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.



nationmultimedia.com Thailand will trail all Asean countries in growth because its open economy and export dependence leave it directly exposed to the global and Chinese slowdowns, according to the World Bank. Thai gross domestic product this year is expected to grow by 2.5 percent, while the East Asia-Pacific region is expected to race ahead by 6.5 percent this year, 6.4 percent next year and 6.3 percent in 2017.



afp A coalition of Muslim groups has filed suit in New York against Myanmar President Thein Sein and other government officials for alleged crimes against the Rohingya minority, which they say amount to genocide.



cbsnews.com Malaysia shut most schools nationwide for two days to protect children from a thick, noxious haze caused by smoke from burning forests in neighboring Indonesia. The haze, which has shrouded parts of Malaysia and Singapore for about a month, also spread to Thailand, the first time it has reached hazardous levels so far north.



livemint.com Singapore is starting to look like Beijing or New Delhi. That's because you can't see it through the haze. Smog has disrupted outdoor events, forced schools to close and sent commuters running for their surgical masks.



theguardian.com The illegal burning of forests and agricultural land across Indonesia has blanketed much of south-east Asia in an acrid haze, leading to one of the most severe regional shutdowns in years. Malaysian Prime Minister Najib Razak said Indonesia needs to convict plantation companies for the noxious smoke, created by the annual destruction of plants during the dry season.



IANS Cambodia's economic growth is expected to slightly ease to 6.9 percent this year, 0.2 percentage point lower than the 7.1 percent growth last year, according to a World Bank report.



bloomberg Vietnam and the Philippines are set to reap the rewards of diversifying their exports, helping fireproof the two economies from plunging commodity prices. Indonesia and Malaysia's failure to do so now represents a risk to Asia's 2016 outlook.



aseanbriefing.com For the past decade, Laos, one of the smaller economies in Southeast Asia has seen economic growth at a rapid rate of 7-8pc annually. The country has been able to do this by taking advantage of its abundant natural resources and low cost raw materials. Laos has also sought to attract investors through the implementation of special economic zones.



cbs.com Authorities in China and the Philippines said that Typhoon Mujigae tore through the northern Philippines before roaring ashore in southern China and has killed at least nine people and left dozens of fishermen missing.



asiaone.com Indonesian workers are still facing issues of employers not paying the minimum wage stated in their contracts, said the Indonesian embassy's head of protocol and consular affairs.