bbc.com Ukrainian forces have launched an operation against pro-Russian activists who seized a police station, the interior minister says.


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 Crashes killed 39 people and injured 402 others on Friday - first day of the seven-day campaign to reduce the road toll throughout Thailand. On Phuket, officials recorded two crashes, two people injured, one admission to hospital and no deaths.

bangkokpost.com Manning checkpoints and 176 bunkers to provide security in the politically tense capital is not anyone's idea of a holiday. But the army is making amends to 8700 men by bringing their families to Bangkok.

nationmultimedia.com Caretaker Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and anti-government protest leader Suthep Thaugsuban are the politicians people would most like to have a water fight with during Songkran, a Suan Dusit Poll has found.

reuters A powerful magnitude 7.6 earthquake struck near the Solomon Islands on Sunday morning, triggering a tsunami warning that was later cancelled, according to US government agencies. There were no immediate reports of damage.

ft.com The US Department of Justice and the Federal Bureau of Investigation are investigating Herbalife, the multi-level nutrition and weight loss marketing company that hedge fund manager Bill Ackman has alleged is a pyramid scheme, according to people familiar with the matter.

pattayatoday.net Herbalife's Fun Run & Walk event drew more than 400 independent distributors to Pattaya for an energetic parade of athletes.



nst.com.my A crew member of Malaysia Airlines flight MH370 made a desperate call from his mobile phone as the plane was flying low near Penang, the morning it went missing. The latest breakthrough in the ongoing criminal investigation traced the source of the call to co-pilot Fariq Abdul Hamid's phone.

independent.co.uk Hishammuddin Hussein, Malaysia's acting Transport Minister, denied the claims and said many leads from local and foreign media had been baseless. ''If this did happen, we would have known about it earlier,'' he told the paper.

dailymail.co.uk Search teams will 'stop listening for pings' from missing Malaysia Airlines Flight 370's black box unless new signals are picked up, it has been revealed.

mirror.co.uk The US has flatly denied claims that missing Flight MH370 had landed at its military base on the remote island of Diego Garcia. There have been rumors that the jetliner could have headed for the small coral atoll in the Indian Ocean after it veered off course.



Phuket Quote Departing Phuket Senator Tunyaratt Achariyachai: ''I can remember how beautiful Phuket's beaches were. I would like to restore them to their former glory so everyone can understand how special Phuket really is.''

thephuketnews.com The Mayor of Rassada, Phudit Raksarat, has filed a complaint with police in an attempt to stop land developer Boonkeng Srisansuchart filling in any more of a 150-rai tin mine lake that is surrounded by land he owns in the Samkong district of Phuket City.

andrew-drummond.com British journalist Andrew Drummond who has fought and won eleven out of 12 criminal libel cases brought by a group consisting predominantly of foreigners in Thailand was in talks this week with a Thai cabinet Minister and Deputy Prime Minister.

Phuket Update Sailors from USS Hopper will enjoy Songkran on Phuket today then on Tuesday take part in a COMSERV landscaping project at Home & Life Orphanage in Phang Nga, north of Phuket. They will be joined by volunteers from Phuket and the Royal Thai Navy.



dvb.no Eradicating corruption in Burma is inextricably linked to greater media freedom, said Sam Zarifi, regional director of the International Commission of Jurists. Those freedoms took a hit this month with the jailing of DVB correspondent Zaw Pe, which Human Rights Watch described as an attempt to ''intimidate the press and curtail their ability to investigate corruption and malfeasance.''

karennews.org An advocacy group called for investigation into Britain's decision to give millions in aid money to assist the Burma government's census as international criticism mounts. [Australian money has also funded the national survey.] Mark Farmener, Director of Burma Campaign UK, claimed that the census trampled human rights.

scmp.com Kalashnikov-wielding gunmen seized a police station and a security building in Ukraine's restive eastern industrial heartland amid spreading protests to press for the Russia-leaning region to join Kremlin rule.

bangkokpost.com Rice, sugar and rubber output is at risk because of prolonged drought, likely to be aggravated by an El Nino this year, says Thailand's government forecaster

scmp.com Hong Kong women are being kept in slave-like conditions in Australian brothels and some local travel agencies are facilitating the abuse, according to media reports and advocacy groups. The women are brought to Australia on tourist visas.

nationmultimedia.com Titan Nova shared a graphic of ''hand signals'' to be used in water battles over Songkran. They include an "OK" hand gesture that means, ''A lot of pretty ladies this way''. All the signals are used with a (water) gun in one hand.



goal.com The Gunners, outplayed in periods by Wigan, needed a penalty shoot-out to book their place in the showpiece, and must raise their game if they are to end their trophy drought. Wigan 1-1 Arsenal Pens 2-4.

independent.co.uk Chalk one up for the Round Bellies. Fifty-year-old Miguel Angel Jimenez's six-under-par 66 equalled the Masters record for a score by a player over 50. He shares the honor with fellow wrinklies Ben Hogan (third round in 1967) and Fred Couples (first round in 2010).

bbc.co.uk Former champion Bubba Watson and debutant Jordan Spieth will take a one-shot lead into the final round of the Masters at Augusta. Watson struggled to a two-over 74 while Spieth, 20, shot 70 to set the pace at five under on a baking day in Georgia.

afp Barcelona's La Liga title hopes suffered a huge blow as they lost 1-0 at Granada on Saturday to slip to a second consecutive defeat.

skysports.com Fulham and Cardiff City both picked up vital victories in the battle for Premier League survival as Everton moved into the top four after beating bottom club Sunderland. West Brom blew a three-goal lead in a six-goal thriller at home to Tottenham, while Crystal Palace climbed up to 12th in the table after edging Aston Villa.



April 13 Songkran New Year Water Festival

Until April 20 Phuket International Cricket, Republic Ground, Chalong

Until April 19 Phuket Bike Week

April 20-27 Phuket Pride Week

April 26 Vote for mayor in Patong, alcohol sales banned in election area from 6pm April 25 to midnight April 26

April 30 US Embassy Outreach, Le Meridien Phuket Beach Resort, 8am-noon.

May 24 Visakha Bucha Day

July 11 Arsanha Bucha Day

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