be expelled from Britain after being questioned on suspicion of espionage by security services.

thesundaily.com Police fired tear gas and use water cannons to break up a protest by an estimated 4200 people on the Selangor water issues in the vicinity of Malaysia's National Mosque. The stand-off between the police, numbering about 600, and the protesters lasted for more than an hour after the police moved in to force the protesters to retreat.

newsjunkyjournal.com Six months after political protests rocked the nation, Thailand offers travelers numerous opportunities for a safe and unique adventure. Many hotels - even at the luxury level - are offering compelling incentives. The tourism industry has embarked on a genuine campaign to embrace Western tourists and calm concerns about traveling in the country.

dailymail.co.uk The sharp young Maldivian president, Mohamed Nasheed, has decided that paradise needs to open its doors to investors so foreign nationals can now buy properties, many on a 50-year renewable lease. But is anyone really going to buy in a location that might, according to various reports on the possible effects of global warming, disappear in ten, 50 or 100 years? Well, yes, actually.

slate.com I've stopped sending outgoing mail from Hotmail and have rigged my Gmail account to siphon up all the e-mail that's still straggling in. Except for checking the junk folder of my Hotmail once a week, the long love affair is over.

hospitalitybizindia.com Four Points by Sheraton has opened in Bangkok, Thailand. Located in Sukhumvit 15, the hotel features 249 guest rooms, eight junior suites and 11 executive suites. According to the company release, each room includes the Four Points by Sheraton Four Comfort bed with feather-down pillows and a cozy duvet.



Until December 11 Phuket King's Cup Regatta
December 6 Long weekend holiday
December 15-20 Patong Carnival
December 16-18 2010 Asia Superyacht Rendezvous
December 17-19 Phuket Street Show Festival, Old Phuket Town
December 17 US Consular outreach service on Phuket
December 30-January 9 Phuket Red Cross fair, Saphan Hin park, Phuket City
2011
January 6-9 PIMEX boat show, Royal Phuket Marina
January 22 QSI International fun run day at Bang Wad Dam, Kathu
January 23 The Great Phuket Rubber Duck Race Day, Laguna Phuket
February 9-13 The Bay Regatta - Phuket, Phang Nga, Krabi