The former King of Cambodia Norodom Sihanouk has died in China, where he had been receiving medical treatment. He was 89. Norodom Sihanouk played a crucial role in the life of Cambodia for more than 60 years.

Eight years ago he abdicated in favour of his son Norodom Sihamoni due to health reasons.

Norodom Sihanouk came to the throne in 1941 at the age of 19. Sihanouk was heralded for bringing his ancient kingdom through independence from France, war and genocide to form a fragile democracy.

For the people of Cambodia he was a much loved father figure through decades of instability and bloodshed.

Hillary Clinton has arrived in Laos. She is the first US Secretary of State to visit the country in 57 years. She is expected to discuss plans to build the controversial Mekong river dam, which critics say, would impact the environment and millions of lives. The effects of Agent Orange, a defoliant used during the Vietnam war, are also likely to be on the agenda. Mrs Clinton, who arrives in Vientiane from Vietnam, will then head to Cambodia for an Asean meeting.
The last top US diplomat to visit Laos was John Foster Dulles in 1955. The 3.8 billion dollars hydro-electric dam project at Xayaburi, has caused tension among Mekong region countries - Laos, Vietnam, Cambodia and Thailand. In April, a multi-billion dollar contract was signed for a Thai company, CH Karnchang, to build the dam. The Lao government has pledged not to go ahead with the project until environmental issues have been resolved.

In Myanmar, the 32nd Conference of the ASEAN Chiefs of Police, the ASEANAPOL is underway in Nay Pyi Taw, bringing together police chiefs of the Association of South-east Asian Nations and heads of police force of dialogue partner countries to touch on joint operations against cross-region crimes.

Participants from Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam as well as representatives from dialogue partner countries - China, Japan, South Korea, New Zealand and Australia and those from INTERPOL Secretariat.

The meeting was chaired by Myanmar Police Chief Police Major- General Kyaw Kyaw Tun who took over the chairmanship from his Lao counterpart Brigadier-Genaral Cesar Bat Malabon.

North Korean rocket launch, developments in Myanmar and disputes over the South China Sea are expected to dominate Southeast Asia's annual diplomatic summit, ASEAN that begins tomorrow at Phnom Penh in Cambodia. 

The stated focus of the two day Summit is on turning the 10 nations and their combined population of 600 million into a European Union-like community by 2015.

 North Korea is not a member of the group, but some leaders are expected to voice alarm over Pyongyang's plan to fire a long-range rocket this month.

Territorial conflicts in the resource-rich South China Sea will almost certainly be raised.China, Taiwan and ASEAN members Vietnam, the Philippines, Malaysia and Brunei all make various claims on the sea, which China claims in its entirety. 

The Philippines and Vietnam in particular have been at odds with Beijing over the region in recent months, with diplomatic clashes erupting over oil and gas exploration and fishing rights.