Good morning,

Nineteen people have been injured in a bomb blast in Yala (http://www.nationmultimedia.com/breakingnews/read.php?newsid=30041166). Four reporters were among the number. The Bangkok Post reports 21 injured and another man shot dead in a tea shop in a separate attack (http://www.bangkokpost.com/breaking_news/breakingnews.php?id=120236). The army is reporting the capture of a ‘mercenary bombmaker’ with a two million baht price on his head (http://www.bangkokpost.com/topstories/topstories.php?id=120222).

Suvarnabhumi airport was blockaded yesterday as van operators protested against bans on them working the airport while their applications were being processed (http://www.bangkokpost.com/News/17Jul2007_news02.php). Authorities say it is too ‘difficult’ to work out which vans are legitimately working for tourism companies and which are ‘ghosts.’

Well, it didn’t last long and it proves that, given a chance to crow at the Australians, you have to carpe diem pretty quickly. Thailand 0 Australia 4 (http://www.afcasiancup.com/en/tournament/mtindex.asp?cid=1373&mt=12022). The score is a little unfair as the Thais chased an early deficit quite valiantly for an hour without making any really clear-cut chances (that I saw but then I was only able to snatch a few minutes of Internet TV while the students were doing a class exercise) and then the boys in p*ss and bile scored three late goals. Never mind. The next game will be Australia versus Japan in the quarter finals. Japan disposed of Vietnam 4-1 (http://www.afcasiancup.com/en/tournament/mtindex.asp?cid=1374&mt=12028) but the UAE’s slightly surprising 2-1 win over Qatar meant the hosts will also go through and will play Iraq in the last eight. Iraq played out a goalless draw against Oman to secure their qualification as group leaders (http://www.afcasiancup.com/en/tournament/mtindex.asp?cid=1373&mt=12023).

Tonight: the conclusion of the two remaining groups. Korea will have to put a couple past Indonesia and hope for the best to get through (I fancy them to do it), while the Saudis should scrap a draw against Bahrain and also qualify. Iran should deal a third defeat to Malaysia, while China must avoid slipping up against Uzbekistan to make up the last quarter finalist. Yellow cards have started to be flourished now and that will begin to have an impact as the tournament progresses.

Back tomorrow.

Reading 1 Lyon 0. Coxy!