COTABATO (Philippines) - SEVEN communist guerrillas have been killed in three days of intense fighting in the southern Philippines, the military said on Saturday.

Clashes began on Wednesday after New People's Army (NPA) rebels ambushed a military convoy responding to civilian complaints of harassment by the rebels near the town of Tulunan on Mindanao island, the army said.

PHNOM PENH - CAMBODIA and Thailand agreed on Friday to withdraw the remaining troops on their disputed border to avoid a repeat of last year's armed clashes near a 900-year-old Hindu temple.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, speaking to reporters after meeting Thai Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan, said they agreed to jointly demarcate the jungle-clad area where four soldiers died in a firefight last October.

ASEAN'S credibility has suffered as a result of its members' recent domestic political woes and bilateral disputes, but the 10-member regional grouping remains strategically important, especially in the light of China and India's rise, Foreign Minister George Yeo said yesterday.

He was replying to Ms Indranee Rajah (Tanjong Pagar GRC), Mr Hawazi Daipi (Sembawang GRC) and Dr Maliki Osman (Sembawang GRC), who asked for a progress report on Asean.