Phuket Update Residents on Phuket felt the movements from an earthquake off Sumatra at 7.02am today. The 5.3 magnitude tremor was at a depth of 24 kilometres and occurred 250 kilometres from Phuket. It was felt in Karon, on the island's west coast, and Koh Sireh, on the east coast, residents reported.


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 A British man who died two weeks after arriving in Phuket from Nigeria was not suffering from the deadly Ebola virus, officials said.

nationmultimedia.com Navy personnel who carried weapons into a Phuket Court compound against court regulations last week did it out of inexperience, not disrespect or contempt of court, the junta spokesman said. Colonel Winthai Suvari said commissioned officers testifying as state witnesses against vendors allegedly violating a social order campaign were unarmed while in the courtroom.

bangkokpost.com The man who was seen scolding the soldiers is reportedly a senior judge attached to Phuket provincial court. In a YouTube videoclip, he appeared upset and told the soldiers ''not to display [your] powers here''.

foxnews.com Former Florida Governor Jeb Bush is ''moving forward'' on a potential 2016 White House run and it appears more likely he will enter the Republican field, according to his son, who is running for office in Texas.



newsweek.com One Rohingya medic I met, who didn't want to be identified, said malnutrition posed the largest threat to the refugees. ''We're worse than prisoners because prisoners are fed,'' he said. ''I want to kill the Muslims,'' said Aung Ko Naing. ''Many feel like me . . . I want to get rid of them all.''
http://www.newsweek.com/2014/10/31/enforced-confinement-brings-further-danger-rohingya-muslims-fleeing-potential-279665.html



cnn.com Kaci Hickox, a nurse placed under mandatory quarantine in New Jersey, went on CNN and criticised the ''knee-jerk reaction by politicians'' to Ebola, saying ''to quarantine someone without a better plan in place, without more forethought, is just preposterous.''

smh.com.au The number of people infected with the Ebola virus has passed 10,000, with 4992 deaths, according to the World Health Organisation.



gulfnews.com Etihad Airways on Sunday commenced daily non-stop flights between Abu Dhabi and Phuket, the airline's second destination in Thailand. The inaugural flight EY430 departed Abu Dhabi International Airport at 8.40am local time and touched down at 6pm at Phuket International Airport, where it was welcomed by a water cannon salute, a gathering of dignitaries and airline representatives, and a performance by traditional Thai dancers.

tvnz.co.nz Oscar Pistorius was going to kill ''someone sooner or later,'' Reeva Steenkamp's mother says. Reeva had also confided to her mother she had ''nagging doubts about their compatibility'' so hadn't slept with the athlete.

countingpips.com Locals on Phuket have been happy to take the Russian tourist money. But there's a problem. The Russians like Phuket so much that they've been buying property all over the island. And this has been forcing Thais out.

huffingtonpost.com Thailand's Vegetarian Festival might be the most bizarre way to honor animals, as participants shove knives, swords, umbrellas, and a litany of other objects into their faces. The festival, which takes place in Phuket until November 1, celebrates a nine day abstinence from meat to promote good health. This is the second festival to take place this year.

bbc.com Two men and a woman have died after getting into difficulty in the sea off a beach in Cornwall. Four children, who were among the seven, were saved but the adults died after being airlifted to hospital. The seven got into trouble in what is believed to have been a rip current.

ft.com Dilma Rousseff scored a narrow victory over her opponent in Brazil's presidential election, with polls showing the president nearly three percent ahead of her rival with almost 98 per cent of the votes counted.

news.com.au Comedian and actor Russell Brand is thought to be considering a run for mayor of London, despite repeatedly saying that voting is a waste of time.



ryot.org Their story is now making world headlines again. In the last two weeks alone officials say that approximately 8000 of these people, called Rohingya, have left by boat or across the land border into Thailand. They estimate about 900 leave the country a day.

thephuketinsider.com According to data on BaliDiscovery.com mid-year foreign arrivals topped 2 million, and are expected to achieve over 3.8 million for the full year.

smh.com.au Joko Widodo's ''Working Cabinet'' was still being finalised until hours before the announcement. It includes eight women and is a mix of professional, technocratic and political appointments.



independent.co.uk The captain and goalkeeper of South Africa's national football team, Senzo Meyiwa, has been shot dead in a home invasion, police have confirmed.

goal.com Didier Drogba powered home a trademark header early in the second half but Branislav Ivanovic's red card gifted the hosts the chance to level in injury time in a dramatic finale. Manchester United 1-1 Chelsea.

news.asiaone.com Serena Williams destroyed Romania's Simona Halep 6-3 6-0 on Sunday to win the WTA Finals championship in Singapore, proving once again why she remains the most formidable force in women's tennis.



November 1-3 Patong Carnival

November 6 Loy Kratong

November 14-23 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



February 13-15 Phuket Yacht Show