NUSA DUA, Indonesia (Reuters) – Southeast Asian nations endorsed Myanmar on Thursday for the chairmanship of its regional grouping in 2014, gambling that the isolated country can stick to reforms begun this year that could lead it out of half a century of isolation.

But U.S. President Barack Obama cautioned that Myanmar, also known as Burma, must still demonstrate improvements in human rights in his first remarks since the authoritarian regime freed hundreds of political prisoners in October and vowed more reforms in the weeks ahead.

NUSA DUA, Indonesia (Reuters) – Myanmar is on course to chair Southeast Asia’s regional bloc, Indonesia’s foreign minister said on Tuesday after a regional meeting discussed the former Burma’s reclusive, army-backed government and its tentative reforms.

The comments by Marty Natalegawa, whose country holds the rotating chairmanship of the 10-member ASEAN bloc, suggest Myanmar could chair the organisation in 2014, a step that would give one of Asia’s most isolated and authoritarian states long-coveted international recognition.

BANGKOK (Reuters) – The chief of the central bank of Thailand said on Friday he saw room to be flexible with interest rates as businesses suffer during the worst floods in half a century, the strongest suggestion yet Thailand may loosen monetary policy.

Slowing growth was a bigger risk than inflation in Thailand, Southeast Asia’s second-biggest economy, Bank of Thailand Governor Prasarn Trairatvorakul said, although he added that any short-term stimulus should be temporary.

BANGKOK (Reuters) – Myanmar’s political reforms look “irreversible” and put the country on course to chair Southeast Asia’s regional bloc, Indonesia’s foreign minister said on Sunday after meeting with leaders of the reclusive, army-backed government.

The comments by Marty Natalegawa, whose country holds the rotating chairmanship of the 10-member ASEAN bloc, are among the strongest yet suggesting Myanmar could chair the organisation in 2014, a step that would give long-coveted international recognition to one of Asia’s most isolated states.

BANGKOK, Oct 29 (Reuters) – Receding floodwaters north of
Bangkok have reduced the threat to the Thai capital, the prime
minister said on Saturday, but high tides in the Gulf of
Thailand will still test the city’s flood defences.

“If things go on like this, we expect floodwater in Bangkok
to recede within the first week of November,” Prime Minister
Yingluck Shinawatra said on national television.

BANGKOK, Oct 29 (Reuters) – Receding floodwaters north of
Bangkok have reduced the threat to the Thai capital, the prime
minister said on Saturday, but a rise in coastal high tides in
the Gulf of Thailand will still test the city’s flood defences.

“If things go on like this, we expect floodwater in Bangkok
to recede within the first week of November,” Prime Minister
Yingluck Shinawatra said on national television.

BANGKOK (Reuters) – Receding floodwater north of Bangkok have reduced the threat to the Thai capital, the prime minister said on Saturday, but a rise in coastal high tides in the Gulf of Thailand will still test the city’s flood defences.

“If things go on like this, we expect floodwater in Bangkok to recede within the first week of November,” Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra said on national television.

BANGKOK (Reuters) – Traffic clogged roads out of the Thai capital on Friday as tens of thousands of people fled ahead of a high tide expected to worsen floods that have inundated factories and prompted foreign governments to warn their citizens to stay away.

The main concern is that Bangkok’s Chao Phraya River will burst its banks over the weekend during the unusually high tide that begins on Friday. Buildings across Bangkok have been sand-bagged for protection, and some vulnerable streets were nearly deserted.

BANGKOK (Reuters) – In the early days of Thailand’s devastating floods, Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra was seen knee-deep in muddy waters in wading boots, greeting evacuated villagers, surrounded by clicking cameras and appearing to take charge.

Fast-forward a month, as the worst floods in half a century close in on inner-city Bangkok, Yingluck’s three-month-old government is under fire for badly managing the crisis — from shoddy policy coordination to poor communication and conflicts with the Bangkok Metropolitan Administration.

BANGKOK (Reuters) – Traffic clogged roads out of Bangkok Friday as thousands of people fled ahead of a high tide that may worsen floods that have inundated factories and prompted foreign governments to warn citizens to stay away from one of Asia’s biggest cities.

Authorities have expressed concern that Bangkok’s main Chao Phraya River will burst its banks over the weekend during the unusually high tide that begins Friday. Buildings across Bangkok have been sand-bagged for protection, and some vulnerable streets are nearly deserted.