NEWS Hound: Phuket quiet in wake of court ruling

– A daily, pocket-sized packet of news from around the world, compiled by Phuket Gazette reporters for foreigners who want it short, sharp and straight to the point.

Business Week
Despite the bomb attacks on Bangkok Bank on Saturday night, in which four branches were targeted with grenades, the outlook may not be all bad for the Thai economy. With the exception of a few extreme cases, the public outcry over the court ruling to seize $1.4 billion from Thaksin Shinawatra has been less violent than expected. Statistics indicate a recently strengthening economy. For example, foreign investors in the Thai stock market, net sellers of $98 million in Thai shares this year, bought a net $58 million on February 25, the most since October 9, 2009. The baht also gained on optimism after industrial production rose for the fifth straight month in January.

The New York Times
Political repercussions of the court ruling for Thaksin Shinawanatra may not be so negative for Thailand, analysts and editorials say. The Supreme Court’s decision not to seize all 76.2 billion baht ($2.3 billion) of Mr Thaksin’s frozen assets would at least temporarily ease political conflicts that have plagued the country for the past four years. Mr Thaksin said the ruling would not stop him from trying to lead a non-violent struggle against the government. The Bangkok Post said Saturday in an editorial that “now that the issue of Thaksin’s billions has been legally settled, it is time to give the wounds a chance to heal. The alternative would be intolerable.”

BBC
Pacific nations, including Thailand, have eased fears of a devastating tsunami whilst Chile begins to count the cost of the deadly 8.8 magnitude earthquake on Saturday morning, which killed at least 300 people. The Pacific Tsunami Warning Center lifted the Pacific-wide alert for a tsunami yesterday. About 50 Pacific countries and territories had issued tsunami alerts. Warning systems across the Pacific have improved since the 2004 Indonesian quake and the resulting tsunami which killed nearly 250,000 people and seriously affected Thailand, particularly Phuket and Phang Nga.

www.pr-inside.com
Chef Jean-No๋l Lumineau, Thailand’s only Ma๎tre Cuisinier de France, will treat Phuket’s discerning diners to some exceptional French food during the Boathouse’s 9th annual French Gastronomy Festival, March 6-20. The Chef says, “I use classic French cooking techniques and incorporate Thai herbs and spices such as Thai basil, ginger and galangal to add an Asian twist to dishes, combining the best of both worlds.” [More details here.]

— Gazette Editors