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

bangkokpost.com Ousted Thai premier Thaksin Shinawatra said Thailand could begin to heal its deep political rifts in an address to thousands of "red shirt" supporters in Cambodia.

bangkokpost.com Most of the upmarket villa buyers in Phuket use their residences periodically throughout the year and expect some form of rental management during the time they are not on the island. Some are pure investors and rarely come to Phuket. The two-bedroom segment is the most promising as it meets the needs of the new groups of visitors now coming to Phuket and seeking affordable rentals.

radionz.co.nz An earthquake with a magnitude of 5.9 struck in Indonesia's Sunda Strait, off the coast of western Java, on Sunday. There were no immediate reports of damage or a tsunami warning from the quake.

cnn.com The undersea earthquake off the Indonesian island of Sumatra on Wednesday was the largest earthquake of its type ever recorded and has increased the risk of more powerful quakes in the region, a leading expert has said.

malaysia-chronicle.com If a tsunami is coming, the people have a right to warned. The fact is, on that day Malaysia was caught in its underpants, so to speak. There was no central command to tell the people what was happening and what to do. It is of no wonder that many people were unnecessarily traumatized.

wsj.com While tourists at Thailand's beach resorts and people near the beaches of India and Sri Lanka were given enough warning to move to higher ground, Indonesians near the epicenter might not have made it if they had waited for official warnings.

bangkokpost.com The three-day Songkran festival is expected to generate at least 4.5 billion baht of tourism revenue in Phuket and 12 other provinces where large-scale celebrations partially sponsored by the government have been held. Complaints of lewd conduct were filed with police in Ayutthaya.

nationmultimedia.com In Phuket, despite the recent tsunami scare, about 2000 residents offered alms to 326 monks and poured water on to Buddha images for good luck at 7am at the public park at the end of Saphan Hin Peninsula before the fun-filled water war commenced at Patong Beach.

guardian.co.uk The private company hired by the British government to deport foreign nationals has decided to place its own guards under surveillance after concluding that some lack respect for ethnic minorities and women and display "loutish" and "aggressive" behavior.

guardian.co.uk The British cruise ship MS Balmoral was on course to reach the point in the North Atlantic where the Titanic sank 100 years ago. The 1309 passengers aboard the Titanic Memorial Cruise were on schedule for a service of remembrance for when the White Star Line's "unsinkable ship" sank a century ago on its maiden voyage.

telegraph.co.uk Tesco is to report its lowest rate of profit growth for seven years as it unveils a strategy to revamp its UK business and compete with Amazon online.

scotsman.com Twenty ''lost'' Spitfires that were buried in Burma during the Second World War could return to the skies, it has been revealed. David Cameron and Burmese president Thein Sein have agreed to work together to find and restore the historic aircraft as part of a thaw in relations.

canada.com I believe that the best thing that anyone can do for Thailand now is to travel there! The beautiful beaches, delicious food, friendly people and exquisite culture are not to be missed. Your tourist dollars will go a long way toward the rebuilding of lives and communities that were affected by the 2004 tsunami.



dailymail.co.uk Andy Carroll, Liverpool's costly misfit, saved Kenny Dalglish's blushes as he broke Everton hearts with a late, late Wembley winner that sent the red half of Merseyside into a second straight cup final. The much-maligned striker described his 87th-minute backheader as the ''best feeling ever''.

afp Carlos Tevez hit a hat-trick as Manchester City crushed Norwich 6-1 at Carrow Road to pile the pressure on Premier League leaders Manchester United. United need to beat Aston Villa at Old Trafford on Sunday to re-establish their five-point advantage at the top.

guardian.co.uk Italian football came together to pay tribute to the Livorno player Piermario Morosini, who died after suffering a cardiac arrest during his team's Serie B match at Pescara. He was 25.

bangkokpost.com Almost every TPL team has at least one African player on its books, and some have half a dozen _ players that add foreign experience, tactical adaptability and physicality to the team's options. Despite a rule change this year that allows only three foreign players plus one extra foreign player from within Asia on the pitch at one time (the "3+1 rule"), Africans are still highly valued by the clubs.

AP The Grand National steeplechase was marred for the second year in a row by the death of two horses, including the pre-race favorite Synchronised.



from April 13 Phuket Songkran International Soccer 7s, Thanyapura Sports and Leisure Club

April 13-15 Songkran New Year Festival

April 14-22 Phuket Cricket Week

April 20-22 Phuket Bike Week

April 23-28 Phuket Pride Festival

April Opening of Gardens by the Bay, Singapore, three waterfront gardens that will dwarf Kew in London and provide ''green lungs'' for the city.

May 1 Labor Day public holiday

May 5 Krabi celebrates the province's 140th anniversary

May 5-7 Corontation Day long weekend

May 9 Royal Ploughing ceremony day

Phuket Rugby Tens from May 25th to 27th this year.

May 26-June 5 National Youth Games, Phuket



November 14-21 Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket