THIS string of small, forested rocks edged by white beaches two hours from the western coast of Thailand could indeed be called ‘paradise islands’.

Dozens of smuggled immigrants who survived a suffocating lorry journey that killed 54 of their compatriots were jailed today for illegally entering Thailand.

54 ILLEGAL migrant workers from Burma suffocated in the back of an unventilated truck.

NEARLY 300 people, including a number of Western holidaymakers, were killed and more than 2,300 injured in southern Thai resorts after a major earthquake hit southeast Asia yesterday, causing tidal waves and flooding, a government disaster centre said.

Nearly 170 people were killed and more than 1,900 injured, with scores missing in southern Thai resorts after a major earthquake hit southeast Asia today.