UPDATING All Day, Every Day
theguardian.com Israeli naval commandos have launched an early morning raid on a beach in the north of Gaza City, as the coastal enclave suffered the bloodiest day yet of the six-day Israeli assault, with 54 Palestinians reported killed.
bangkokpost.com Thirty illegal Phuket beach bars and restaurants have been torn down and more than 110 ''mafia'' taxi operators and four officials arrested. Maj Gen Paween Pongsir said the jet-ski problem had not been solved, and that they should be banned all together.
PhuketWATCH Daily Media Wrap
PHUKET: The daily wrap of Thailand news, with a Phuket perspective, plus relevant reports from national and international media. Beware of inconsistent imitations.
Today's Top News Items
bangkokpost.com Going to Paris to help Thaksin Shinawatra celebrate his 65th birthday will not be a piece of cake. It may be a party, but it looks political, so supporters have to ask General Prayuth Chan-ocha first.
theage.com.au After years of dismissing speculation about his sexuality, Australia's best-ever swimmer Ian Thorpe has revealed he is gay. Thorpe, who set 22 world records and won five Olmpic Gold Medals, made the admission in a tell-all interview with Sir Michael Parkinson.
news.com.au Online giant Amazon has sought permission for drone test flights in the United States, saying it is moving forward on plans for deliveries using the unmanned aircraft.
andrew-drummond.com It's late at Samui's most famous nightclub The Green Mango and the customers, several of whom have just passed out of school and awaiting university, are dancing away to the beat - when in the mayhem one falls to the floor.
Is Island Justice Still Island Justice?
http://www.andrew-drummond.com/2014/07/a-koh-samui-attack-how-will-dice-roll.html
World Cup Latest
Agencies Hosts Brazil exited to boos from their fans as they trooped off after the final humiliation of losing to the Netherlands 3-0 in their third place match of the World Cup.
World Cup Final Sunday
Germany v Argentina.
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Phuket World of People
Phuket Update Trang to Phuket bus staffer Pathompong Charunprik, 29, was arrested after confessing to stealing two Mac notebook computers belonging to Chinese tourist Ms Guo Ywei, 24, who boarded in Krabi. On arrival she complained to Phuket Tourist Police.
bangkokpost.com No other news, not even the recent coup, has sent bigger shockwaves across the country than the rape and murder of a 13-year-old girl, allegedly by an intoxicated State Railway of Thailand (SRT) employee on an overnight train bound for Bangkok.
humanrights.asia The Asian Human Rights Commission is gravely concerned that during the past two weeks, the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO), the ruling military junta, has revoked the passports of at least nine Thai citizens.
bangkokpost.com Police in Ayutthaya continue to hunt for the killer of Khlao, a 50-year-old male elephant poisoned for its tusks on Friday. The killing was discovered on the same day that the global watchdog agency for endangered species said Thailand was facing an international wildlife trade ban unless it could rein in the ivory sector, which is a magnet for traffickers.
Phuket Update Marine Police on Phuket are checking tourist boats over the holiday weekend to make sure each vessel has an adequate number of lifejackets. Random drug tests on crew members have produced no positive results so far.
theguardian.com Secretary of State John Kerry said both of Afghanistan's presidential candidates were committed to abiding by the results of the "largest and most comprehensive audit" of the election runoff ballots possible.
nationmultimedia.com Letter; I don't believe Thailand, nor any other country needs the sham Western Democracy, designed for outside control. Thomas Turk.
Phuketfoxnews.com The drummer of The Ramones punk rock group, Tommy Ramone, died in New York, according to the band's Facebook page. He was 62.
Around the Asean Region
thedailybeast.com Headline: How the Sultan of Brunei Violated His Sharia Law With Me. As a teenager, I was the mistress of his brother - who ''gave'' me as a gift to the sultan. And in just one night, we committed at least two offenses under his newly implemented Sharia penal code.
thedailybeast.com Four journalists and the CEO of their newspaper were sentenced to ten years' hard labor each in Burma this week, sparking outrage from campaigners who say the conviction is a crushing blow to recent media reforms in the country.
theguardian.com State-run libraries in Singapore have deemed a children's book about two male penguins raising a baby chick inappropriate and are to destroy all copies following complaints the content was against the city-state's family values.
straitstimes.com Police will have to wait for the results of all the laboratory tests carried out on the body of Estonian model Regina Soosalu before deciding on further action. Police were also in the midst of questioning the seven people detained in the case, including Soosalu's boyfriend Tengku Alang Reza Ibrahim.
nzherald.co.nz The diplomat who left New Zealand after being charged with sexually assaulting a woman in May will be brought back at Malaysia's expense. Muhammad Rizalman bin Ismail, 38, was charged with burglary and assault with intent to rape.
Phuket World of Sport
theguardian.com A record last wicket Test stand of 198 between James Anderson and Joe Root surpassed the previous highest of 163. England reduced India to 3-167 in their second innings, a lead of 128 for the tourists, by stumps on day four of the first Test.
Coming Events on Phuket
Until July 13 Kathu Culture Street Festival
July 16-20 Phuket Race Week yachting, Cape Panwa
August 11 Special holiday for Queen's Birthday
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
OMG, Thorpe's gay, who would have guessed....come on media, you are hyping this up far too much, it's not as though most of us hadn't guessed years ago.Today in Oz we have celebrities coming out in support and asking for understanding and to give Thorpe "privacy" well, it's them and the media who are focusing attention on him, most of us don't really care.
Posted by Laurie Howells on July 13, 2014 08:32