afp One of Thailand's most prestigious universities apologised after students created a large mural depicting Adolf Hitler among a host of comic book superheroes during graduation celebrations.

bangkokpost.com As one of the founding members of Asean, Thailand has long played an active role in regional development, but it must do more if it wants to achieve meaningful benefits from the Asean Economic Community. Improvements in the education system and English-language skills are at the top of the list.

news.sky.com Violent clashes have broken out between police and protesters in Los Angeles in the wake of George Zimmerman's acquittal. The LAPD says officers fired non-lethal bean bag rounds to disperse the crowd after protesters threw batteries and rocks at police.


PHUKET: The daily wrap of Thailand news, with a Phuket perspective, plus relevant reports from national and international media. Beware of inconsistent imitations.

Phuket Update Police on Phuket have used security camera footage to arrest three teenagers who had stolen nine motorcycles. The three are headed for juvenile detention.

nationmultimedia.com Tourism between Thailand and Japan is blossoming. Japanese are coming to the Land of Smiles in droves after the Tourism Authority of Thailand launched more aggressive campaigns. Most Japanese are quality tourists.

dailymail.co.uk Athletics was plunged into turmoil after it was revealed that two of the sport's biggest names had failed drugs tests. Tyson Gay, the fastest man in the world this year, has tested positive for an unidentified substance and former world record-holder Asafa Powell was among five Jamaican athletes to have failed drugs tests for a banned stimulant.

go-jamaice.com Police in Italy have reportedly detained a physical trainer who had been living with Asafa Powell, and providing him with supplements, that may have contributed to his positive drug test for Methylsynephrine, The Gleaner understands.



Phuket Update Phuket Vice Governor Dr Sommai Preechasin was the special guest at a Bastille Day celebration last night at the Royal Phawadee Resort in Patong. The guests, mostly French expats, enjoyed the Thai culture on show by young dancers from Patong's Sainamyen School. (See our photo album above.)

telegraph.co.uk Britain will offer Burma military training and official assistance to tackle its internal conflicts during a groundbreaking official visit by President Thein Sein to meet David Cameron that was due to begin on Sunday night.

mcot Ninety cats were seized and taken into protective custody in northeastern Nakhon Phanom when local authorities arrested members of an illegal transnational cat trade gang, preparing the cats to be smuggled out to Vietnam for use as cat meat in unusual specialty cuisine.

reuters US President Barack Obama called for calm after the acquittal of George Zimmerman in the shooting death of black teenager Trayvon Martin as hundreds of civil rights demonstrators turned out at rallies to condemn racial profiling.

israelnationalnews.com Thailand's Chulalong University has come under fire for displaying a mural depicting Adolph Hitler as a superhero, along with Superman and Batman. The mural, outside the University's Faculty of Fine and Applied Arts building, has attracted a great deal of attention as passersby pose to take photographs, some of whom perform the Nazi salute.

nationmultimedia.com With the dengue death toll already hitting 71 this year, the Public Health Ministry is fighting back to stop the spread of the Aedes mosquitoes that carry the disease. Chiang Mai, Ubon Ratchathani, Chiang Rai and Bangkok are among the provinces with the highest incidences.

bangkokpost.com The anti-government V for Thailand group resumed their weekend gathering on Sunday at the King Rama VI statue at Lumpini Park on Rama IV Road. About 800 protesters showed up. The number was far below the group's previous rally which reached over 3000 at its peak.

irishtimes.com France has known more auspicious Bastille Days. The president was booed by opponents of same-sex marriage as he descended the Champs-Elysees. The annual projection of military might was whittled down to save money: 265 vehicles, 35 percent fewer than last year; a 12 percent reduction in the 35 helicopters and 58 aircraft trailing blue, white and red smoke.

bbc.co.uk JK Rowling has secretly written a crime novel under the guise of male debut writer Robert Galbraith. The book had sold 1500 copies before the secret emerged in the Sunday Times. Within hours, it rose more than 5000 places to top Amazon's sales list.

smh.com.au A 23-year-old Australian woman is among five people injured when they were gored by bulls on the final day of the fiesta in Spain.

nzherald.co.nz It's hard to beat Thailand's beaches. But where to go if you've been to Phuket and Koh Samui, the most popular choice of tourists, and you'd like to try somewhere slightly less crowded? The coastal province of Krabi is your best bet.



channel4.com England lead the Ashes series 1-0 after beating Australia by 14 runs in the first test at Trent Bridge. An inside edge through to the wicket keeper -- or was it? England's appeals turned down by the on-field umpire, then captain Alastair Cook's call for a video review.

independent.co.uk Of course, there was nothing dubious about the final act of England's triumph.

smh.com.au It's a bizarre new age when teams are measured as much by referrals as by runs and wickets.

sportskeeda.com Thailand defeated Australia 3-1 on the first day of the 10th international women's volleyball tournament in Vietnam's northern Ninh Binh province.

telegraph.co.uk Phil Mickelson bounced back from scorning a winning chance on what should have been the final hole to win the Scottish Open by beating Branden Grace on the first hole of a sudden-death play-off.

goal.com The Gunners notched six second-half goals to produce a flattering scoreline 7-0 as Chuba Akpom, Kristoffer Olsson and Thomas Eisfeld all also got themselves of the scoresheet in a friendly against the Indonesia All Stars.



July 17-21 Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek

July 20-21 Toyota Motorsport Festival Phuket City

July 22 Arsarnha Bucha Day

August 12 HM The Queen's Birthday

October 5-13 Phuket Vegetarian Festival

October 23 Chulalongkorn Memorial Day

October 29-November 3 Womens' volleyball, Karon beach

November 17 Loy Kratong Day

November 24-December 1 Challenge Laguna Phuket Tri-Fest. Laguna Phuket

December 5 HM The King's birthday



January 9-12 Phuket International Boat Show, Royal Phuket Marina

November 14-21 Fourth Asia Beach Games, Phuket