PHUKET: The daily wrap of Thailand news, with a Phuket perspective, plus relevant reports from national and international media. Phuketwan closes December 31.



nytimes.com With the sudden bang of a gavel, representatives of 195 countries reached a landmark climate accord that will, for the first time, commit nearly every country to lowering planet-warming greenhouse gas emissions to help stave off the most drastic effects of climate change.

bangkokpost.com A passenger accused of making a bomb threat on a flight to Koh Samui from Bangkok - Swiss man Reto Steinacher - has been taken to court for further detention.

nationmultimedia.com Three leading political scientists cited research results that show the country will escape political crises only through democratic means and not authoritarianism.



bangkokpost.com Editorial: The government, police and military must show a commitment to tackling human trafficking and take the matter seriously. This is the only option in response to Pol Maj Gen Paween Pongsirin's request for asylum in Australia.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/792565/truth-needed-on-human-trafficking

nationmultimedia.com Editorial: Instead of huffing and puffing and threatening legal action against Paween, Pol General Chakthip should take a good look at his force - and himself - and he might come to realise that threatening Paween with legal action may not be the way to go about this.
http://www.nationmultimedia.com/opinion/Kneejerk-reaction-from-police-chief-is-the-WRONG-R-30274791.html

bangkokpost.com Letter: Actually, Pol Maj Gen Paween reflects positively on the country, as he shows that there is some hope and some honest people are left. Karl Reichstetter



nationmultimedia.com A British tourist was killed in a road accident the province of Phuket yesterday, police said. The tourist was riding pillion on a motorcycle driven by her unidentified female friend in a hilly area when a pickup truck hit their vehicle from behind, according to witnesses.

nationmultimedia.com The UK-based non-profit Safer Roads Foundation will fund the construction of a roundabout at Phuket's deadly Narisorn-Surin intersection in a bid to reduce accidents. The southern island province had 108 road deaths last year and is in Thailand's top five provinces for road casualties over the past decade. More than 14,000 Thais and foreigners are killed in road accidents on average every year.

outbreaknewstoday.com The number of dengue fever cases have grown by some 6000 in the past week, putting the total cases near 130,000 year-to-date, according to Thailand health officials. Between the beginning of the year and December 8, health officials report a total of 129,040 cases from all 77 provinces. In addition, the number of dengue-related fatalities increased by nine in the past week, bringing the total to 125.

Phuket Update An Army colonel is under investigation after he was allegedly recorded threatening a Navy officer for breaking up an underground casino in Chalong

hollywoodreporter.com Prince Alwaleed, the 34th richest man in the world according to Forbes with an estimate wealth of $24.8 billion, has lashed out at Donald Trump following the GOP candidate's call for a ''complete shutdown'' of Muslims entering the US. ''You are a disgrace not only to the GOP but to all America. Withdraw from the US presidential race as you will never win,'' the Saudi tweeted.

bangkokpost.com Thailand has dropped from ninth place to 12th in the world ranking of automobile manufacturers as European production has recovered, according to a local industry executive.

Phuket Update More than 20 members from the Phuket Farmers Association joined their counterparts nationwide last week to protest a controversial bill regulating genetically modified organisms (GMOs).

bangkokpost.com Briton Leslie Murphy, 69, suffered facial injuries after being hit with a motorcycle helmet by two transvestites when he rejected their offer of sex.

cnn.com North Korean girl band Moranbang have canceled their shows in Beijing, China's National Center for the Performing Arts (NCPA) confirmed. Famously handpicked by North Korean dictator Kim Jong Un, they were originally scheduled to perform a week of shows in Beijing in a bid to improve relations between the two countries.

bangkokpost.com Authorities are investigating the source of the oil that coated two sea turtles trapped in an abandoned fishing net and rescued by local fishermen in Chumphon.

abc.net.au Prolific character actor Harry Morgan, who appeared in more than 100 films but was best known for his role as Colonel Sherman Potter in the popular television series MASH, has died at his Los Angeles home aged 96.



xinhua Myanmar police are investigating human trafficking cases involving 93 child victims in November alone, a record number compared to that of previous months, according to Myanmar's Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division. The authorities saved more than 500 out of 617 victims including about 100 children this year.



afp Skipper Jason Holder insisted his West Indies team's massive innings defeat to Australia in the first Test - by an innings and 212 runs - was not a step backwards.



December 11-13 2015 Wake Park World Series on Phuket

December 26 Tsunami memorial ceremonies

December 26-January 5 Red Cross Fair, Saphan Hin, Phuket City



January 7-10 Phuket International Boat Show