abc.net.au Finland is planning to pay all of its citizens, regardless of income levels, 800 euros per month as part of its plan for a national basic income. According to the Finnish Social Insurance Institution (Kela) the payment would replace all other benefit packages. It is hoped the plan will decrease unemployment rates, which were at high levels of 8.7 per cent in October. [Ed: Expect to find more Finns living on Phuket.]

ft.com France's far-right National Front party recorded a historic victory in the first round of the country's regional elections on Sunday, winning 28 percent of the vote and delivering a blow to traditional parties.


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 Immigration police have questioned three Syrians who overstayed their visas - and believe they have no links to the Islamic State group.

nationmultimedia.com Under the new Asean Economic Blueprint 2025, Thailand must work harder to deepen economic integration with Asean. It is a shame that this government has not been able to fulfil its Asean pledges in time by year-end, even though there was no political meddling involved. Quite frankly, beyond the hype and hullabaloo, the overall qualities of Thailand's preparedness are still very mediocre.

wsj.com Senior Indian and Pakistani officials met in Bangkok on Sunday in a step aimed at reducing tensions between the estranged, nuclear-armed neighbors. The meeting came a week after India's prime minister, Narendra Modi, and his Pakistani counterpart, Nawaz Sharif, met on the sidelines of a climate conference in Paris.



nationmultimedia.com Gilles Garachon, the newly appointed French ambassador to Bangkok, has expressed sympathetic views on Thailand's ongoing political transition towards a democratic path, saying the current regime led by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-o-cha was considered ''moderate''. France cared about human rights but he had not noticed events that were worrisome during this transition period.

Phuket Update The crackdown on drunk driving saw Phuket police arrest more than 200 people for driving under the influence (DUI) last month.

bangkokpost.com A former outlaw motorcycle gang boss who was staying at the Pattaya home that a murdered Australian drug dealer was abducted from last week has been allowed to leave Thailand. Amad ''Jay'' Malkoun, a notorious underworld figure in the Australian state of Victoria, claimed he slept through the attack in which five men stormed into the home of Wayne Rodney Schneider, beat him and kidnapped him.

Thailand Update The Pacific Asia Travel Association and the Tourism Authority of Thailand will stage the first adventure mart in Thailand next year, with the aim of promoting more destinations throughout the region and boosting arrivals from niche markets. The Adventure Travel and Responsible Tourism Conference and Mart will be held at Dusit Island Resort in Chiang Rai on February 17-19.

bangkokpost.com Tourism Minister Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul says foreigners who attend sporting events spend 10 percent more, so she wants to see more events including muay Thai.

AP A huge explosion killed the governor of Yemen's southern Aden province and six of his bodyguards, security officials said, in an attack that was later claimed by a local Islamic State affiliate.

afp France's far-right National Front scored record results in regional polls on Sunday, according to early estimates, garnering between 27.2 to 30.8 percent of the vote.

reuters At least one worker was killed and 30 others were missing after an Azeri oil platform caught fire during high winds in the Caspian Sea, state energy company SOCAR said.

independent.co.uk Considerable mystery still surrounds what drove US-born Syed Rizwan Farook, 28, and his spouse, Tashfeen Malik, 29, a native of Pakistan, to open fire on a gathering of employees of the San Bernardino Health Department last Wednesday. The two were later killed in a police shootout.

nytimes.com Former US president Jimmy Carter, who has been undergoing treatment for cancer that was removed from his liver but had spread to his brain, says he is free of the disease.

macaudailytimes.com.mo Thailand's AirAsia branch, which recently inaugurated a new route with direct flights to Pattaya, is considering adding Krabi to its destination list. Newspaper Tribuna de Macau cited the general director of the AirAsia group for Greater China, Celia Lao, expressing the company's intention to expand. However, she did not advance a date yet for the start of the prospective route.



elevenmyanmar.com The tourism sector will create more than two million more jobs within the next five years, says Tin Tun, general secretary of the Myanmar Tourism Federation. ''This estimation is likely to be based on tourist arrivals. It may be true if tourist arrivals hit eight or nine million in the upcoming years. It may bring benefits to many people,'' he added.



afp Jurgen Klopp's Liverpool resurgence ran aground as Georginio Wijnaldum inspired Newcastle United to a much-needed 2-0 home win that eased the pressure on their manager Steve McClaren.



sail-world.com The day before King's Cup racing starts, there are 150 entries including keelboats boats at current listing: 13 divisions from the ocean greyhounds of IRC 0, the 40-somethings in IRC 1 and then IRC 2, and the comfy boats of IRC Premier (total 24).Biggest division is Bareboat Charter joined by Open Charter (total 19). The Cruising Class, Classics and Modern Classics make up 21, and there are 24 multihulls - probably the biggest collection of cats and tris at any regatta in this part of the world.

December 10 Constitution Day

December 11 Thailand Bike for Dad

December 11-13 2015 Wake Park World Series on Phuket

December 26 Tsunami memorial ceremonies



January 7-10 Phuket International Boat Show