PHUKETWAN recognises the importance of Asean with the Economic Community approaching and marks what's happening around the region with a column, Asean Today, that will cease when Phuketwan closes on December 31.



malaysiakini.com There are at least 50,000 Malaysians who are sympathisers of Islamic State (IS) militants, a senior official said, warning that the threat of radicalism in the country cannot be ignored. Transport Minister Liow Tiong Lai said the figure was based on police intelligence estimates.



xinhua Myanmar police are investigating human trafficking cases involving 93 child victims in November alone, a record number compared to that of previous months, according to Myanmar's Anti-Trafficking in Persons Division. The authorities saved more than 500 out of 617 victims including about 100 children this year.



rfa.org Lao authorities have imposed a curfew in north-central Xaysomboun Province after a spate of violence in which three government soldiers and three civilians were killed, police and other sources said. A source close to the government said an anti-government resistance group was involved.



channelnewsasia.com While much remains to be done to improve the welfare and protection of migrant workers, strides have been made in recent years, non-governmental organisations (NGOs) and migrant workers themselves say.



inquirer.net Thanks to the fires, Indonesia's daily average emissions this September and October were 10 times higher than normal. On October 14 alone, emissions from the fires soared to 61 megatons - nearly 97 percent of the country's total emissions for that day.



themalaysianinsider.com Malaysia and Cambodia have agreed to resume supplying Cambodian maids to the country, four years after the Phnom Penh banned the practice following reports of exploitation and torture at the hands of Malaysian employers.



bangkokpost.com Thailand has dropped from ninth place to 12th in the world ranking of automobile manufacturers as European production has recovered, according to a local industry executive.

strategypage.com The military government is having economic and political problems. The two are linked as one justification for the 2014 coup was to restore order so the economy could get growing again. That recovery has not happened and the military is blamed.



ibtimes.com.au Vietnam and the European Union have signed a free trade agreement (FTA) to boost trade ties with the EU aiming to expand its relationship with the entire Southeast Asia region.



accuweather.com Tropical Storm Melor, also known as Nona in the Philippines, is centered over the southern Philippine Sea and will bring flooding rainfall and damaging winds to portions of the Philippines early next week.



japantimes.co.jp A new lighthouse, pier and reconstructed runway on a South China Sea island administered by Taiwan were to begin operations Saturday, weather permitting, the Taiwanese government.