AAP Two elderly people are feared missing, 22 people are injured and more than 30 homes are believed ruined as a devastating bushfire burns through the Adelaide Hills.

nnt A Thai female who died after falling off a cliff while on visit to a temple in Bhutan was taking a selfie when the accident happened, according to witnesses.

huffingtonpost.com The Anatomy of an Unfair Trial, by Amal Alamuddin. Using the court system as a tool of state repression makes a mockery of the rule of law.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/Amal-Alamuddin/egypt-unfair-trial_b_5688388.html


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



bangkokpost.com Three people were burned beyond recognition when a speeding Mercedes Benz veered off the road and slammed into an oncoming pickup truck before catching fire in Rayong on Saturday afternoon.

nationmultimedia.com Urban Thais have long loved cooling down at a water park and indeed, the grandfather of them all, Siam Park City, has enjoyed millions of visitors a year since opening its doors back in 1980 when it boasted the world's biggest water slide. Now the fun has spread out to other provinces, with Pattaya, Hua Hin, Songkhla, Phuket, Buri Ram and Nakhon Ratchasima all boasting one or more of these adventure playgrounds and packing in the crowds every weekend.



cnn.com AirAsia Indonesia did not have a license to fly the Surabaya-to-Singapore route on Sunday that ended in tragedy, it has been revealed. The airline was approved to fly the route four days a week but it did not include Sunday.

reuters Search teams hunting for the wreck of an AirAsia passenger jet that crashed with 162 people on board have found four large parts of the plane on the sea bed, the head of Indonesia's search and rescue agency said.



cctv-america.com Malaysia is experiencing the impact of a surge in Rohingya Muslims fleeing violence in Myanmar (Burma) in recent months. Many of the new arrivals describe horrifying ordeals they endured to make their way to Malaysia.
http://www.cctv-america.com/2015/01/03/rohingya-muslims-fleeing-myanmar-seek-sanctuary-in-malaysia



washingtonpost.com A British nurse being treated for Ebola in London is in critical condition after deteriorating over the past two days, hospital officials said.



nnt Hotel and resort company Dusit International forecast that the island province of Phuket would this year outperform other popular destinations both in the vacationer number and hotel incomes thanks to the newly-built terminal in the Phuket International Airport which would be able to accommodate more foreign and domestic arrivals.

bangkokpost.com Interior Minister Anupong Paojinda ordered authorities to put natural disaster measures in place for strong winds, high waves and heavy downpours in Nakhon Si Thammarat, Phatthalung, Songkhla, Pattani, Narathiwat, Yala and Satun from Sunday to Tuesday.

thephuketinsider.com Previously based on Bang Tao beach the well known Tom-Yam Goong is having a second reincarnation this time near to the entrance of Laguna Phuket.

pattayamail.com Tourists are still coming to Koh Phangan on New Year's holidays to attend activities on the island, while hotel rooms are fully booked until January 8.

nationmultimedia.com The body of a Thai tourist who fell down a cliff in Bhutan has been found, according to Foreign Ministry spokesman Sek Wannamethee.

haaretz.com At the hospital in Phuket, she was diagnosed with two broken ribs. The doctors were sure she had fallen from a tree during the tsunami. Thus, we spent a few days in hospital, with thousands of other injured who filled the corridors.
http://www.haaretz.com/news/features/.premium-1.635172

euronews.com A massive bush fire in South Australia has destroyed homes and is putting people's lives in danger.The fire is out of control on several fronts and threatening the outskirts of Adelaide.

cnn.com Whatever China does, or does not do, has impact on global affairs and our lives. For our sake, and China's too, I hope China will emerge as a peace-loving global power.
http://edition.cnn.com/2014/12/30/world/asia/china-jaime-florcruz/index.html

theaustralian.com.au British human rights lawyer Amal Clooney claimed in an interview she was threatened with arrest in Egypt after identifying flaws in the judicial system that later contributed to the convictions of three Al-Jazeera journalists including Australian Peter Greste.

scmp.com Shanghai police have interrogated dozens of people who posted comments online about the deadly New Year's Eve stampede, in an apparent drive to contain public criticism against the authorities.

theguardian.com Mobile phones have changed culture and continue to do so; not merely in the nature of the material produced, but as a means of distribution beyond the obvious.


themalaysianinsider.com Malaysia named as top 5 retiree paradise. Malaysia, the top retirement country in Asia, earned high scores for ease of fitting in, entertainment and amenities, as well as low cost of living. A meal with a bottle of wine can cost as little as US$5 and a visit to the doctor just US$15.

See Phuketwan's new Asean Today column
http://phuketwan.com/tourism/asean-today-child-molested-jail-citizens-warned-ship-sinks-crew-lost-irishman-killed-cambodia-21652/



news.com.au New reports say that Formula One legend Michael Schumacher cries when he hears the voices of his loved ones a year after his horror ski accident.



January 6-11 Phuket International Boat Show

January 21 Australian embassy outreach to Phuket Call 02-3446300, e: consular.bangkok@dfat.gov.au

February 12-15 Phuket Yacht Show