Aussies' Bad War Day; Phuket Shopping Boost Tipped; 'Control Phuket Speedboats' Call

smh.com.au Five Australian soldiers have been killed in two separate incidents in Afghanistan in the past 24 hours, marking one of Australia's darkest days since the Vietnam War.

guardian.co.uk Rescuers have pulled six people from the sea off Indonesia but authorities have grave fears for more than 140 more after a suspected asylum seeker boat disappeared, the Australian government has said.

PhuketWatch Daily Media Wrap

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

nationmultimedia.com Central Retail Corporation is optimistic that the Asean Economic Community will draw more shoppers to Phuket. An increase in the number of local tourists and in-bound travellers to Phuket by up to 35 percent is expected, especially from China and Russia. Central plans additional Phuket investment.

bangkokpost.com Thai AirAsia, Thailand's largest low-cost carrier, posted a 25 percent drop in earnings in the second quarter of this year despite double-digit growth in revenue and passenger volumes. TAA recorded a net profit of 245.79 million baht compared to 328.08 million baht in the same period last year.

bangkokpost.com King Power Duty Free Co has proposed a surprisingly high return to Airports of Thailand in its bid for the contract to run the duty-free and commercial areas at Don Muang airport. The proposal for the business at Don Mueang airport could prompt the AOT to consider if the returns from King Power Duty Free at Suvarnabhumi airport are too low.

news.com.au A speedboat carrying dozens of tourists near Thailand's popular resort island of Koh Phi Phi has sunk in rough seas, police and witnesses say. All 41 people aboard survived.

skynews.com.au Australian honorary consul in Phuket, Larry Cunningham, said the near tragedy showed a need for greater control by the Marine Department over clearing shipping and vessels to sail during the current monsoon rainy season. ''There has to be greater control on what boats are allowed to go out in bad weather conditions. It should not be left just to the decision of the (vessel's) captain.''

bbc.co.uk Hurricane Isaac has weakened to a tropical storm, pummelling New Orleans, but causing most damage to less-protected areas outside the city. Isaac is soaking the US Gulf Coast exactly seven years after the devastating and much stronger Hurricane Katrina.

ttrweekly.com Thailand achieved double-digit increases in revenue per available room last July while reporting healthy gains in another two key performance metrics, according to the latest STR Global report. Thailand also registered its best July performance in occupancy since 2006 at 67.8 percent, beating its July 2006 performance of 67.1 percent.

telegraph.co.uk Accor, one of the world's largest international hotel groups, has announced it plans to end wi-fi charges. The French company, which owns the Ibis, Mercure, Sofitel and Novotel chains, made the announcement after a survey revealed that free wi-fi was a key factor when choosing a hotel for the majority of travellers.

bangkokpost.com Police arrested a 21-year-old suspected of being the gunman who fired shots into Pattaya Remand Prison, wounding an inmate. Police said Jirawat Suasing was apprehended in Chon Buri's Bang Lamung district. An SK rifle, 20 rounds of ammunition and a motorcycle were seized from his home.

nationmultimedia.com Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yoobamrung said the attacks proved that drug dealers had a network to hire outsiders to work on their behalf. He said human rights organisations, therefore, should not attack his idea that drug convicts sentenced to death be executed within 15 days.

thejakartapost.com After the back-to-back deaths of two divers, Nusa Penida police closed Crystal Bay Beach on Nusa Penida Island in Klungkung regency and urged diving operators to stop bringing divers to the site. ''We have closed the beach for further investigation,'' head of Nusa Penida Police, Commander I Wayan Sarjana, said.

cnn.com Tropical Storm Bolaven, once a massive typhoon, left at least 16 people dead in South Korea after pummeling the country with heavy wind and rain as it moved along its coast, the authorities said.

bangkokpost.com Thailand Focus 2012, the country's biggest investment event, has seen twice as many foreign visitors as last year, says the Stock Exchange of Thailand. The annual expo offers a glimpse of the Thai capital market to analysts, brokers, high-ranking officials and top executives from around the world.

theage.com.au The Australian government will pour $4 billion into a dental package to provide millions of children and millions of adults on low incomes or in rural areas access to government-subsidised dental care. [The scheme could affect the number of Australians visiting Phuket for dental care.]

thejakartapost.com Tourist destinations in several regencies in Bali need to be developed and managed properly to remain attractive to both domestic and international visitors, a tourism expert has said. Agung Suryawan Wiranatha, head of the University of Udayana's Tourism Study and Research Center, said that many beautiful spots and tourist attractions were now dilapidated. ''It is the responsibility of regional administrations to maintain and to manage the sites under the regional autonomy law but it seems that they do very little to professionally manage such resources.''

asiatraveltips.com Launched in 1987 when its first hotel opened for business, Laguna Phuket this year celebrates a quarter century of achievement that has seen it evolve into one of Asia's most popular destination resorts.

afp Indonesia's corruption watchdog is taking on the notoriously graft-ridden police in a landmark confrontation, with neither law enforcement agency prepared to back down.

pattayadailynews.com Pattaya city has contracted with an online service provider to open more than 1000 free WiFi service spots, to increase the city's worldwide tourist attraction potential. Users will be granted five hours of internet access in renewable three-month periods.

reuters US agribusiness company Cargill Inc said at an undustry conference on Phuket that it plans to start operating a $250 million broiler production facility in China by the middle of next year, boosting its presence in the world's top meat consumer.

Phuket World Sports Wrap


independent.co.uk London's Paralympic Games kicked off with a triumphant celebration of humankind's ability to overcome seemingly impossible odds in a ceremony aiming to alter the world's perception of disability. Renowned physicist Stephen Hawking took centre stage to lead spectators on a ''voyage through time.''

news.sky.com England test captain Andrew Strauss has announced his retirement from professional cricket with immediate effect.Strauss, 35, guided England to home and away wins in the Ashes series and led England to the top of the world rankings.

afp Andy Roddick says he will follow the pack over the financial issues that have left players pondering a boycott of January's Australian Open, but he isn't betting on it actually happening.

Phuket Coming Events 2012

Starwood hotels and resorts is set to host its first charity mini marathon on Koh Siray (Siray Island) on Sunday September 16 to raise funds for Unicef and local Phuket charities including the Good Shepherd and Koh Siray School.

Sourced: phuketwan