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.



business-standard.com The toll in a boat-capsize off the western coast of Malaysia in the Malacca Straits rose to 61 as four more bodies were recovered, media reported. According to the police, 23 women, a girl and 37 men lost their lives in the incident, while 20 people, including a woman, were rescued.



smh.com.au One of four refugees sent to Cambodia in a $55 million deal with Australia only three months ago wants to quit the impoverished nation. Three others, an Iranian couple and Iranian man, have also complained about their lives in the capital Phnom Penh, sources say.



Western sanctions, designed to punish Russia for its role in the ongoing conflict in Ukraine, have hit the rouble hard. Pegas Touristik's Colin Blackwell said the company, which brings the largest number of Russian tourists to Vietnam, had scaled down its operations in light of the rouble's slide. But from next month it will resume charter flights from Moscow to Ho Chi Minh City to meet demand.



AP Thailand's military-backed legislature rejected an unpopular draft of a new constitution, delaying a return to democracy following a coup last year.



smh.com.au Indonesia AirAsia X, which sells cheap flights from Melbourne and Sydney to Bali, is in danger of being grounded by Indonesian authorities next month for not meeting a regulatory requirement to have at least 10 aircraft in its fleet. The move would be a blow to Australian holidaymakers and to the airline, which already damaged its reputation by selling flights from Melbourne to Bali last year before it had received a licence to operate from Australian authorities.

rappler.comSure, many Indonesians don't eat pork. But they don't seem to eat much of other meat either - at least compared to the rest of the world. According to Nomura, a financial services group based in Asia, Indonesia is among the lowest meat-eaters in the world.



nationmultimedia.com It is an open secret that the Thai National Security Council has been providing indirect support for the ongoing peace process in Myanmar by offering generous logistic support. Representatives of armed ethnic groups along the border often needed to travel to Yangon for meetings. The Thais have provided travel documents and other facilities for them to travel by land or air via Thailand.



straitstimes.comM/b> The haze that has shrouded Singapore for the past week is expected to get worse tomorrow with the 24-hour Pollutant Standards Index (PSI) likely to move into the ''Unhealthy'' (101-200) range, the National Environment Agency (NEA) said.

Philippines

philstar.com The armies of the Philippines and Australia are scheduled to conduct joint military exercises in both countries this year. Philippine Army (PA) spokesperson Col. Benjamin Hao said the two joint military exercises, namely the Philippine-Australia Exercise ''Dusk'' Caracha and the Philippines-Australia Exercise ''Dawn'' Caracha.

Cambodia

independent.co.uk In lush, north-eastern Cambodia, the 530m pound ???Lower Sesan 2 Dam stands as a potent symbol of China's growing reach, and Beijing's ambitious plans to expand its influence throughout Asia by building some desperately needed infrastructure.