Here's Phuketwan MediaWATCH, a lively take on what's happening that is aimed at keeping island residents, visitors, would-be holidaymakers and advertisers in touch with Phuket's growing information world.

NewsFRONT Latest: Along with other members of the Thai media, two journalists from Phuketwan went this afternoon to cover the long-anticipated arrival of the Miss France 2008 contestants on Phuket. What a great idea: the beautiful girls from France, relaxing in beautiful Phuket. What did the Thai media get? After the media and welcoming performers waited around for four hours, the young mademoiselles appeared, and their photographs were taken. Then the Thai media were told that no photographs would be allowed . . .Huh? Thai press, tv and internet were asked to sign non-publication forms . . . in French . . . AFTER they took shots of all the contestants. However, the rules were different for French media. This kind of discriminatory promotion is just what Phuket does not need. We don't think too many people will be putting their hand up to say they had anything to do with what turned out to be a French farce. The girls, by the way, were delightful. The problem was with their minders. Perhaps they need lessons on media management in France.

The Phuket Gazette: (Weekly newspaper. Price 25 baht, 52 pages with events calendar insert) The Gazette is notable this week more for what it does not carry. There is no report of any kind on today's Royal cremation. We can only imagine that the Gazette staff are working on a special issue for Monday, or a major spread for next issue, because it would be unthinkable for any newspaper in Thailand to fail to note such a rare and important event. The Gazette mostly sticks with tragedies, crimes and drug busts, accepting as usual the word of police that the people they have arrested are guilty as charged. The average officer on the traffic beat probably has a better understanding of justice and fair play. Inside Story reveals that a Software Park is on the way for Phuket. A photograph of a ''box jellyfish'' on page 8 looks nothing like the one pictured on the front of the Gazette two issues back. The Gazette also seems to have changed style, calling all people, whether Thai or foreign, Mr, Mrs, Miss or Ms rather than Khun. We wonder what Thais make of that change. It also makes life more difficult for reporters and copy editors because women who appear in articles have to be asked each time whether they prefer to be Mrs, Miss or Ms. One solution a few weeks back was to call the same woman a Mrs and a Ms in the same article. We actually think it would be a better world if the West switched to Khun, rather than the other way around. Western concepts often make poor substitutes.

The Phuket Post: (Fortnightly magazine. Price 20 baht) Most of Issue 93 of the Post appears to have been placed online already, so there is no need to go hunting for a print copy tomorrow, or to part with the 20 baht cover price. The same thing happened with Issue 91. Print advertisers who pay premium prices are unlikely to approve of the Post placing the editorial content online so early, without their ads. Current events and early deadlines always present a problem for weekly or fortnightly publications. At the Post online, tomorrow's cremation of the Princess is covered in two reports. By late on Saturday, all previews of the cremation will be out of date. More nimble media will have provided coverage of the event itself. In 12 or 14 days, or even in two or three days, will someone pick up a copy of the Post for the relevance of its cremation preview? Only if they have been living in a cave. The preview of tomorrow's Royal cremation clearly had to go online before the event, but print advertisers can gripe with justice about other content going online before it appears in print. A lengthy report on the Thailand Property Awards, held a fortnight ago, also illustrates the Post's difficulty in keeping up with current events. Everybody already knows who won. The Post's strategy for dealing with print and online publication is inconsistent, to say the least, varying issue by issue. In most places, a magazine with a cover that has lost its relevance on the afternoon of the first day of its 14-day cycle would be a source of considerable puzzlement.

Innovation of the Week: Instead of gradually reducing fuel surcharges with falling fuel prices as other airlines have done, no-frills AirAsia is scrapping the extra fee. The Bangkok Post reported that the decision came after crude prices dipped below $US80 a barrel, the level that prompted the airline to pass on the extra cost to passengers as a fuel surcharge.

Island IT: According to reports, global spam levels have dropped by as much as 75 percent following the shutdown of a US web host that provided the backbone for most of the world's spam. The bust has sent spammers scrambling and, although it occurred on Tuesday in the US, spam volumes remain down today, security companies say. The web host, McColo, counted customers including ''international firms and syndicates that are involved in everything from the remote management of millions of compromised computers to the sale of counterfeit pharmaceuticals and designer goods, fake security products and child pornography via email,'' The Washington Post reported. Others fear the decrease will be a temporary lull and that the spammers will regroup.

Coming Events: The six-day Krabi Festival begins on Thursday. Last week's grand opening of the Phuket Brewery is to be followed this week by the first concert, with the Thai rock band Carabao setting the pace next Friday night. The concert is sold out but it should provide a good guide to the appeal of the venue to international acts in future.

Media Must-read: The first paragraph of an article in Saturday's Sydney Morning Herald is enough. Here it is: Europe officially fell into recession overnight and the US economy suffered thousands more lay-offs and the biggest retail sales dip on record as world leaders headed to Washington to address the worst financial crisis in 80 years.

It's a great time to hit the beach and wait for the worst to blow over.

What'll it be? Billabongs or Speedos today?



Declaration of interest: Big Island Media, Phuketwan's parent print company, has as small stake in Pulse Media, which produces The Phuket Post, but no influence on the Post's content.