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.



reuters Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong has been diagnosed with prostate cancer and will undergo surgery to remove his prostate gland on Monday, his office said. Lee, 63, will be on medical leave for one week and during this period Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean will head the government, the statement appearing on Lee's Facebook page said.



Malaysia's premier Najib Razak, 61, is under mounting scrutiny for cracking down on opponents, troubles in a strategic development fund and questions over his family assets, with even ruling-party conservatives questioning his leadership. ''People are beginning to doubt whether he is the sort of leader who can address Malaysia's problems,'' said Wan Saiful Wan Jan, head of Malaysian think-tank IDEAS.



manilatimes.net Millions of Australians are ''sickened'' by the imminent execution of two of its citizens by Indonesia, Prime Minister Tony Abbott said on Sunday, warning of a tough diplomatic response.



irishtimes.com Fifty government troops and police officers died in clashes last week with ethnic minority insurgents in Shan state, Burma (Myanmar) near the border with China, state media reported, as the military carried out air strikes against the rebels.



bangkokpost.com The Cambodian Centre for Study and Development in Agriculture (Cedac), one of the country's two organic rice exporters, sold 540 tonnes of fragant organic rice last year, a 20 percent increase from 2013, and plans to double the figure this year.



scmp.com Vietnam is the third-largest beer consumer in Asia, behind Japan and China, and the leading consumer in South East Asia, out-drinking wealthier Thailand.



tempo.com.ph Household service workers and other Filipinos employed in the vulnerable sector in Brunei Darussalam are now assured of receiving a monthly salary not less than US$400, the Department of Labor and Employment (DoLE) said.



plenglish.com Laos has expectations today to raise its tourism potential after the recent signature here of a memorandum of understanding with China to pass on its experience in the promotion of destinations and training of human resources.



nydailynews.com Over the past three decades, economic and political misfortunes, coupled with some high-profile natural disasters, have kept the Philippines from taking its place among the world's most popular travel destinations. Pity, when the more than 7000 green islands here contain some of the best scenery on the planet.