bloomberg Malaysia's government suspended the publishing permit of the Edge newspaper group, judging that its coverage of debt-ridden 1Malaysia Development Bhd (1MDB) threatens public order and national security, the media company said.

afp Up to 40 migrants who were seeking to reach Europe are feared dead after their inflatable dinghy sank off the coast of Libya, according to survivors interviewed by the UN refugee agency.

irishtimes.com Spain has raised the minimum age for marriage and sexual relations to 16 from 14 and 13 respectively, bringing the country into line with much of Europe after protests from child protection groups.


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



nationmultimedia.com PM Prayuth Chan-o-cha's order to put the Krabi coal-fired power plant project on hold brought an end to the protest outside Government House. Anti-coal activist Prasitchai Noonual said the protesters were happy with the decision to set up a committee of stakeholders to improve the plan to build a 800MW coal-fired power plant in Krabi, which is a popular tourist destination.

nytimes.com The United States and Turkey have reached an agreement for manned and unmanned American warplanes to carry out aerial attacks on the Islamic State from two Turkish air bases, Obama administration officials said.

nationmultimedia.com The continued strength of the US dollar and the weak gold price have led to the baht depreciating to a six-year low, trading at Bt34.84 to the greenback.



nytimes.com As the scale of the operation expanded, agents began to use high-pressure tactics to pack a larger number of boats, recruiting Bangladeshi fortune-seekers as well as Rohingya refugees fleeing persecution in Myanmar (Burma).

Full story here
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/07/24/world/asia/bangladesh-human-trafficking.html?_r=0



yorkshirepost.com The mother and girlfriend of a Leeds University engineering student murdered in Thailand last September have collected his degree after it was awarded posthumously. The trial of two Burmese men accused of murdering David Miller and Hannah Witheridge is underway in Thailand.

bangkokpost.com Police failed to check CCTV footage from the only pier on Koh Tao, says a lawyer for the two Myanmar suspects accused of killing two British backpackers last year.

themalaymailonline.com Penang's marina used to have 102 berths for boats, yachts and catamarans but was closed in 2011 due to deteriorating conditions. Last week, Star Cruises announced its decision to stop its Penang-Krabi cruise and also to move its Superstar Libra home port to Xiamen, China.

thetelegraph.co.uk An incident on board Siberia Airlines Flight 546 from Hong Kong to Vladivostok in Russia ended with a male passenger being restrained in the aisle using a combination of seatbelts and tape. The man was allegedly drunk and abusive to other passengers, prompting several others on board to take the forceful action, according to Vostok Media.

Phuket Update Police are looking for the driver of a distinctive red Volvo V70 who left the car abandoned after crashing into and flattening a lamp post in Srisoonthon, not far from Phuket's famous Heroines monument. Officers plan to question the vehicle's owner.

ynetnews.com An Israeli in her 20s on her way to Thailand on vacation was arrested at a Bangkok airport after security found 13 bullets for an M-16 rifle in her bag.

theguardian.com Faced with an ageing population and a shrinking pool of working-age people, Beijing is rethinking rule that saw most families being able to have just one child.

afp British publisher Pearson said it had agreed to sell its flagship business daily the Financial Times to Japanese media group Nikkei.

foxnews.com Donald Trump made a splashy visit to the US-Mexico border in a bid to draw attention to illegal immigration. But on the sidelines, he was making news for other reasons - his threat to mount an independent run for the White House if the Republican Party won't welcome him.

scmp.com Overseas travel bookings have been intense this summer as mainland Chinese, who made more than 100 million overseas trips last year, embrace new experiences and scenery in nations around the world. Bangkok, Pattaya and Phuket have long been familiar names to mainland tourists, but Samui and Chiang Mai in northern region are two new favorites.

nationmultimedia.com A group of brightly colored baby chickens tied up in a plastic bag has outraged foreigners visiting Koh Lanta, south of Phuket. Tourist Gina Jones, 33, and her husband were strolling down a beach on Lanta when the bright colored fowl being sold as kids toys caught their attention, reported The Daily Mail.

illawarramercury.com.au Snap up this half-price deal for a stay at Centara Kata Resort Phuket and get eight nights for the price of four. You get your eight nights in a Deluxe Room, buffet breakfast daily, return airport transfers by private vehicle and the choice of either a free two-hour Thai massage for two or a free four-hour sightseeing tour for two.



theguardian.com American hip-hop star Chris Brown took to swearing and break-dancing as he ranted about being stranded in the Philippines over a row with an influential sect. The 26-year-old was stopped from leaving the Philippine capital, a day after performing at a Manila concert, amid a fraud complaint filed against him by the indigenous Christian group Iglesia ni Cristo (Church of Christ).



smh.com.au Friends and fans have paid tribute to Formula One driver Jules Bianchi at his funeral in France following a crash in which he was fatally injured.



July Kathu Street Culture festival

August 23-30 Por Tor (Hungry Ghost) Festival

September Quicksilver surf carnival at Patong beach

October 15-23 Phuket Vegetarian Festival

November Patong Festival

November 20 Laguna Phuket Triathlon

November 25 Loy Kratong festival

November 29 Challenge Laguna Phuket 2015

November 29 Phuket King's Cup Regatta

December 26 Tsunami memorial ceremonies