Phuket Fugitive Hunt; Elected Governor Push; iPhone 5 Arrives; Phuket Surf Star

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

inquirer.net The Philippines Bureau of Immigration said they have information that fugitive ex-Palawan Governor Joel Reyes is in Phuket, Thailand. Immigration Chief Ricardo David disclosed that the bureau has monitored Reyes' movements under the alias Joseph Lim Pe and believe he is now in Phuket, a popular island getaway in Thailand.

gmanetwork.com Reyes and his brother, Coron, allegedly slipped out of the country last March, days before an arrest warrant was issued against them in connection with the killing of Palawan-based broadcaster and environmentalist Gerry Ortega in January last year. ''It was Joseph Lim Pe who has entered Phuket,'' said David in a text message to GMA News Online. He did not elaborate.

philstar.com Ortega was set to lead the gathering of signatures in Palawan to oppose commercial mining operations in the province. Reyes has been charged with Ortega's murder.

nytimes.com The violent deaths of four American diplomatic personnel in Libya during a heavily armed and possibly planned assault on a flimsily protected consulate facility on the September 11 anniversary provoked an uproar in Washington, presenting new challenges in the volatile Middle East less than two months before the American presidential election.

bangkokpost.com Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra and opposition and Democrat Party leader Abhisit Vejjajiva will come together for a forum on tackling the southern violence. Deputy Prime Minister Chalerm Yubamrung said the prime minister had ordered him to extend an invitation to the Democrat leader and the party's southern MPs to attend a meeting next Tuesday on the unrest.

nationmultimedia.com Chalerm said he would add the resort island of Phuket to Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat to hold an election for governor's post, proving that such an election was possible and would not lead to the island being separated. Chalerm added that the issue would be discussed at a meeting with opposition politicians next week.

bangkokpost.com Nok Air is planning on launching an initial public offering in the second half of next year to raise funds for expansion to cash in on the budget air travel boom.

oxfordbusinessgroup.com In a trend that has continued into 2012, Thailand's remarkably resilient tourism industry showed itself to be largely unaffected by the country's devastating floods last year, giving a strong performance that produced year-on-year increases in both arrival numbers and revenue. The industry, which forms a key component of the economy, is now set to receive a further boost following the introduction of a master plan that has been designed for the sector by the Ministry of Tourism and Sports.

bangkokpost.com The Asean Economic Community remains on track for its establishment in 2015, Asean secretary-general Surin Pitsuwan reaffirmed, rejecting a newswire report that the AEC may be delayed.

thephuketinsider.com According to surveys from Sweden, Norway, Finland and Demark traveler satisfaction have gone down for the last three years in Thailand. Commenting in the TTG Asia article was a manager from TUI Nordic who said the ratings have gone from strong to normal over the period.

reuters Iran is using a little-known port off the East Malaysia coast to hide millions of barrels of oil from Western sanctions, according to shipping data, industry sources and officials. A Reuters examination of shipping movements and interviews shows how Iranian crude is shipped to the area and loaded on to empty vessels at night to await potential Asian buyers.

ap The death toll from two devastating factory fires in Pakistan's two biggest cities rose to 314, many of the victims trapped in buildings that lacked emergency exits, alarms and sprinklers.

ap Apple has unveiled the iPhone 5, saying it's thinner and lighter than the previous model, even though it has a bigger screen.

cnn.com Hundreds of spectators waved British flags and cheered the arrival of William and Catherine, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge, at Singapore's new Gardens by the Bay park. The couple's visit is part of a nine-day tour through Commonwealth countries in Southeast Asia and the Pacific to celebrate Queen Elizabeth's Diamond Jubilee.

dailymail.co.uk Singapore will be hoping that today's visit by the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge - and the ensuing publicity - will encourage a tourism boom in the South East Asian city-state.

bloomberg.com RB Capital, which is bidding for 42 Marriott hotels in the UK, is seeking to acquire other assets in Europe and expand in Southeast Asia as it prepares to list a hospitality trust in Singapore. ''Budget travel in the last 24 months has increased substantially, said CEO Kishin RK. ''In three to five years, you're going to see a peak in Southeast Asia.''

Phuket World Sports Wrap


surfline.com The 17 Women's Division competitors were sent out first under sunny tropical skies and fun two foot waves, to start off Day One of the 6-star ASC/ISC sanctioned Quiksilver Open Phuket at Patong Beach. Local Thai surfer and current ASC rankings leader Annissa Flynn had no trouble winning her heat and looks in form to make it into the finals on Saturday, which will score her the 2012 Asian Surfing Championship Women's title that will be awarded at the beachside awards presentation on Saturday night.

Sourced: phuketwan