BRIEF-AOT says Suvarnabhumi airport’s passengers down in Q3

July 10 (Reuters) – Airports of Thailand PCL AOT.BK

* Says number of passengers through its core Suvarnabhumi airport fell 5.8 percent to 8.63 million in the third quarter ended June, with international passengers down 1 percent and domestic passengers decreasing 10.55 percent, it said in a statement.

* Passenger numbers at the airport fell to 50,000-60,000 per day in April and May due to local political unrest, it said. The volume now rose to a normal level of 100,000 per day on average, it said.

* For nine months ended June, passenger traffic volume at the airport increased 19.5 percent to 32.2 million, with international traffic volume rising 17.25 percent and domestic traffic volume up 27.18 percent, it said.

* Majority state-owned Airports operates the country’s six main airports — Suvarnabhumi and Don Muang in Bangkok, Hat Yai, Chiang Mai, Chiang Rai and Phuket — and these handle around 90 percent of total air traffic in the country (Reporting by Viparat Jantraprap; Editing by Jeremy Laurence)

Oz PM Kevin Rudd ‘following’ porn on Twitter

London, May 3 (ANI): Aussie Prime Minister Kevin Rudd was left red-faced after it was revealed that he has been following porn sites online – all thanks to his inadvertent Twitter settings.

In addition to having his wife, Therese Rein, as a supporter, he has been accidentally following several seedy sites, including a porn blogger, an online adult superstore and a handcuffed bare-breasted woman.

A spokesman for Rudd has admitted that a Twitter automated programme made the prime minister”s account auto-follow those who followed him.

“While the Kevin PM Team try to monitor the follow backs, with more than 900,000 followers this is a very large task,” Sky News quoted the spokesman as saying.

Although it normally requires a Twitter account holder to view another person”s profile before following, an option allows this to be done automatically.

This can be helpful for people with large followings—Rudd follows around 200,000 Twitter users through his KevinRuddPM account.

Industry experts warn that users should be aware that social media networks such as Twitter do have potentially dangerous implications.

According to the Herald Sun newspaper, other profiles followed by the premier include sex show webcams and a gay resort in Thailand”s Phuket region.

Rudd has been a keen user of social media and has used Twitter to reveal new policies and even the impending wedding of his son. (ANI)

Forensics database set up in Perth

Researchers in Perth are building a database of skeletons to help identify bodies more quickly and accurately.

The University of Western Australia has been given a $400,000 grant for the project, which involves mapping the shape and co-ordinates of bones.

Assistant Professor Daniel Franklin has told WA’s Stateline program, police will then use the database to identify specific features of skeletons such as the age, sex and ethnicity.

“They could digitise various parts of the skeleton whether it be the skull, hip bone or various leg bones, we should have data for all of that,” he said.

“The police should be able to get an answer as to whether the individual was a male or a female, potentially how old they were.”

WA Police Superintendent, Haydn Green, was in charge of identifying the victims in Phuket from the 2004 Boxing Day Tsunami.

He says the database will be extremely helpful in the future.

Clinton to discuss ways to enhance US-India strategic partnership(Update-Clinton)

Washington, July 15 (ANI): A spokesman for the U.S. State Department has said that Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will discuss ways to enhance the US-India strategic partnership during her five day visit to India from July 17 to 23.

State Department spokesman Ian Kelly said: “Secretary Clinton will meet with Prime Minister Manmohan Singh and with External Affairs Minister Krishna. The Secretary and Minister Krishna will discuss the structure and elements of an enhanced U.S.-India strategic partnership that will enable us to advance solutions to the defining challenges of our time and tonhance global prosperity and stability in the 21st century.”

Kelly said Clinto would arrive in Mumbai on July 17 where, she would meet with a broad cross section of Indian society and would remember the victims of the November 26, 2008 Mumbai attacks.

He said that Clinton would travel to New Delhi where she would have a full schedule of meetings with government officials, the leader of the opposition, entrepreneurs, scientists, and youth.

The Secretary would leave New Delhi on July 21 for Thailand.

In Thailand, Clinton would meet with Prime Minister Abhisit Vejjajiva and Foreign Minsiter Kasit Piromyato to underscore the importance of our alliance and our bilateral relationship and to share perspectives on common interests in the region.

She would visit Bangkok July 21-22 and Phuket July 22-23. Clinton would travel to Phuket to lead the U.S. delegation to the ASEAN Post-Ministerial Conference and ASEAN Regional Forum.

Clinton would return to Washington on July 23, he said. (ANI)

Princess Eugenie downs beer with ketchup for Easter bet in Thai bar

London, Apr 14 (ANI): Princess Eugenie, daughter of Prince Andrew and Fergie, was seen dancing on tables after she downed beer with ketchup for an Easter bet with pals during a wild night in Thailand.

The 19-year-old Royal partied at the trendy Lizard Lounge club near Surin Beach in Phuket, where she is on a gap-year jaunt.

“The Princess was with a couple of girls and a guy. One of her friends squirted some ketchup into a glass of beer and challenged her to drink it. They all fell about laughing as Eugenie swigged it,” the Sun quoted an onlooker as saying.

It is believed that Eugenie, the sixth in line to the throne, is staying at a 10 pounds-a-night backpacker hostel after flying out economy class.

And while the princess let her hair down, her two Met police protection officers-who apparently flew down via business class-sipped mineral water at the bar. (ANI)

Kate Moss’ ‘boob flash’ in Thailand

Washington, January 7 (ANI): Kate Moss was said to have flashed her breast as she took a break in Thailand with guitarist beau Jamie Hince.

The supermodel, amongst the highest paid in the world, had been photographed with the wardrobe malfunction as she donned a loose-fitting beige dress.

The catwalk queen also raised eyebrows after being spotted with “a baby belly” as she felt the sand beneath her feet, reports Fox News.

The Brit eye catcher had trashed pregnancy claims in December.

Moss, famous for her skinny physique in the fashion world, reportedly had had a busy last year and was letting her nerves unwind in Phuket. (ANI)

Party lifestyle taking toll on Kate Moss’ body?

London, Jan 4 (ANI): It looks like non-stop partying has taken its toll not only on supermodel Kate Moss’ mind but also her body, for she appears to be fighting with cellulite.

The catwalk queen revealed her blooming figure on a break in Thailand with Kills guitarist lover Jamie Hince, 30, and six-year-old daughter Lila Grace.

Last year has been really hectic for Moss and the stunner is hoping Thailand break will help her forget her troubles.

Moss, famous for her skinny physique in the fashion world, looked relaxed as she chilled out on Surin beach in Phuket.

“This is the Kate as her close friends see her. She’s been showing signs of a party lifestyle for a while but she’s been a master at covering it up,” News of the World quoted a source, as saying.

“Now, on holiday and stripped of her make-up and designer wardrobe, people can see the real Kate Moss,” the source added. (ANI)