Floods Lash Russia; Thailand Trippers Rise; The Other Cruise Divorce; Phuket Events

PHUKET FC lost 0-1 to Krabi in the big Division One local derby at Surakul Stadium in Phuket City last night in soggy conditions. PhuketWatch Daily
Media Wrap
PHUKET: A daily wrap of Thailand news, with a
Phuket perspective, plus relevant reports from
national and international media.

andrew-drummond.com A 43-year-old Briton accused of the brutal road rage attack on a popular English teacher in Thailand was being held in custody for attempted murder after being arrested at Bangkok International Airport.

bbc.co.uk Flash floods caused by torrential rain have swept the southern Russian Krasnodar region, killing 134 people, officials say. The floods, the worst there in living memory, struck at night, reportedly without warning.
Some users of social media networks in Russia said Krymsk looked like it was hit ''by a tsunami''. Others accused the authorities of not telling the whole truth about the disaster.

guardian.co.uk More than 200 flood warnings and alerts were issued by the Environment Agency in Britain as torrential rain swept the country, causing havoc in many areas.

breakingtravelnews.com The global economy slowdown has had little impact on tourist arrivals to Thailand. Thailand had a total of 8,871,930 visitor arrivals for the period of January through May 2012, up 7.27 percent compared to the same period in 2011.

bangkokpost.com Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra brushed aside concerns about Suvarnabhumi airport's safety following damage to the western runway. Ms Yingluck said the problem was unlikely to shake travellers' confidence while stressing that the damage had already been fixed.

nationmultimedia.com Former foreign minister Kasit Piromya urged the Foreign Ministry and the US to clarify a claim by many figures in the ruling Pheu Thai Party that ex-PM Thaksin Shinawatra was given a visa to enter the US a few months ago.''If the claim is true, it means the US does not respect Thailand's justice system but insults the country's law and integrity,'' he said.

bangkokpost.com It's work permit renewal time, and your columnist has been hit with an edict to prove he doesn't suffer from elephantitis, leprosy, tuberculosis, syphilis and insanity. The first four are a walkover. The last? I'm sane! If only we could say the same about the system.

cnn.com What we found about the capsized Concordia will be unsettling for anyone who has taken or is thinking of taking a cruise: allegations of inadequate safety briefings and chaos in the minutes after the collision; a captain who failed to sound a general alarm for almost an hour, meaning vital, lifesaving assemblies at lifeboat stations did not take place; and a crew that felt unable to act without clear orders from their captain.

foreign policy There must be a rational public debate on the future of the Rohingya minority in Burma. The issue is sensitive and complex, but it cannot be ignored. Political leaders, especially Thein Sein and Aung San Suu Kyi, along with the international community, have an obligation to drive this process. A failure to do so threatens to unravel Burma's democratic reform at a time when it cannot afford to regress.

bangkokpost.com Democrat MP and former deputy prime minister Suthep Thuagsuban made merit at Wat Chonprathan Rangsalit on the occasion of his 63th birthday, reports said. Former foreign minister Kasit Piromya, deputy party leader for the North Siriwan Prassachaksattru, deputy party leader for the South Thavorn Senniam, MP for Nakhon Si Thammarat Thepthai Senpong and an MP for Phuket Anchalee Vanich Theppabutr.

AP Drowning deaths in the US go up in the summer months, but intensely hot weather may also be putting even more people at risk as they flock to water for relief, some without swimming skills. Minnesota counted 25 non-boating drowning deaths through July 5, the highest in a decade.

balidiscovery.com On a cumulative basis, Bali foreign tourist arrivals for January-May 2012 hit 1,131,462 demonstrating growth of 9.71 percent over the same five months in 2011. With five months arrivals under its belt, Bali can now project more than three million foreign tourist for all of 2012, if the current rate of growth is sustained until year's end.

cnn.com The Chinese Ministry of Health has lifted a 14-year-old ban on lesbians donating blood in effect as of July 1. The ban still applies to men who are sexually active with other men, but celibate homosexuals are permitted to give blood, according to the Ministry of Health's website.

reuters Singapore plans to toughen its casino laws and allow the regulator to impose a fine of up to 10 percent of annual revenues generated by operators Las Vegas Sands and Genting Singapore, local media reported.

guardian.co.uk Serena Williams made it two Wimbledon titles in a day as she followed up her singles victory over Agnieszka Radwanska by partnering sister Venus to victory in the doubles.

telegraph.co.uk In what could be a great omen for Andy Murray, his near-namesake Jonny Marray - with Dane Freddie Nielsen - has become the first Briton in 76 years to win the men's doubles at Wimbledon.

dailymail.com England's one-day cricket supremacy was obvious as they coasted to a 3-0 NatWest Series win over Australia. The eight-wicket triumph came on the back of Steven Finn's outstanding pace bowling, four wickets for 37.

July 18-22 Phuket Raceweek

July 21-22 Toyota motor racing at Saphan

Hin, Phuket City

July 29 Health International Phuket Marathon

August 2 Asarnha Bucha public holiday

August 3 Buddhist Lent Day

August 12 HM The Queen's Birthday

September 12-15 Quiksilver Thailand Surf

Competition, Patong

September 24 Mahidol Day

October 14-23 Vegetarian Festival

November 24 Laguna Phuket Triathlon

November 28 Loy Kratong Day

December 1 World AIDs Day

December 1-8 King's Cup Regatta

December 5 HM The King's Birthday

December 10 Constitution Day

December 15-20 Patong carnival

December 25 Christmas Day

November 14-21 Fourth Asia Beach Games,

Phuket