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.



phnompenhpost.com Cambodian authorities reported that Thailand continues to conduct a one-sided investigation into the remains of two men who officials allege may have been undocumented Cambodians burned alive by soldiers.

rfa.org Hun Sen's 30-year rule as Cambodia's prime minister has been characterised by intimidation and political manipulation, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday, calling on donors and the international community to press for strengthened democratic reforms in the country.



afp Malaysia's highest court on Tuesday upheld death sentences for two police officers convicted of murder in a sensational scandal linked to allegations of high-level corruption that shook the long-ruling regime. Adding to the intrigue, the victim was a lover of Abdul Razak Baginda - the man in charge of purchasing French submarines and a close associate of current Prime Minister Najib Razak, who was defence minister at the time of the deal.

bbc.com The remains of Altantuya Shaariibuu, a model and interpreter, were found in jungle in 2006. She had been shot in the head and blown up. The Federal Court ruled in favor of prosecutors who appealed a 2013 verdict and reinstated the men's death sentences.

nst.com.my Malaysia Airlines is kick starting the year with incredibly low fares as its '2015 Specials' launches at 12 midnight tomorrow. This is the time for avid travelers to plan their travel for the entire year as the airline offers some never-before deals.

wsj.com A plan to merge three Malaysian banks to create one of Southeast Asia's biggest lenders has collapsed, two people familiar with the matter said, after the deal was hit by falling share prices as well as the lack of potential cost savings.



philstar.com The European Union on Tuesday renewed its seven-year support strategy to the Philippines and more than doubled the figure for its development aid for 2014 to 2020.

AP Well before Pope Francis's plane touches down in this Asian bastion of the Roman Catholic faith, Filipinos have been snapping their selfies beside his life-sized cutout image in churches and malls. His face beams from welcome posters, shirts, cookies, coins, stamps, coffee mugs and all imaginable mementoes.



thejakartapost.com Flag carrier Garuda Indonesia on Tuesday launched a direct flight service connecting the country's most popular destination of Denpasar, Bali, to Beijing, in an attempt to expand its networks in China.

bloomberg Indonesia will attract more new factories than any other Southeast Asian nation over the next few years, a survey of 75 manufacturers showed, bolstering President Joko Widodo's drive to revitalise the economy.

wsj.com President Joko Widodo's nominee for police chief was named a corruption suspect Tuesday, dealing a blow to the new leader. Indonesia's independent antigraft agency said Budi Gunawan, a three-star general and head of police training and education, was suspected of accepting bribes as a government official between 2003 and 2006.



theguardian.com In Laos, where about 70 percent of the population live in rural and remote areas, community-based distribution workers are a critical element of the country's plan to provide contraceptives to all who need them. Currently, 48 percent of married women do not use a method of family planning, and at least 20 percent of women would like to delay or avoid pregnancy but do not have access to contraceptives.



dvb.no Burma's President Thein Sein hosted opposition leaders, ministers for ethnic affairs, ethnic representatives, parliamentary speakers and military leaders for talks at the presidential palace in Naypyidaw on Monday.



channelnewsasia.com ''We must maintain our zero tolerance for corruption, regardless of the rank and seniority of the officers involved,'' says Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. ''We must never let corruption take hold here. Once it takes root, it is difficult to weed out.''

asiaone.com While youth here are concerned with how they appear online, most of them will not lie to make themselves look better, according to a survey conducted by Singapore Polytechnic's Diploma in Media and Communication students.



care2.com Gay rights advocates in Vietnam are celebrating this month after the government repealed a nationwide ban on same-sex marriage, but there's a catch: marriage equality isn't yet recognised, either.

dpa A captive Asiatic black bear in Vietnam was electrocuted to death to force it to release the arm of a three-year-old boy, news reports said Tuesday. The 100-kilogram bear had been kept illegally in captivity for more than three years, the Thanh Nien newspaper reported. Doctors failed to reattach the arm as it was too badly damaged.