THAILAND

Two political scientists at Hebrew University in Israel say they have come up with a method of predicting the likelihood that a country will suffer civil unrest.

The popular Pattaya beach in Thailand is eroding at a rate of nearly two meters a year that could lead to its extinction in less than five years, according to Thai scientists.

An elected parliament convened in Myanmar on Monday for the first time in half a century but inspired scant enthusiasm among a sceptical public convinced it is just a smokescreen for continued military rule.

A battle between large supermarket operators to tap into Southeast Asia's growing consumer wealth could trigger more acquisitions, with Indonesia, Vietnam and the Philippines seen as the next hot spots.

Global economic recovery is not resulting in job creation, as the number of the unemployed people worldwide stood at a record 205 million last year, the International Labour Organization (ILO) warned on Monday.

Millions of children worldwide die every year from preventable diseases and the bad situation is only going to worsen due to an increasing shortage of healthcare workers.

Thai police said on Monday as many as 91 Rohingya boat people, who ended up in the country while fleeing from Myanmar, will be deported.

Budget travel and staying at boutique hotels don't have to be mutually exclusive with a little research. Online boutique travel brand Mr & Mrs Smith (www.mrandmrssmith.com) selects 10 top boutique hotels around the world which won't cost the earth. All double rooms from less than $240. Reuters has not endorsed this list:

The CIA persuaded Switzerland to destroy millions of pages of evidence showing how a Pakistani scientist helped Iran, Libya and North Korea acquire sensitive nuclear technology, according to a new book.

China's central bank raised lenders' required reserves on Friday for the fourth time in just over two months, stepping up the fight against inflation that it has vowed will be a top priority for the year.

China dumped plans to import several million tonnes of expensive corn and South Korea unveiled cuts in import tariffs on some products, underscoring the dilemma over how to tackle rising food prices.

Even before it launches the first passenger cars under its own brand at home, China's BAIC has set its sights on expansion overseas.

Douglas Clayton, chief executive officer of investment fund manager Leopard Capital, is one of the premier investors of the frontier markets. Based in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, Clayton speaks to IB Times about the ramifications of Laos opening a stock exchange.

Over 30,000 protestors took to the streets in Bangkok on Sunday in a peaceful anti-government rally, in the first move seen by the Red Shirts group since the emergency rule was lifted last month.

In an annual survey conducted by the Japan Bank for International Cooperation, India for the first time topped the list as the most attractive destination, overtaking China.

The devastating floods in Queensland Australia has driven up the prices of certain commodities, including coal, wheat and sugar. With warnings that the flood may not recede for weeks, the longer-term impact on commodity prices becomes a great concern.

South Korea announced on Sunday it will start charging a levy on banks' foreign exchange borrowings, a measure aimed at limiting the chances of capital exiting the economy at a time when military tensions with the North are escalating.

Nissan Motor Co and Mitsubishi Motors Corporation said on Tuesday that the two companies agreed to expand their current scope of cooperation towards new projects that will further strengthen mutual competitiveness, especially in the Japanese mini car and global commercial vehicle businesses.

Singapore's top government officials spewed venom towards the political leaders of some of its Asian neighbors, according to U.S. diplomatic cables obtained by WikiLeaks and provided to an Australian newspaper, The Sun Herald.

Mitsubishi Motors Corp on Thursday announced its plans to invest $532 million in a new Thailand plant, where it will manufacture 'global small' cars in March 2012.

From the Jamaican beach in Caribbean to the Christians’ Holy Lands, there are many exotic places available for a cheap vacation this holiday season. Here’s a list of 8 most cheap destinations for your Christmas getaways.