Hong Kong - Managers in Hong Kong enjoy the highest spending power in Asia and the highest among bosses worldwide outside the Middle East, a survey released Wednesday found.

Hong Kong came in fourth overall while in other Asian countries, bosses in Thailand ranked 10th in global spending power, followed by those in China at 17th, Singapore at 
22nd, Malaysia at 24th, South Korea at 35th and Japan at 39th.

The annual World Pay Report by recruitment specialists the Hay Group surveyed the spending power of bosses in 51 markets worldwide and found US managers ranked 
41st.

Pattani, Thailand - Suspected Muslim militants decapitated a village administrator Tuesday in Thailand's troubled deep South, police said.

Four men on motorcycles, believed to be separatist insurgents, chased Athaphon Konlom, 45, while he was driving his pickup on a back road in Sadawa village in Yarang district, 760 kilometres south of Bangkok, firing on the former police officer with automatic weapons, Police Colonel Poonsak Pasertmek said.

Bangkok - Thailand's ongoing political crisis could lose the kingdom up to 32 billion baht (928 million dollars) in forfeited tourism revenues if the chaos is prolonged, media reports said Tuesday.

Tourism Authority of Thailand Governor Pornsiri Manoharn has warned that up to 840,000 foreign tourists would cancel their trips to Thailand in the upcoming peak season if the country's political standoff continues to the end of the year, The Nation newspaper reported.

Bangkok  - Despite Thailand's ongoing political crisis, its stock market jumped 3.07 per cent Monday, boosted by the US government's takeover of mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac and growing optimism about the world economy.

The Stock Exchange of Thailand index ended at 665.66, up 19.86 points.

"Our market was just following the other markets today," said Puwadorn Labudomsuk, an analyst at Asia Plus Securities. "The rebound was led by foreign investors. Many local investors are waiting to see what the political situation will be tomorrow."

Bangkok - Thai King Bhumibol Adulyadej has approved the appointment of a respected career diplomat as the country's next foreign minister amid a deepening political crisis in the country, the government announced Monday. 

Saroj Chavamaviraj, 66, was named the new foreign minister after royal approval was granted Sunday, a government announcement broadcast on Thai television said.

Saroj rose to be permanent secretary of the Foreign Affairs Ministry for four years before his final posting as ambassador to France. He retired from the ministry in 2002.

Bangkok - Embattled Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej on Monday denied charges that he had broken the constitution by hosting a television cooking show while holding the premiership, claiming the programme had been done on a freelance basis.

In May, a group of Thai senators charged Samak with violating the constitution by continuing his job as a TV presenter on his personal cooking show, Chim pai, bon pai 
(Tasting and Complaining), after he had been appointed prime minister on February 6.