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.

PRESIDENT Obama has been urged to raise the subject of LGBT rights in trade talks with Brunei. Brunei is one of 11 nations to join the United States in signing the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which if passed would create the largest trade pact in history, reports pinknews.co.uk .



AP Indonesia's government is preparing to execute eight drug smugglers, including seven foreigners, an official said Tuesday.

dw.de Indonesian President Jokowi has shocked rights groups by defending executions of drug traffickers, saying the country faces an emergency over drug use.

Antara Indonesia and Russia have agreed to increase cooperation in various sectors amid the commemoration of 65 years of diplomatic relations between the two countries.



reuters Malaysia, which suffered two commercial air disasters last year after one jet disappeared and another was shot down over Ukraine, said the United Nations must make reporting of risks to airlines over conflict zones mandatory.



biv.com Burmese authorities appear to be making efforts to end illegal logging. Two weeks ago Naypyidaw announced it had detained 155 Chinese nationals for illegal logging. At the same time, the Beijing government said it had set up a special working group to work with Burma on the issue.

channelnewsasia.com Singapore announces two initiatives - reviving a joint ministerial committee to boost economic ties, and agreeing to cooperate in the area of banking and finance - which are aimed at increasing economic cooperation with Burma (Myanmar).



crikey.com.au If you are looking for an even higher quality experience flying in economy with Singapore Airlines its introduction of a premium economy product in the second half of this year will give the curious consumer some interesting dilemmas to consider. This is because its new premY seating doesn't appear to be as generous as the same product (but called ScootBiz) in its 100 percent owned low cost subsidiary Scoot in its new 787 Dreamliners.

channelnewsasia.com Scoot's first 787 Dreamliner touched down in Singapore on Monday at 9.33am, the budget carrier announced in a media release.



wsj.com Attracted by growing beer consumption in Vietnam as domestic sales decline, Thailand's top brewers Thai Beverage and Singha Corp have made approaches to purchase a stake in Saigon Beer Alcohol Beverage Corp., people with knowledge of the matter said.



theglobalpostandmail.com Brunei is fast heading back to earth after a joyride fuelled by fountains of oil. Brunei has no income tax, no sales tax and loopholes big enough that many companies pay no corporate tax. It subsidizes basic foodstuffs and sells gasoline for 47 cents a litre. It is the world's fourth-richest nation in GDP per capita.
http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/international-business/bruneis-oil-fuelled-economy-looks-to-diversify/article22750399/



inquirer.net A new mega-casino opened in the Philippines Monday as the fast-growing southeast Asian nation ups its bid to become a world gaming destination. Manila aims to rival Macau and Las Vegas in terms of gaming revenues, and the ''City of Dreams'' is the latest in a string of casinos that have opened in recent years.



xinhua Productivity improvements are key to Laos's further future growth and poverty reduction, according to twin World Bank studies launched Tuesday.



time.com Khmer Rouge security officials used acid and pliers to torture inmates and disemboweled a detainee and consumed her organs, according to witness testimony given in Phnom Penh this week.