theguardian.com Bill Cosby's first stop on his American standup tour went without a hitch after a week in which several more women came forward to accuse him of sexual assault.

nbcnews.com The American embassy in Mexico has advised US citizens to avoid Acapulco, a Pacific coastal resort once known for hosting glamorous jet-setters but which has lately been rocked by unrest and violence.

bangkokpost.com Police arrested a German man who stole donated money from a temple money tree in Chiang Mai after being ''swindled'' by a Thai wife. Pol Capt Thanongsak Janjuakwa said Steffen Renner, 39, was caught stealing 280 baht from Wat Pantao on Friday.


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 Confidence among Chinese tourists visiting Thailand has recovered thanks to the visa waiver and their country's long Golden Week holiday, with arrivals up by 67 percent year-on-year last month. Chinese tourists accounted for 23 percent of total visitors to Thailand.

nationmultimedia.com The junta's move to suppress freedom of expression by arresting students who raise their arm in a Hunger Games-inspired three-finger salute has drawn the attention of international media and agencies, as well as Thais living overseas, with many slamming the authorities for violating people's basic rights.

bbc.com Thailand's Justice Minister Paiboon Koomchaya has said martial law will remain in place ''indefinitely,'' amid mounting protests of military rule.

smh.com.au The head of the world's largest international airline believes information about missing flight MH370 is being concealed, calling into question who was in control of the doomed aircraft and the role of the Malaysian military. Emirates chief Sir Tim Clark said an unwillingness to share intelligence was obstructing the investigation into the fate of the plane, which vanished in March with 229 people on board.



AP The UN General Assembly's human rights committee approved a resolution urging Burma (Myanmar) to allow its persecuted Rohingya Muslim minority ''access to full citizenship on an equal basis.''

reuters Myanmar President Thein Sein has denied that minority Muslim Rohingya are fleeing ''torture'' in western Rakhine state, saying such media reports were fabrications.

theguardian.com Burmese refugees and asylum seekers are paying up to $1000 for UNHCR cards granting them official refugee status in Malaysia, an undercover al-Jazeera investigation has found. Malaysia [like Thailand] was downgraded this year to the lowest rung on the US State Department's human trafficking index.
http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/nov/21/burmese-refugees-pay-1000-official-status-malaysia

aliran.com Why has there been no call for action from Asean leaders on the Rohingya? Perhaps that is because our ''association'' of nations is seen as ineffectual and centred around power and wealth only - void of any genuine ability or desire to advance the cause of human rights in our region.



Karon Cluster Beach water polo 3pm-5pm; Beach Handball 3pm-5pm; Beach Volleyball 9am-noon; Body building 5pm-7.30pm
Patong Cluster Beach kebaddi 2pm-4pm; Beach Sepaktakraw 8.30am-4pm; Muay Thai 4pm-on
Bang Neaw Dam Cluster Wakeski, wakeboard 8am-5pm
Nai Yang Cluster Beach athletics 2.30pm-3.30pm



cbc.ca A plague outbreak in Madagascar has infected 119 people, including 40 deaths, the World Health Organisation said in warning about the risk of spread in the densely populated capital.



bristolpost.co.uk Sam Austin flew out to Thailand a few weeks ago to start a new life for himself in the Far East. But family and friends were shocked to be told that he had died after a tragic accident which continues to be shrouded in mystery.

dailymail.co.uk The first his mother Kalpana Austin, 48, knew about her son's death was when police left a note asking her to contact them. After she replied, officers came back to her house and broke the news that Mr Austin had died in a 'tragic accident' - but so far no details of what happened have been released.

bbc.com Mr Austin left England on October 15 and died on Saturday. Nothing is yet known about how he died. Friends are trying to raise funds to repatriate his body.

nationmultimedia.com The number of tourists was not as important as their quality, said Tourism and Sports Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangul, so the ministry wants to see people staying longer, as this would boost per capita spending. She noted that although the number of tourists in Phuket was increasing every year, spending per head had not increased much.

pcworld.com Members of the European Parliament are readying a motion calling for the break-up of Google, by separating its search engine functionality from other commercial services, according to news reports.

watoday.com.au World-leading scientists say the Great Barrier Reef will be ''slaughtered'' this century as seas warm and become more acidic, dismissing comments by Foreign Affairs Minister Julie Bishop that Australia's natural icon was not at risk.

bangkokpost.com Carabao Group Plc, the maker of Carabao Dang energy drink, made its debut on the Stock Exchange of Thailand with its share price rising by 16 percent from its initial public offering level.

nationmultimedia.com The Singapore head of brand consultancy giant Interbrand has said food-and-beverage, hospitality and medical-services companies in Thailand had high potential to grow and become top global players because of their good reputation internationally.

latimes.com Vice President Joe Biden told the Kremlin during a visit to Ukraine that the US will never recognise Russia's annexation of Crimea and warned Moscow that it faces greater isolation if it continues its ''provocative action.''

ft.com British MPs this week voted to allow pub tenants to buy beer on the open market, in a move billed as a victory for the small local landlord against the large pub companies.



reuters Singapore said it plans to regulate fast-growing third-party taxi booking services like Uber and GrabTaxi for the first time, capping fees and requiring them to dispatch only licensed cabs and drivers. Finding a cab during peak hours and frequent tropical downpours can be difficult, stoking interest in the new taxi apps.

news.com.au Some 6000 Australian schoolies will converge on the party island of Bali in the coming days, more than 4500km from the gaze of their concerned parents. During a 10-minute walk along the main street in Kuta, The Saturday Telegraph was offered ''hashish'' or ''cannabis'' 10 times. But there are other more dangerous drugs on offer, including the highly hallucinogenic magic mushrooms and pills.

afp Two German men were arrested in Singapore for spray-painting graffiti on a metro train in the city-state, an offence punishable by flogging with a wooden cane.



nationmultimedia.com Hosts Thailand hit new heights, surpassing the 40-gold target set by Thai chef-de-mission Thana Chaiprasit as they closed in on the crown as overall champions at the 4th Asian Beach Games.



dnaindia.com If you happen to be in Phuket, Thailand between November 30 and December 6 2014, make your way to Kata Beach for Phuket's famous yatching event The King's Cup Regatta. Launched in 1987 to celebrate His Majesty the King's birthday on December 5, it is held annually in the first week of December.

November 14-23 Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket

November 29-December 6 King's Cup Regatta

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



February 13-15 Phuket Yacht Show