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

THAILAND'S tourist holiday islands are being tormented today by a tsunami torrent from the skies. As well as causing extensive mainland flooding, continuous downpours have pounded the usually sunny Gulf of Thailand and the Andaman coast non-stop for a week, putting Thailand's island tourism underwater and costing tourism operators millions of baht.

PHUKET, Samui, Koh Tao, the Similan and Surin islands continue to be dumped upon relentlessly today, with no relief in sight.

bangkokpost.com The navy has sent the aircraft carrier Chakri Naruebet and two frigates to lead relief efforts in the South as more storms aggravate the flood crisis in many areas. The carrier is expected to arrive at Koh Tao in the Gulf of Thailand this morning to help evacuate tourists and local people by small boats and Seahawk helicopters. Frigates will lead the mission in evacuating tourists from Similan and Surin islands in the Andaman Sea.

straitstimes.com Thousands of tourists have been left stranded on Samui as relentless showers pounded south Thailand, shutting off access to the island and wreaking havoc on many other towns. Meteorology officials warned that Thailand is set to experience more unseasonal weather patterns this week which could cause more floods, rough seas, storms and cold temperatures.

bangkokpost.com At 1.55pm, Bangkok Airways flight PG 103 took off from Suvarnabhumi airport with passengers bound for Samui but was not able to land and had to return to Bangkok. The National Disaster Warning Centre forecast is for more heavy rain through Thursday or Friday.

itar-tass.com About 600 Russian tourists are stranded on Samui, where bad weather has disrupted the airport operation, the Association of Russian Tour Operators said. There may be about 600 Russian tourists on Phuket, the association said. Tourists ''must be careful and constantly carry their ids and phone numbers of the Russian embassy,'' the Federal Tourism Agency said.

ukpa The airport on Samui Island has suspended services indefinitely because roads surrounding it are flooded. Hundreds of travellers, mostly foreigners, had to stay at the airport.

guardian.co.uk I'm more interested in cutting-edge campaigning journalism, so I'm watching 'Thailand: Tourism and the Truth - Stacey Dooley Investigates' (BBC3). The Luton shop assistant turned investigator of human rights abuse is getting beneath the gloss of the glossy holiday brochure on the holiday island of Phuket. What she finds really isn't nice - brutal working conditions, Mickey Mouse wages, rats. And locals being forced away from the homes they've always lived in by the inexorable spread of tourism.

bbc.co.uk Pre-broadcast blurb: ''Stacey begins her trip in Phuket, where she stays as a tourist before swapping roles and becoming a hotel worker. She works as a chambermaid and struggles with the hard work and incredibly high standards, having to clean 14 rooms a day for just four pounds. She also discovers what it's like to live on such low wages and the sacrifices that some hotel workers have to make. Many live in slum conditions or in hotel dormitories, separated from their children for months.''

andrew-drummond.com The 22-year-old even got a Deputy PM to promise to take care of the sea gypsies, many of whom had their land taken from them after the tsunami. We should send Tracey out after the jet-ski scammers, the tuk tuk and taxi drivers et all. Well, er maybe not. But will this bring down hotel prices on this holiday island to be more commensurate with the owners' wages bills? Let's not bet on it.

3news.co.nz It has been nearly two months since the death of Sarah Carter in Thailand and her parents are still searching for answers. On February 2, Sarah Carter, Amanda Eliason and Emma Langlands flew in to Thailand on the final leg of their overseas adventure. They checked in at the Downtown Inn and shared a room - room 518. On their first night a woman across the corridor in room 516 died in her bathroom She was victim number four.

newstalkzb.co.nz The parents of a woman who died mysteriously in Thailand have set up a website to warn people of the very real dangers of visiting the country. Richard Carter says the website will go live in 7 to 10 days.

