supersport.com Phuket-based Canadian Lindsay Renolds stayed on track to win his first Asian Tour title, shooting a second round 68 at the Philippine Open on Saturday.

smh.com.au News of Guus Hiddink's appointment as Chelsea caretaker coach was revealed to the world by none other than Football Federation Australia.


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



Phuket Update A prisoner with a respiratory condition who escaped from being handcuffed to a bed at a Phuket hospital was recaptured at Phuket City's Saphan Hin park last night. The man, arrested over a large construction company fraud, may be required to take his medicine in the island's jail from now on, police said.

bangkokpost.com Don Muang airport will open part of the refurbished Terminal 2 starting on December 24 to ease the strain on overcrowded Terminal 1 during the holiday travel season.

Phuket Update Two men killed early yesterday when a pickup heading north at speed crashed into a post near King Power in Phuket's Chao Fa Road West may have been new arrivals on the holiday island, police believe. Phuket ranks among the worst provinces in Thailand for road deaths.



AP The European Union warned Thailand that it should ''promptly'' address the human rights and slavery issues that have dogged its seafood industry if it wants to stave off an EU seafood import ban.



stuff.co.nz A convicted pedophile found working as a teacher in Thailand has been deported to New Zealand after his arrest for suspected child sex offences. Peter Dundas Walbran, who holds Australian and New Zealand citizenship, was arrested on December 9 in Ubon Ratchthani.

express.co.uk A British backpacker who may have ''pranked'' his family by telling them he had been kidnapped on Phi Phi STILL hasn't contacted them days after he was found safe, it has emerged.

ft.com For all their differences, Pablo Iglesias and Albert Rivera have something in common: millions of voters look to them as the standard bearers for political change in Spain - and are set to back their upstart parties in the country's general election on Sunday.

nationmultimedia.com Authorities confiscated Bt40 million worth of elephant tusks and pangolin scales at Samui International Airport earlier this month, Customs Department's director-general Kulis Sombatsiri said. Sent from Nigeria, the haul was destined for Laos.

reuters A Canadian man who authorities say killed his British friend in self-defence after the two drank a hallucinogenic brew at a spiritual retreat in the Amazon has been released, a police chief said.

afp More people died of drug overdoses last year in the United States than ever before, largely due to disturbing increases in prescription painkillers and heroin use, health authorities said.

theage.com.au The leader of Bali's notorious Laskar gang has apologised over a deadly battle with a rival gang and ''guaranteed'' Bali would be safe over Christmas and New Year.

bloomberg All 10 major Asian currencies are likely to end 2015 down against the US dollar for the third year, strategists say. They blame China.



bernama The National Bank of Cambodia (NBC), or Central Bank, has issued Asean Commemorative Coins to mark the establishment of the Asean Community on December 31, 2015.



December 25 Christmas Day

December 26 2004 Tsunami memorial ceremonies

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



January 7-10 Phuket International Boat Show