A daily wrap of Thailand and regional news, with a Phuket perspective.


AFP A religious court in Malaysia has sentenced a Singaporean Muslim model to six strokes of the cane for having a beer in a nightclub. Kartika Sari Dewi Shukarno, 32, pleaded guilty to consuming alcohol. ''We feel the sentence is fair after going through the prosecution's argument and since the rotan (cane) is provided for in the law,'' Pahang Sharia High Court judge Abdul Rahman Yunus said, according to the New Straits Times. ''The rotan is aimed at making the accused repent and serves as a lesson to Muslims,'' he added, also fining Kartika 5000 ringgit ($1412). Women are seldom caned. The model said she would appeal.

Xinhua The 15th Asean Summit is to be held on October 23-25 on Phuket with a focus on the process to integrate the Asean community, Vitavas Srivihok, Director-General of the Asean Affairs Department of the Thai Foreign Ministry, told media on Tuesday. According to Vitavas, Thailand's Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya told the 42nd Asean Coordinating Council Meeting on Tuesday that among top priorities for discussion at the 15th Asean Summit are education and human resource development.

Associated Press On her second trip to Asia as US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton is carrying a no-nonsense message about American intentions. ''The United States is back,'' she declared on arrival in Bangkok. By that she means the administration of President Barack Obama thinks it's time to show Asian nations that the US is not distracted by its wars in Iraq and Afghanistan and intends to broaden and deepen its partnerships in this region. Clinton trumpeted that line Wednesday in an appearance with a prominent TV personality before flying to Phuket for two days of international meetings to discuss North Korea, Myanmar and other regional issues.

voa.com Indonesia's Foreign Minister Hassan Wirayuda has given a clear message to Burma's military government. Burma must release democracy leader Aung San Suu Kyi if its 2010 elections are to be credible, he said during the Asean meetings on Phuket. Indonesia has been pushing for tougher action against human rights violators.

Bangkok Post Achara Ashayagachat writes: Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya's self-indulgent portrayal of a new Asean that needs no outsider's judgement is no different from the old non-interfering Asean of decades ago. In rebutting Indonesian discontent over the watered down terms of reference of the Asean human rights commission, Thailand has also shunned external criticism of the regional grouping, saying that Asean preferred to fine-tune its work with member states rather than punish each other.

The Nation The Public Health Ministry is being urged to prepare medical resources to handle the peak period of the H1N1 outbreak next month. Professor Prasert Thongcharoen, a leading virologist and an adviser on strategy for public health, said the number of patients would rise considerably in the next two to eight weeks because the virus is spreading more easily, especially in urban areas.

asiaone.com Depending on cloud cover on Phuket and over Thailand, the National Astronomical Institute of Thailand said a partial eclipse of the sun should be visible this morning between 7am and 9.19am. Countries and areas where a full eclipse can be seen are India, China, Japan and the South Pacific.

Reuters Thailand has increased tax incentives to attract global car makers to invest in the production of small passenger vehicles for its domestic and export markets. The state-run Board of Investment said car manufacturers investing in its ''eco car'' projects would enjoy cuts of up to 90 percent in import tariffs for foreign car parts and material used for producing the vehicles. The parts entitled to the low tariff must not be available from local producers, it said in a statement.

smh.com.au An Australian bride and her 60 guests are among tourists pressing ahead with Bali travel plans despite warnings to avoid the island following the Jakarta bombings. Jetstar, Virgin Blue and Garuda airlines said. Government advice to reconsider travelling to Indonesia, including Bali, was not deterring passengers from visiting the tourist hot-spot. The bride, who did not want to be named, said she had spent more than a year planning her overseas nuptials and had not considered changing her plans after Friday's fatal bombings.


Patong Gunfight: Police Warn of Killers On The Run
Murder Alert The gang that shot four men today, killing one, are on the run on Phuket and dangerous. Police tonight warned people to stay clear of the fugitive gang, and named the victims.
Patong Gunfight: Police Warn of Killers On The Run

Patong Gunfight: One Dead, Three Wounded
Updating Report A shootout in Patong has left one man dead and three injured this afternoon. Bystanders said it was a like the Phuket version of a scene from the wild west.
Patong Gunfight: One Dead, Three Wounded

Phuket Rampage: Knife 'Held at Tourists' Throats'
Latest Police have arrested three men accused of a Phuket City rampage during which, security camera footage reveals, they held a knife to the throats of a tourist couple in a lift.
Phuket Rampage: Knife 'Held at Tourists' Throats'

AseanWATCH: Clinton Show Rolling on to Phuket
Latest Human rights will be high on Hillary Clinton's list as the arrest of five Malaysian Immigration officers provides topicality. Phuket gives her a chance to impress the critics.
AseanWATCH: Clinton Show Rolling on to Phuket