bbc.com Soldiers have detained Chaturon Chaisang, a prominent minister in the ousted Thai government, who emerged from hiding to criticise last week's coup. Human rights groups, meanwhile, have expressed alarm over the tight restrictions on the media and over the detention of dozens of people.

reuters Thailand's military rulers will settle down to work at their Bangkok headquarters on Tuesday, firmly in charge after royal endorsement but facing small protests that so far the security forces have handled with restraint.

afp A Vietnamese fishing boat was rammed and sunk by a Chinese vessel amid a tense territorial confrontation in the South China Sea over Beijing's deployment of an oil rig, a Vietnamese official said


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 Tourism operators have called on the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) to push back the curfew from 10pm until midnight in some tourism destinations. The extra two hours would benefit tourism in destinations far from political conflict such as Phuket, Krabi, Koh Samui and Hua Hin.

news.com.au The pilots of a Singapore Airlines plane have been left a little red-faced after it struck an aerobridge at Sydney Airport this morning. It is believed the A380 had just landed and was pulling into the gates when one of its engines impacted the aerobridge.

bangkokpost.com Editorial: [Human trafficking] is the dirtiest business in the world, because it degrades, enslaves and ruins the lives of people. It is a shame Thailand is about to be named among the worst violators. The military regime came to power with no approval from any foreign country or organisation. By taking up human trafficking as a national issue, it can earn much needed support.

nationmultimedia.com Junta leader General Prayuth Chan-ocha threatened tougher action against law violators, particularly opponents of the military's power seizure, in a move that is in line with the junta's priority of maintaining law and order. Prayuth, however, did not answer a reporter's question as to whether he would become interim prime minister.

bangkokpost.com The farmers are finally getting their long-overdue payment for the pledged rice crops, as the military orders the BAAC to make 90 billion available to pay all farmers in full within a month.

nationmultimedia.com In a letter addressed to General Prayuth Chan-ocha, The Nation called on the NCPO to release its senior journalist Pravit Rojanaphruk from military custody as soon as possible.

bangkokpost.com Thirteen core anti-government protest leaders led by Suthep Thaugsuban were released on bail after reporting themselves to Department of Special Investigation officials to face insurrection charges related to their roles in the anti-government street protests.

cnn.com Raw satellite data about missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370 will be released Tuesday, a Malaysian official said.



dpa Two journalists are to go on trial in March on charges of defaming the Thai Navy, for posting online an article on human trafficking, one of the defendants said. Phuket Criminal Court set March 18-20 as the trial date for Australian Alan Morison, editor of news website PhuketWan, and his Thai reporter Chutima Sidahathian, Morison said.

'Tale of Two Thailands': how the nation is experiencing the coup
Phuket-based Australian journalist Alan Morison has likened the experience of post-coup Thailand to something out of Kafka or Orwell.
http://www.radioaustralia.net.au/international/radio/program/asia-pacific/tale-of-two-thailands-how-the-nation-is-experiencing-the-coup/1316636/

Phuket Update Former MP and businesswoman Chalermlak Kebsub, 50, has begun work as Mayor of Patong after her poll victory was confirmed by the Election Commission: ''The first thing I am going to do is to prepare to solve the flood problem, followed by the garbage problem then the Mafia.''

phuketindex.com There's no doubt that one of the biggest questions being asked by those who are travelling to Phuket in the very near future is whether it is safe for them to do so. The answer to that question is a simple yes.

nationmultimedia.com Improved infrastructure, transport facilities and airports in key Thai cities including Phuket are expected to increase inbound tourism from 25 million to 40 million people within the next five years, said Supaluck Umpujh, vice chairwoman of The Mall Group Co.

Phuket Update The president of the Tourism Council of Thailand, Piyaman Tejapaibul, has petitioned the coup commander to lift the nightly curfew in Phuket and other tourist spots throughout the country.

AP The Obama administration has accidentally revealed the name of the CIA's top official in Afghanistan in an email to thousands of journalists. The officer's name - identified as ''chief of station'' in Kabul - was included by US embassy staff on a list of 15 senior American officials who met with President Obama during his surprise Saturday visit to Bagram Air Field.

cnn.com Marine Le Pen's Front National extreme-right party came top in France's European elections, with 25.41 percent of the vote. This is a historic achievement for the 46-year-old daughter of Jean-Marie Le Pen, the party's founder.

reuters South African Olympic and Paralympic sprinter Oscar Pistorius checked in as a day patient to Pretoria's Weskoppies psychiatric hospital for the first day of a month of mental tests ordered by the judge overseeing his murder trial.

io9.com Surgeons from the UPMC Presbyterian Hospital in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, are set to begin suspended animation trials by dramatically cooling down trauma victims in an effort to keep them alive during critical operations.



travelweekly.com.au Tourism Malaysia remains confident of achieving its 2014 international visitation target, despite challenges as the spectre of missing Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 lingers.

irishmirror.ie Expats in Bali have appealed for help identifying a mysterious ''Irishman'' who turned up on the streets with horrific leg injuries. The man, believed to be in his mid 20s, has been spotted a number of times.

colombopage.com The Malaysian police following the arrest of three members of Sri Lanka's defunct Tamil terrorist group Liberation Tigers of Tamil Eelam (LTTE), have launched an operation to hunt down more members of the group, Malaysian media reported.



Samui Update The 13th Samui Regatta got underway with a 23-strong fleet of mainly international boats competing in what has become known as the Tropical Island Regatta. With an impressive IRC fleet lining up to battle it out over five days, the first day proved to be both challenging and satisfying for fans.

smh.com.au Third seed Stanislas Wawrinka tumbled out of the French Open in the firstround, losing to Guillermo Garc??a-Lapez of Spain, 6-4, 5-7, 6-2, 6-0.



July 11 Arsanha Bucha Day

July 16-20 Phuket Race Week yachting, Cape Panwa

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