A daily wrap of Thailand news, with a Phuket perspective. Reports from national and international media, with translations into English from Thai.

theage.com.au With Bahrain and Singapore declaring their first cases, swine flu is now expected to infect as many as one in five people. Australian Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon said the H1N1 virus had ''taken hold'' and that the Government was assessing new measures to contain it. ''The community does have to prepare itself for there to be a significant increase in the numbers of cases confirmed,'' she said. Robert Booy, of the University of Sydney, said the number of people infected could climb to tens of thousands within weeks. Each year, about 2500 Australians die from seasonal flu.


afp news agency Thailand's famously celibate giant pandas have produced a cub after artificial insemination succeeded where attempts to get them to mate using pornography and low-carb diets failed. Chiang Mai zoo director Thanapath Pongpamorn said eight-year-old female Lin Hui gave birth to a cub weighing an estimated 200 grams (eight ounces), just three months after receiving semen from nine-year-old partner Chuang Chuang. The zoo's star residents had shown no interest in reproducing since they arrived on a 10-year loan from China in 2003.

scmp.com Myanmar democracy icon Aung San Suu Kyi blamed security failures by the ruling junta for an incident in which a US man swam to her house, according to a statement submitted at her trial. The Nobel laureate said in the statement released by her party that she could not be held responsible for the break-in by American John Yettaw and was innocent of charges of violating her house arrest. ''The basic reason for this case is a security failure or security breakdown. No action was taken regarding security but it was me who was charged,'' said the statement.

money.cnn.com Chevron Corp Chairman and Chief Executive Dave O'Reilly says the oil company is concerned about Burma, a country where it has operations, and is trying to help in its own way, although it isn't politically involved. Chevron has a minority, non-operation interest in the Yadana gas field offshore Myanmar in the Andaman Sea and in a 249-mile natural gas pipeline. Several dozen demonstrators stood outside Chevron's headquarters, calling for the company to press for release of Aung San Suu Kyi, among other issues.

smh.com.au Australian budget airline Jetstar will cancel 31 of its Japan flights, or almost one third, in June due to ''significant softening'' of passenger loads amid swine flu fears. The airline operates 21 flights per week to Japan and maintains it is committed to the market. The Australian Tourism Council has blasted political leaders and the media over what it says is the ''hysteria'' surrounding the latest swine flu outbreak.

bloomberg.com Malaysia's economy contracted for the first time since 2001 last quarter as exports slumped, pushing the nation toward its first recession in a decade. Southeast Asia's third-largest economy shrank 6.2 percent in the first quarter from a year earlier, after a 0.1 percent gain in the previous three months, the central bank said in a statement in Kuala Lumpur. Economists were expecting a 3.9 percent decline. Prime Minister Najib Razak, whose coalition has lost three of four regional elections this year, has unveiled two stimulus plans.

seattletimes.com Commenter antipaklong on the mystery Phi Phi tourist deaths: ''While I know a conspiracy involving an albino assassin, Jesus's living bloodline and the Vatican might have been more interesting, tourists ''splurging'' and eating bad seafood in a foreign country was the more likely cause wasn't it? My thoughts are with their families for their loss, but seriously when will people realise not every little thing is a conspiracy or that foreigners are all out to get them. Some things are just accidents, plain and simple.''

usatoday.com Worries over an outbreak of swine flu on a cruise ship off the coast of Australia have prompted authorities to divert the vessel away from major population centers. P&O Cruises' Pacific Dawn, which left Sydney on Monday on a 10-night voyage, will anchor off a remote island and remain there while tests are carried out on samples from at least three more crew members who have come down with flu-like symptoms. No passengers will be allowed to disembark.

Associated Press The anti-cancer drug capecitabine can destroy fingerprints, with the obliterating side effects discovered when a cancer patient from Singapore travelled to the US last year. Immigration officials found he had no fingerprints because capecitabine had caused so much redness and peeling. Customs officials held the man for four hours before deciding he was not a security threat, according to a letter published in the Annals Of Oncology journal. Once patients stop taking the drug and apply ice to their hands, their fingerprints return in about a month.

bangkokpost.com Response by Holiday Inn Silom GM Michael Horsburgh when asked 'What are the pros and cons of being an expat in Bangkok?': The pros are working with Thais, who are gentle by nature compared to people in many other countries in Asia; the great cuisine; great golf, beaches and resorts; great cultural and historic sites to visit; great weather; great restaurants, entertainment, shopping and everything is reasonably priced. There are very few cons but one would be the continuous political and other problems that affect tourism and make it harder for us to do our jobs and stay ahead of the competition.

reuters Singapore's two forthcoming casinos may draw some business from neighbouring Malaysia's Genting Highlands but the city-state's focus on high-rollers will probably have a greater impact on Macau and Australia. When up and running next year, Sheldon Adelson's Marina Bay Sands and the Malaysian Genting group's Resorts World at Sentosa will pay an effective tax of around 12 percent on net revenue from high-rollers, compared with 39 percent for Macau. Macau, has 31 casinos and derives more than 60 percent of casino revenue from wealthy gamblers. Australia's larger casinos derive about 20 percent from VIP customers and have a large Asian clientele.


Immigration Nabs 'Phuket-Trail People Smuggler'
Photo Album Immigration officers say they have arrested a leading people trafficker as he prepared today to smuggle more than 30 Burmese laborers to Phuket.
Immigration Nabs 'Phuket-Trail People Smuggler'

Patong Shock Blast: Workers Electrocuted, One Dead
Latest A Phuket eye witness to the electrocution of two workers in Patong this evening told Phuketwan he heard an explosion and saw the men convulsing.
Patong Shock Blast: Workers Electrocuted, One Dead

Thai Talent Needed for 2000 Phuket Jobs
The Phuket employment office and retailer HomeWorks have teamed up to organise a local jobs fair with more than 2000 vacancies to be filled.
Thai Talent Needed for 2000 Phuket Jobs

Condo Seminar Told of Phuket's Titles Problems
Latest A complete documentation of all Phuket land titles should be ready by the end of June, a large seminar at Laguna has been told. More than 300 people turned out.
Condo Seminar Told of Phuket's Titles Problems


MediaWATCH: Economy Shrinks to Recession
News DigestThailand heads into recession; Troubled Asia turns to religion; PAD set for politics; Burma wrangle grows; Hunt in Thailand for Aussie killers.
MediaWATCH: Economy Shrinks to Recession

MediaWATCH: Early Poll 'Still an Option'
Latest In an interview with another international publication, the Thai PM leaves open a 2009 poll; Aung San Suu Kyi tells; Burma protest; NYT on Phuket property.
MediaWATCH: Early Poll 'Still an Option'

MediaWATCH: Tourism Dip Tipped, Lower Fares
Latest The flu scare is expected to push tourism visits lower so airlines are offering specials; Australians told to clean up their act; Thai economy on the slide; Thaksin collect passports.
MediaWATCH: Tourism Dip Tipped, Lower Fares