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.



AP Burma is denying Chinese accusations that one of its warplanes crossed China's border and dropped a bomb that killed four farmers.

washingtonpost.com During his last visit to Burma (Myanmar), in November, President Obama set five tests for measuring whether the transition from authoritarianism ''has been fully realised.'' The regime is failing all of them. It is proceeding with a vicious campaign to deny rights, including voting rights, to the Muslim Rohingya minority.
http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-failing-engagement-with-burma/2015/03/14/e77aa304-c365-11e4-9ec2-b418f57a4a99_story.html



scmp.com The Philippines, a country historically overlooked by foreign investors, has seen the beginning of what could become a boom in factory projects as multinationals tire of rising costs and slowing economic growth in China.

news.com.au He's a tall, slim, middle-aged man with grey hair and a composed demeanor. But this ordinary-looking person is accused of being Australia's worst paedophile. Peter Scully is charged with some of the vilest acts known to humanity, including the torture and sexual abuse of children as young as 18 months old, human trafficking and the murder of a 12-year-old.
http://www.news.com.au/world/it-was-chilling-face-to-face-with-accused-paedophile/story-fndir2ev-1227263526533



xinhua Cambodia's Siem Reap Provincial Court has charged Swiss man Pirmin Ramel, 32, who ran a holiday villa in the province, for sexually exploiting three underage boys, according to a media statement released by child protection NGO Action Pour Les Enfants (APLE).



bangkokpost.com Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak faces growing pressure to explain his family's extraordinary wealth, with former premier Mahathir Mohamad joining the chorus of critics.



news.com.au Three Australian researchers have survived a shipwreck in the waters off Indonesia's Riau Islands province. Rescued were 12 crew and eight researchers - four foreign experts and their four Indonesian counterparts from the fisheries and maritime ministry and the Indonesian Institute of Sciences.

afp Two planes from an Indonesian aerobatics team collided and crashed during a practice session before an air show on the Malaysian island of Langkawi but all four pilots are safe, an official said.

aap The manner and tone of Australia's lobbying to stop the executions of Bali nine pair Andrew Chan and Myuran Sukumaran have been ''unacceptable,'' according to Indonesian President Joko Widodo's closest aide.



thanhniennews.com Simplified customs procedures and reduced time spent on tax payments are among reforms that have improved Vietnam's business climate significantly over the past year, experts said at an ongoing conference.



express.co.uk Britain's famous Gurkha Brigade is facing the axe under plans drawn up by the Ministry of Defence. However the second Gurkha battalion, funded by Brunei where it is deployed, will not be included in the cull.



straitstimes.com A day after an extra public holiday was declared to celebrate the nation's 50th birthday, Speaker of Parliament Halimah Yacob appealed to Singaporeans to remain in the country and join in the celebrations instead of travelling overseas. Singapore will have a four-day Golden Jubilee weekend from August 7 to 10.