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.



khaosodenglish.com Ten Syrian members of the Islamic State slipped into Thailand last month to attack Russian interests, according to a leaked Thai police memo citing information from the Russian Federal Security Service, or FSB. It specifically indicates that four traveled to Pattaya, two to Phuket and two to Bangkok and two to unknown destinations.

pattayaone.net The FSB warns that they are likely to disrupt Russian interests in Thailand, presumably in revenge for Russia conducting air strikes against Islamic State targets in Syria. The memo urges the Thai Police to increase security at key areas in each of Thailand's major tourist destinations and warns the threat may well extend to other foreign nationals from countries who are also involved in attacking Islamic State targets in Syria.



channelnewsasia.com After months of investigations, a date is believed to have been set for Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak to be formally questioned by the Malaysia Anti-Corruption Commission (SPRM). The SPRM is investigating allegations of corruption involving SRC International, a former subsidiary of state investment fund 1Malaysia Development Berhad (1MDB). The timing for the questioning has not been determined but Channel NewsAsia understands it to be ''soon''.



wsj.com Indonesia will inspect all 75 Airbus A320 jets flown by domestic airlines in the Southeast Asian nation, and introduce more pilot training, following a report this week that cited component failure and pilot response as factors in the crash of an AirAsia flight last year that killed 162 people.



stuff.co.nz Philippine Airlines has completed its first ever flight to New Zealand touching down at Auckland Airport on Thursday afternoon. The four times weekly service to Auckland via Cairns will be serviced with a 156-seat Airbus 320, flying every Monday, Wednesday, Thursday and Sunday.



todayonline.com An ex-employee of the US Navy and a former police officer, both Singaporeans, were separately charged in the district court with various offences, including corruption, money-laundering and obstructing the course of justice. Gursharan Kaur Sharon Rachael, 55, a former lead contract specialist of the US Navy, faces seven counts of corruptly obtaining gratification worth about S$130,300 in cash and paid accommodation in luxury hotels.



reuters The US called for a credible, independent investigation by Myanmar's government of reports of military atrocities in the country's Shan State, saying they were reprehensible, if true. A rights group, the Shan Human Rights Foundation, accused Myanmar's army last week of bombing schools and Buddhist temples, firing on civilians and rape in an offensive against ethnic rebels in eastern Myanmar.



bbc.com An unlicensed Cambodian doctor has been sentenced to 25 years in prison for infecting about 200 people with HIV, some of whom later died. A court found that Yem Chrin, 56, had reused dirty needles when treating patients in the village of Roka in north-western Battambang province.



heraldsub.com.au Bronwyn Bishop spent almost $20,000 on a six-day trip to one of the world's cheapest destinations - Vietnam. The former Australian speaker of Parliament, who was forced to resign from the prestigious role after she took a luxury, taxpayer-funded helicopter, splurged $72,000 in overseas travel in the first half of this year.



bangkokpost.com Construction a joint Lao-Chinese railway project has begun after the two governments kicked off the project in a ground-breaking ceremony on Wednesday. The nations used the Lao National Day on December 2 to launch the long-delayed project, which will take about five years to complete, the Vientiane Times reported.