UPDATING All Day, Every Day
nytimes.com The downing of a Malaysia Airlines jetliner in Ukraine may amount to a war crime, a high-ranking UN official said in a statement that chronicled a mounting death toll from ''extremely alarming'' clashes.
theguardian.com British Passport Office staff are to strike on Monday over staff shortages which they say have led to a serious backlog in processing applications this year.
smh.com.au Data retrieved from the ill-fated MH17 flight black box shows the plane was hit multiple times by shrapnel from a missile explosion. Of the 298 victims who perished in the crash on July 17, about 100 passengers are still unaccounted for.
bangkokpost.com Bangkok remained in the top five destinations searched by Chinese travellers on Hotels.com during the first five months of 2014, according to the website's latest survey.
PhuketWATCH Daily Media Wrap
PHUKET: The daily wrap of Thailand news, with a Phuket perspective, plus relevant reports from national and international media. Beware of inconsistent imitations.
Today's Top News Items
bangkokpost.com Follow-up investigation shows insurgents set off two bombs in Betong - a small one to draw onlookers, and the huge one to kill them. The blast killed two people and injured 52. Hotels in Hat Yai have been overwhelmingly reserved for end of Ramadan celebrations as tourists shift from restive Betong district in Yala.
nationmultimedia.com The ruling National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) summarised its performance after two months, saying all tasks undertaken had resulted in positive trends - the political divide showed signs of reconciliation, the economy improved and foreign countries had got a better grasp of developments.
bangkokpost.com Five executive vice-presidents of Thai Airways International have been transferred to inactive posts to pave the way for army and air force officers, according to a source within the airline.
bloomberg Israel renewed its offensive in the Hamas-controlled Gaza Strip after Palestinian rockets tore through a fledgling truce, prompting US President Barack Obama to call for an immediate end to the fighting.
bangkokpost.com The National Broadcasting and Telecommunications Commission (NBTC) has fined AIS and DTAC over 150,000 baht a day for overcharging clients for voice calls.
Phuket World of People
bangkokpost.com The Big-Stick Error: I don't know who is responsible for drafting the NCPO's orders and announcements but they need to shape up and not present shoddy work such as the warning targeted at Manager Weekly.
nationmultimedia.com The National Press Council of Thailand (NCPO) has vowed to take action against ASTV Weekend if the junta's claim that the weekly newspaper violated media ethics proves to be true. [Phuketwan journalists Alan Morison and Chutima Sidasathian are on trial for criminal libel in an action brought by the Royal Thai Navy that predates the military takeover.]
indiatimes.com A majority of Thais has agreed to an interim charter provision that allows the military junta to govern the country, officials said. The interim charter which took effect Tuesday specified that the coup-making National Council for Peace and Administration (NCPO) would remain after the formation of an interim government, Xinhua reported.
rt.com Over 50 Libyan fighters died in exchanges over Tripoli's airport during the weekend in one of the worst outbreaks of violence since Gaddafi's ousting. With state authority on the verge of collapse, France and Britain have ordered citizens to evacuate.
irishtimes.com The stricken luxury liner, the Costa Concordia, will conclude her last voyage when she finally docks in the port of Genoa, prior to demolition.
petrolglobalnews.com PTT Exploration and Production Plc, Thailand's top oil and gas explorer and producer, reported a 55 percent rise in second quarter net profit.
The Shooting Down of Flight MH17
AAP Eleven Australian Federal Police (AFP) officers abandoned a planned visit to the MH17 crash site with a 38-strong Dutch team due to heavy shelling in eastern Ukraine.
bbc.com Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte says sending out an international military force to secure the site of the downed Malaysian Airlines plane in eastern Ukraine is ''unrealistic''. The site is currently controlled by pro-Russia rebels who have been accused of shooting down flight MH17.
ft.com A government-led review of Malaysia Airlines - the carrier reeling from the disappearance of one aircraft and the alleged shooting down of another - is examining the case for renaming the company.
Around the Asean Region
AP The UN's new human rights envoy for Burma has described conditions as deplorable in camps for persons displaced by sectarian strife, and warned that the country's human rights situation may be backsliding despite progress under three years of elected government.
theborneopost.com Indonesian police fired tear gas at hundreds of protesters at the country's infamous Dolly red-light district, where workers are refusing to accept government orders to close shop. Around 300 protesters, mostly men who work as pimps or vendors in the area, tore out and set alight a sign erected by Surabaya city that read: ''This area is free from brothels and prostitution''.
bangkokpost.com Thailand and Cambodia will strengthen bilateral ties and discuss the Preah Vihear temple row when Cambodian Defence Minister Tea Banh arrives for an official visit today.
Phuket World of Sport
leicestermercury.co.uk Gary Taylor-Fletcher bagged the only goal of the game as Leicester City secured an encouraging 1-0 victory over Everton in a pre-season friendly in Thailand.
goal.com Manchester City cruised to victory over a dismal Milan in Pittsburgh as they won out 5-1 winners in their International Champions Cup opener.
afp Vincenzo Nibali fought back tears as he stood on the Tour de France winner's podium and described the moment as better than he ever expected. Nibali completed his victory at the 2014 Tour by finishing safely in the pack on Sunday's 21st and final stage from Evry to Paris, won by German Marcel Kittel.
bbc.com Lewis Hamilton fought up from a pit lane start and a first-lap spin to finish third as Daniel Ricciardo beat Ferrari's Fernando Alonso to win a sensational Hungarian Grand Prix.
dailymail.co.uk Alastair Cook admitted he had never felt under more pressure after hitting 95 as England reached an imposing 247 for two on the first day of the third Test against India in Southampton.
Coming Events on Phuket 2014
THE OFFICE of the Chularatchamontri declared Monday as the Eid al-Fitr celebration marking the end of the fasting month of Ramadan. The announcement was made on the office's website after the new moon had been sighted after sunset on Sunday.
August 11 Special holiday for Queen's Birthday
August 12 Queen's Birthday
September 24-October 2 Vegetarian Festival, Phuket
October 23 Chulalongkorn Memorial Day
November 6 Loy Kratong
November 14-21 Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket
December 5 King's Birthday
December 10 Constitution Day
December 25 Christmas Day
December 26 10th Anniversary, 2004 Tsunami
December 31 New Year's Eve
Coming Events on Phuket 2015
February 13-15 Phuket Yacht Show
