PHUKETWAN recognises the importance of Asean with the Economic Community approaching and marks what's happening around the region with a new column, Asean Today.

bangkokpost.com The Association of Domestic Travel has urged the Tourism and Sports Ministry to push for an Asean driver's license to facilitate travel by tourists.



abc.net.au Australia's Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade has updated its travel advice to Indonesia after the US warned of a possible threat against US-linked hotels and banks in the East Java City of Surabaya. DFAT's alert level of ''exercise a high degree of caution'' has not changed, but has been to updated to include a high threat of terrorist attack.

bbc.com Asked if she would feel comfortable travelling to Bali Foreign Minister Julie Bishop replied ''Yes I would.''

huffingtonpost.co.uk British grandmother Lindsay Sandiford who was coerced into trafficking drugs into Bali and cooperated with the authorities remains on death row in Bali as the British Government refuses to fund her defence.

cbc.ca An alleged child victim testified in a marathon court session in Jakarta, a continuation of the sex assault trial of Canadian Neil Bantleman who taught at an international school in Indonesia.



straitstimes.com A large number of people are converging in Kelantan, bringing welcome aid to the flood victims. But there's another large number of people who are coming in and they are not welcome. These are the sightseers who want to see for themselves the scenes of flood devastation, who post selfies and other "I was there" pictures on their Facebook pages or Twitter timelines.



voacambodia.com Cambodia and other undeveloped countries within Asean must do more to prepare for regional integration, experts say. The free flow of goods, skilled labor and people that will come with Asean integration at the end of the year mean challenges of economic competition that Cambodia is not ready for, even as the region overall is facing ongoing security challenges, analysts say.



mmtimes.com More than 50 migrants, mostly Rohingya Muslims fleeing Myanmar, have been held in southern Thailand after authorities acting on a tip-off stopped trucks smuggling them through the country, say local officials.



abs-cbnnews.com A Filipino nurse is reportedly under police investigation in Singapore for posting ''inflammatory'' statements on Facebook against Singaporeans.

stuff.co.nz Airfares from Auckland to Singapore, Southeast Asia and Europe are set to come down following the launch of an alliance between Air New Zealand and Singapore Airlines today.



xinhua The only survivor of sunken cargo ship Bulk Jupiter, was transferred to the Philippine Embassy in Vietnam today in Vung Tau city, Vietnam's southern Ba Ria-Vung Tau province, according to state-run Vietnam News Agency. Eighteen crew were lost.



catholicnewsagency.com ''For us Filipinos, (the Pope) is really the representative of Jesus on earth, so it's like Jesus (is) coming to the Philippines,'' Father Gregory Gaston told CNA.