monstersandcritics.com A Burmese court granted Australian journalist Ross Dunkley bail upon his fifth request, Dunkley's lawyer said. The Kamaryut Township Court allowed Dunkley bail of $575, after previous attempts at gaining his release failed. Dunkley, 55, a co-founder of the Myanmar Times weekly newspaper, was arrested on February 10 on charges of violating immigration regulations.

afp Japan's leader said the government was on "maximum alert" as the spread of radiation raised concerns about the ability of experts to stabilise a nuclear power plant crippled by the massive tsunami following the earthquake and tsunami on March 11.

mcot.net Thailand will send two electricity generators to Japan to produce electricity to help offset power losses resulting in a shortage in Tokyo.

thephuketinsider.com As New York Met's fans wax poetically, there is always next year. But for now, the Phuket property scene, in broad terms, seems to have gone undercover at the moment. [Ed: Maybe that should read ''under water.'']

english.chosun.com A highly competitive, regimented education system focusing on exam grades means Korean youngsters fail to acquire proper social skills, a study suggests. The National Youth Policy Institute said Korea ranks 35th out of 36 countries when it comes to youngsters' capacity for social interaction. Thailand scored highest overall with 0.69 points, followed by Indonesia (0.64), Ireland (0.6), Guatemala (0.59), the UK (0.53) and Chile (0.52).

indiatimes.com Among the 16 countries reviewed for corruption in a report by Hong Kong-based business consultancy firm PERC, Thailand was rated at 11 with a scale of 7.55, followed by China (7.93) and Vietnam (8.3). Singapore was given a clean sheet with a score of 0.37, followed by Hong Kong (1.10), Australia (1.39), Japan (1.90) and US (2.39), putting them in the top five.

bernama.com AirAsia has no plans to impose a fuel surcharge although other airlines have taken such a move. "We don't want to deter travel and putting up cost," group chief executive officer Datuk Seri Tony Fernandes said . "So, our fares can stay where there are," he told reporters.

straitstimes.com Japan's earthquake and tsunami catastrophe has hit tourism in Bali, where officials said Chinese had overtaken Japanese in the second rank of visitor arrivals. ''Now Japan is the third country with the most incoming tourists, after Australia and China respectively,'' said Bali tourism agency head Ida Bagus Subhiksu.

afp Women drivers are "slow" at the wheel and "oblivious" on the roads, a Malaysian ruling party MP told parliament, prompting outrage among women's groups. "Some women drivers drive slowly and seem oblivious to traffic," Bung Mokhtar Radin was quoted as saying.

huffingtonpost.com Whether or not the oil spill had anything to do with the dead turtles now washing up on Mississippi beaches, people here simply want answers. They want their lives - and their ocean - back. They want it back the way it used to be.



MORE than 5000 runners from around the world are expected to test their mettle in the Laguna Phuket International Marathon on June 12, with Thai-German star Mario Maurer and contestants from the latest season of 'The Biggest Loser Asia' taking part.

IBAP with Indochine's Michael Ma as the guest speaker is at Indochine on April 8.

PHUKET Navy League is planning a free Independence Day event on Sunday July 3 from 10am to 7pm at Headstart International School, across the street from Makro, near Central Festival in Phuket City.

Unti March 31 Four days of traditional longboat races, Koh Panyee, Phang Nga
April 1 Turtle release, Banyan Tree seafront, Laguna Phuket
April 9-10 Phuket 'mini concert' to aid Japan
April 8-10 Phuket Bike Week, Patong
April 12-17 Phuket International Cricket Sixes
April 13-15 Songkran Festival
May New PPAO Hospital to open, Phuket City
June 12 Laguna Phuket International Marathon
June 23-26 Phuket Fun Fly paragliding, Nai Harn
July 20-24 Six Senses Phuket Raceweek
October Vegetarian Festival, Phuket
November 27 Laguna Phuket Triathlon
December 4 Ironman 70.3 Asia-Pacific Championship, Laguna


March 18-28 National Youth Games, Phuket

Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket