nationmultimedia.com The European Union has joined the chorus of international criticism over National Council for Peace and Order chief General Prayuth Chan-o-cha's decision to invoke Article 44 in the provisional charter, saying the move ''does not bring Thailand closer to democratic and accountable government''.

nytimes.com The attack in which nearly 150 students were killed exposed just how powerless this industrialised, westernised country is in the face of a ruthless terrorist organisation. Many fear that Kenya cannot stop the Shabab, who are clearly trying to fan a religious war.


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 Two Kuwaiti nationals wanted for robberies on Phuket have been arrested on Samui, police said. Mohammad Yahya Murad, 37 and Veezam Kamal Murad, 28, reportedly stole a Rolex watch and other valuables from a Middle East tourist at a luxury resort on Phuket before fleeing to Samui.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/crime/517775/kuwaitis-arrested-for-tourist-resort-robberies

asiatraveltips.com Domestic getaways remained attractive in Thailand. Phuket recorded the highest drop in the report, down 20pc to 2701 THB, with Chiang Mai down 8pc to 1804 THB, the lowest average in the HPI, and Krabi down 3pc to 2891 THB. The latest Hotels.com Hotel Price Index (HPI) shows that Thais paid 75pc more for accommodation when travelling abroad than they did at home in Thailand, with an average room price of 4740 baht per night.

bangkokpost.com Ten irresponsible hotel operators on Koh Ngai in Krabi province are dumping their garbage at popular dive sites off the island, according to the president of a nearby tourism association. The ties on the bags were later loosened and spread the garbage off the island.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/517647/garbage-dumped-at-krabi-dive-sites



nationmultimedia.com Combating human trafficking has been made a national priority in an attempt to remove Thailand from the bottom tier in the US State Department Trafficking in Persons report.

skynews.com.au A World Health Organisation (WHO) representative in Thailand is being accused of keeping his Ethiopian maid in slave-like conditions, the maid's lawyer says.



nationmultimedia.com McDonald's sales in major tourist destinations such as Samui and Phuket have dropped by 30 percent, although that has been offset by growth in greater Bangkok and other provinces which depend more on domestic consumers.

bangkokpost.com Thai Airways International (THAI) confirmed that its Airbus A380 was put out of action for two days when an airport vehicle carrying in-flight food crashed into a wing while the aircraft was parked at Charles de Gaulle airport in Paris.

bbc.com Thailand's aviation sector is under scrutiny after an international safety audit led to a ban on new flights to China, Japan and South Korea. Last week the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) issued an alert flagging ''concerns relating to air operator certification procedures''. As a result, Thai airlines have had to cancel flights, and refund or modify thousands of air tickets.

dailymail.co.uk A man who was lost at sea for 66 days, surviving on just fish and rainwater, has left hospital and is in surprisingly good health. Louis Jordan, 37, who was stranded 200 miles off the coast of North Carolina, suffered no sun damage, was not dehydrated and refused treatment when he was checked over in hospital, despite more than two months exposed to the elements.

reuters Pope Francis, saying he wanted to be a servant of society's neediest, washed and kissed the feet of 12 men and women in a Rome prison housing many hardened criminals.

metro.co.uk Couples in the UK are having significantly less sex and the internet is probably to blame, a leading statistician has claimed. The number of times the average British heterosexual couple get intimate under the sheets has dropped from four times a month in 2000 to three times a month now.

associationsnow.com On April 3, 2010, Apple released the first edition of the iPad - the first mainstream tablet device, and one that's become a fact of life for many business users ever since.

wsj.com Less than 24 hours after global officials met in person to complete the outline of a nuclear accord with Iran, they clashed across the oceans over the details, suggesting a tough course to June 30, the deadline for a final deal.



dpa The value of Malaysia's exports dropped by 9.7 percent year-on-year in February, dragged down by lower commodity prices and weak global demand, the government said.

Try Phuketwan's Asean Today daily:
http://phuketwan.com/tourism/asean-today-vietnam-open-property-purchase-chinese-rescue-beer-bar-hit-tourism-22173/



April 6 Public Holiday

April 11-19 Phuket Bike Week

April 13-15 Songkran Festival

May 4 Additional public holiday scheduled

June 20-21 Baba wedding at Old Phuket Town

July 15-19 Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek