PM Samak Sundaravej believes the dispute over the Preah Vihear temple areas between Thailand and Cambodia would ease after the Cambodian general election on July 27.

The Security Council will decide whether it will hold an emergency session to discuss an escalating border spat between Thailand and Cambodia over an ancient Hindu temple.

East Asia is struggling with soaring fuel and food prices more than one year after 16 countries agreed to take steps to ensure energy security.

At its meeting this week, Asean will hope that Cambodia and Thailand exercise utmost restraint in resolving the issue - but the regional body will not take sides, or action.

"I feel very sad about weapons at a pagoda. I am a Buddhist, too," Thai Colonel Chay An Huay Sooner said. "But I am a soldier, so I follow orders, although I don't know who gave them."

The Cambodian government has launched a diplomatic offensive, alleging Thai "interference on its soil" at the Preah Vihear temple to the United Nations Security Council.

A Cambodian official at Preah Vihear temple confirmed Saturday that Thai troops had stood down from a nearby disputed pagoda as a delegation of international military attaches from Vietnam and China flew in by helicopter at Cambodia's request.

The World Bank has urged Asian cities to come up with climate resilient programmes to safeguard people from natural hazards triggered by climate change and rising sea levels.

Cambodian and Thailand Saturday increased their troops in the fifth day of a tense standoff on disputed land near Preah Vihear temple.

Claims that Thailand's decades-old southern separatist struggle was over were dismissed Friday as a hoax or a failed publicity stunt.

As for his possible ministerial reinstatement, Chaiya Sasomsab contends that the constitution does not bar him from politics.

Two men claiming to be behind the war in the South said on Thursday they have called a cease-fire to end four and a half years of violence. Their claims were unverified.

Cambodia released three Thais who were detained on Tuesday while apparently trying to "liberate" Preah Vihear temple. But 17 Thai border troops caught in the area will be held overnight, government spokesman Khieu Kanharith said.

Asian stocks declined Tuesday on worries about the regional financial sector's exposure to troubled US mortgage firms. The Stock Exchange of Thailand index fell by more than 3.3 per cent - down 23.65 points to 693.41.

The claim by Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej that he has found a source of cheap Russian diesel raised eyebrows at local oil companies, where experts say high transport costs and low quality could even make inferior Russian diesel more expensive than what's on the market now.

Contrary to the popular belief that the illegal growing of opium has dwindled in Thailand, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board (ONCB) reports the opposite is true for this source of heroin.

Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej promised he will appoint a beautiful new cabinet soon, but not before the courts finish pending election cases on whether to disqualify some of his current team.

The ruling People Power party is in a tight spot and believes that amending the constitution will break a likely impasse. In fact, this desperation could prove fatal for PPP's political life.

Petroleum giant PTT Plc sees the prospect of world crude prices reaching a previously unthinkable US$300 per barrel if tensions in the Middle East escalate.

The government suffered its third justice-administered setback in 24 hours on Wednesday as the Constitution Court kicked Public Health Minister Chaiya Sasomsab out of office.