Reuters news agency reported in two paragraphs on Thursday that there was a loud noise heard near where an Asean summit was being held on Phuket. ''Everything is operating normally,'' a spokesperson at the Sheraton Grande told Phuketwan.. The noise came from a high-pressure water hose, turned on a suspicious motorcycle with a flat tyre.


SHE waved a welcome to Phuket with her right arm, the one that was in a sling until recently because of a broken elbow.

The weather? It was overcast, not exactly what it should be on a holiday island in Summer. Especially when cloud obscured an eclipse of the sun earlier in the day.

But the main thing is, Hillary Clinton is here.

For Phuket and for Thailand, watching her walk down the steps from the plane to the tarmac would have brought broad smiles to many faces.

Tonight she is due to see the show at FantaSea in Kamala with other senior delegates to the Asean Regional Forum from 26 nations.

And after watching the trapeze artists and the elephants, she will head for a three-storey luxury villa at the Dusit Thani Laguna Resort, across the lagoon from the Sheraton Grande Laguna Phuket, where most of tomorrow's talking will take place.

The best part of a Dusit Thani villa is the rooftop pool. If she is in one of the few with an ocean view, it will be a shame if grey skied dull tomorrow morning's spectacular vista out over the Andaman.

Most mornings, a small elephant trundles along the beach with his handler, past the Dusit Thani villas. If security permits, greeting the little elephant on the beach is a great way to start the day.

There's beachside bocce too, if her elbow needs a workout.

Today Mrs Clinton landed on Phuket at 1.05pm and children from eight island schools waved a welcome on the short drive from the airport.

Some important talking is scheduled for tomorrow, with North Korea and Burma likely topics for discussion.

Fortunately for Phuket, the island appears to be making a good impression.

Officials have already announced that the Asean Plus Six summit of 16 national leaders, cancelled in embarrassing circumstances because of a red-shirt protest in Pattaya in April, has been rescheduled for Phuket in October.

That gives Governor Wichai Praisa-nob three months to sort out a few of the island's long-term problems.

If the October summit is held further south, to give the Karon, Kata and Patong resorts a chance to impress, then the lawlessness that brought a deadly daylight shootout in Phuket's tourist heartland yesterday will need to be brought under control before then.

Phuket needs some of the hundreds of extra police, imported to the island for the summit, to stay on, to help restore the island's sunny holiday image permanently.

They need to impound all illegal firearms, and to win back the confidence that tourists and residents can walk the island's streets without fear, day and night.

What would happen to Thailand's reputation if there was a shootout within earshot of a national leader next October?

Is Thailand truly safe for tourists?

Governor Wichai Praisa-nob knows there is an enormous job to be done. But he will need Bangkok's help to do it.


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