reuters In a televised speech to mark six months since a military-appointed legislature chose him as prime minister, Prayuth Chan-ocha said his government was sticking to its plans to restore democratic rule and that the generals were not abusing their power.

channelnewsasia.com The first draft of Thailand's new Constitution - the country's 20th since 1932 - has been completed, nearly a year since the military coup voided its previous charter.


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 Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Friday will deliver a report on his government's first six months in office. It will be broadcast live from Government House at 9am, PM's Office deputy spokesman Maj Gen Sansern Kaewkamnerd said.

washingtonpost.com In the early-morning hours of April 11, Joshua M. Devine vanished during a boating trip to the scenic Similan Islands, a popular location for divers off the coast of Thailand. Five days later, that is still virtually all that is agreed upon about his disappearance.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/checkpoint/wp/2015/04/16/in-mystery-u-s-army-veteran-goes-missing-from-dive-boat-off-thailand/

AP Relatives are flying to Thailand to search for a Connecticut National Guardsman who disappeared from a scuba diving trip off Phuket.

ft.com Thai households are piling on debt - and there is no easy way out for the former Southeast Asian economic powerhouse that has fallen on harder times and is now under military rule.



worldpolicy.org Among the most pressing internal issues Myanmar faces today is the status of its Rohingya people, especially amid religious extremism and the government's nonchalance.



bangkokpost.com Life is back to normal at the tourist-friendly island, of Samui as the military interrogates a security guard and investigates an alleged bomb plot hatched by Samui Muslims.

nationmultimedia.com The turnout of inbound tourists for the Thai New Year was disappointing due to limited airline capacity and the bombing in Samui before Songkran. Shockwaves also affected Phuket. Hotels in Samui and Phuket were about 70 percent sold this week, compared to 60 percent in the other weeks of April.

hrw.org Thai authorities should drop criminal proceedings against two journalists for reporting on trafficking of ethnic Rohingya ''boat people,'' Human Rights Watch said today. Alan Morison and Chutima Sidasathian, the editor and correspondent of the news website Phuketwan, were charged one year ago, on April 17, 2014, with criminal defamation and the Computer Crimes Act based on a complaint filed by the Thai navy.
http://www.hrw.org/news/2015/04/16/thailand-drop-charges-against-phuket-journalists

nationmultimedia.com Editorial: Thailand does not seem to be ready for the truth given the way the government and military spokesmen have been putting a spin on the recent car-bomb attacks at a major shopping mall in Samui, one of the most important tourist destinations in the country

cnn.com Muslims who were among migrants trying to get from Libya to Italy in a boat this week threw 12 fellow passengers overboard - killing them - because the 12 were Christians, Italian police said. Italian authorities have arrested 15 people on suspicion of murder.

nationmultimedia.com Chinese tourists are being advised to avoid bad behavior while travelling in Thailand as it could harm this country's tourism image. Kasian Watanachaopisut, president of the Thai-Chinese Tourism Alliance Association, said the group had issued a manual specifically for Chinese tourists, featuring Dos and Don'ts. Phuket is a popular destination.

bangkokpost.com The editor of the Bangkok Post has issued a statement in reply to an article published by the Columbia Journalism Review.
http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/general/530563/bangkok-post-statement

nationmultimedia.com The Songkran holiday saw 364 deaths and 3559 injuries - higher than last year. This year saw 42 more deaths, 334 more injuries and 381 more accidents. Phuket was fatality free.

investopedia.com Steven LePoidevin, InternationalLiving.com Thailand Correspondent, names Krabi Town - a riverside town that features a number of cozy cafes and inexpensive restaurants - as Thailand's best city among seven top cities if you???re looking for a peaceful retirement. Or you might just want to be sure that you're not far from Thailand's famed beaches. Phuket, for example.
http://www.investopedia.com/articles/personal-finance/041615/top-7-cities-retiring-thailand.asp

huffingtonpost.com After the decimation of his species by poachers, Sudan the rhino finds himself in an extremely precarious position: He is the last male northern white rhinoceros on the planet. According to The Independent, the 40-year-old animal has been put under 24-hour armed guard in the Kenya game conservancy where he lives.

zeenews.india.com Thailand's troubled national carrier Thai Airways hopes to turn the corner by next year following the implementation of a business rehabilitation plan which entails divesting ageing aircraft and non-core assets and lowering the fleet size.

TNN India's Congress vice-president Rahul Gandhi returned to Delhi from Bangkok after his almost two-month long ''unexplained'' sabbatical, which had raised questions over his leadership of the party that is struggling to find its feet after a string of electoral defeats.



thehill.com The government of Myanmar has hired lobbyists in Washington for the first time in more than a decade, signing a contract worth $840,000 with the Podesta Group. Myanmar, also known as Burma, has had a tumultuous history. The contract comes ahead of crucial elections in the country later this year, which could go a long way toward determining whether the country's rapprochement with the US continues.

Try Phuketwan's Asean Today daily:
http://phuketwan.com/tourism/asean-today-burma-spends-big-spin-sex-slaves-freed-killing-fields-turn-pet-cats-top-menu-bali-booze-ban-22272/



teamtalk.com Liverpool striker Mario Balotelli is the most abused Premier League footballer on social media - and Chelsea are the most abused club. That is according to research which shows for the first time the true extent of the number of abusive messages sent to players, clubs and fans on the Internet.



Until April 19 Phuket Bike Week

May 4 Additional public holiday scheduled

June 20-21 Baba wedding at Old Phuket Town

July 15-19 Cape Panwa Hotel Phuket Raceweek