UPDATING All Day, Every Day
smh.com.au The first casualty of Australia's disastrous Ashes campaign in England has emerged, with beleaguered captain Michael Clarke to retire at the end of the series.
aap Jetstar had expected to resume flights to Bali from Australia from Saturday afternoon but it has now cancelled all Saturday flights and two on Sunday.
ncronline.org Pope Francis has again entered into controversial geopolitical territory, saying sharply that Burmese treatment of its populous and persecuted Rohingya minority constitutes war against them.
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.
Top Stories
bangkokpost.com Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha made it clear on his 'Return Happiness to Thai People' broadcast that he had no intention to stay in power to complete reforms before new elections are held.
reuters Angry relatives of Chinese passengers aboard Malaysia Airlines plane MH370 missing for more than a year clashed with police in Beijing as French officials extended the search for debris on remote Indian Ocean island beaches.
bangkokpost.com Budget airline passenger traffic through Thailand's main airports jumped nearly 35 percent in the first half of the year, reflecting the growing profile of low-cost carriers (LCCs).
Human Trafficking in Thailand
dw.com The government of Burma (Myanmar) has denied a UN human rights investigator access to the region where its Rohingya Muslim population lives. Yanghee Lee, special rapporteur on human rights, told reporters in Yangon that she wasn't allowed to visit Rakhine state.
Phuket World of People
bangkokpost.com A 48-year-old man was jailed for 30 years for insulting the monarchy on Facebook, in one of the toughest-known sentences passed under the lese majeste law.
afp According to iLaw, a local rights group that monitors such cases, there were just two ongoing prosecutions for royal defamation before the coup. Now that number is at least 56.
theguardian.com SeaWorld has suffered an 84 percent collapse in profits as customers have deserted the controversial aquatic theme park company following claims it mistreated orca whales. The company, which trains dolphins and killer whales to perform tricks, reported declines in attendance, sales and profits because of ''continued brand challenges.''
theage.com.au He tried to save the dolphins with The Cove, now Louie Psihoyos is back, with a new film that he hopes can spur us to save a lot more endangered animals.
http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/movies/miff-2015-the-cove-director-louie-psihoyos-returns-with-racing-extinction-20150806-girwk0.html
bangkokpost.com A senior officer in Khon Kaen says ''thousands'' of heavily indebted police need help, because the rules compel bankrupt police to leave the force.
telegraph.co.uk The US Coast Guard seized what it called a ''self-propelled semi-submersible'' carrying drugs worth $181 million around 200 miles off the cost of Mexico. It was first spotted by a US Navy plane and video footage showed it being boarded and four suspected drug smugglers arrested.
news.com.au ''I remember taking a road trip with him from Kuala Lumpur to Krabi in Thailand two years ago,'' says the sister of suspect MH370 flight captain Zaharie Ahmad Shah. ''It was a long journey, filled with laughter and humor because he brought out the best in every situation.''
nationmultimedia.com US investors have expressed their confidence in Thailand and are ready to invest in the country, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha said after meeting some 70 foreign investors from the US-Asean Business Council (USABC) at Government House.
thephuketinsider.com Thai AirAsia has unveiled plans to use U-Tapao as a secondary hub. For China travelers the proximity is a key factor and Pattaya is expected to key into the mainland segment after the sharp decrease in Russian arrivals over the past year.
cnn.com Police in the Russian city of St. Petersburg say they are investigating cannibalism and occult sacrifice as motives in the suspected slayings of at least 11 people by a pensioner dubbed the ''Granny Ripper.''
scmp.com Hong Kong issued ''very high'' pollution warnings across the city as severe Typhoon Soudelor pulled in a mass of high pressure over the city, with the air quality index pointing to health risks.
AP A local police official in northwestern Pakistan says the death toll from an army helicopter crash has risen to 12 and that rescuers have transported the bodies of all the victims to hospitals.
dpa Hundreds of political youth in Norway are joining a camp on Utoya for the first time since an extreme nationalist killed 69 people in a murderous rampage on the island four years ago.
bbc.com Four unions held a second 24-hour strike this week after rejecting the latest offer from London Underground.
AP North Korea will establish its own time zone next week by pulling back by 30 minutes its current standard time, a legacy of the Japanese colonial rule. The new time zone will take effect August 15 - the 70th anniversary of Korea's liberation from Japanese rule at the end of World War II.
Around the Region
afp The death toll from severe flooding across Myanmar has risen to 88, officials said as rising waters swallowed more homes in low-lying regions in some of the poorest parts of the country.
Phuket World of Sport
smh.com.au Australia will start day three in Nottingham at 7-241, still needing 90 runs to force England to bat again. Based on the way Trent Bridge and the preceding Edgbaston Test have progressed, England is favored to get those final three wickets quickly enough to discount the need for a second innings.
afp Chelsea manager Jose Mourinho signed a new four-year contract to stay in charge of the English champions until 2019, the club announced.
Coming Events on Phuket 2015
August 12 HM The Queen's birthday
August 23-30 Por Tor (Hungry Ghost) Festival
September Quicksilver surf carnival at Patong beach
October 15-23 Phuket Vegetarian Festival
November Patong Festival
November 20 Laguna Phuket Triathlon
November 25 Loy Kratong festival
November 29 Challenge Laguna Phuket 2015
November 29 Phuket King's Cup Regatta
December 5 HM The King's Birthday
December 26 Tsunami memorial ceremonies
This government seems to be very keen to comment on behalf of foreign dignitaries in regard to what they supposedly think of Thailand.
I'd much rather hear it from the horses' mouth but they remain silent. Most likely adhering to the old saying of
" If you have nothing good to say, better say nothing "
Posted by Herbert on August 8, 2015 08:52