BANGKOK, Dec 11 — Southeast Asian stocks traded flat to weaker today as investors booked profits in rallying markets such as Malaysia, while Thai stocks came under further selling pressure on concerns over political tensions and their potential impact on economy.

Malaysia's Kuala Lumpur composite index was 0.03 per cent lower as players cashed in on gains in commodities shares after the benchmark's fourth straight gain yesterday when it hit a record closing high of 1,843.85.

Shares of Petronas Chemicals Group slid 1.7 per cent after hitting a one-month high in the previous session, while shares of palm plantation firm IOI Corporation  fell 2.2 per cent, the biggest percentage loser on the index.

Better-than-expected October trade data and hopes of a boost in fourth-quarter GDP have underpinned sentiment on the exchange over the past week.

The benchmark had risen more than 9 per cent so far this year, the region's second best performer.

Technically, the index is set to rise in the near term, with commodities seen outperforming on the back of rising prices, including crude palm oil , Affin Investment Bank said in a report.

 “Bursa should get significant catalyst from a strong commodity bounce with crude palm oil, light crude oil, gold and copper made big short-covering-rallies, with plantation sector leading the rest of the broad market,” it said.

Thai SET index was down 0.1 per cent at 1,365.69 in an early subdued trade, with trading volume of 0.4 per cent of a full day average over past 30 sessions. Brokers expect the market to decline due to the domestic political concerns.

“The political impasse is weighing on Thailand more than originally expected and today we cut our 2014 forecasts for GDP, earnings and SET target again. We are still defensive in the meantime,” strategists at broker KGI Securities wrote in a report.

Anti-government protesters in Thailand, ignoring the snap election called by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, said she should be tried for treason and the whole of her influential family be hounded until they give up politics.

Consumer sector stocks were among the top percentage losers on the large cap SET50 index, including shares of hypermarket operator Big C Super centre Pcl and food firm Charoen Pokphand Foods Pcl.

Singapore's Straits Times Index was down 0.4 per cent, hovering around a three-month low and extending its falls over past six sessions. Jakarta's Composite Index  eased 0.5 per cent, reversing yesterday’s one-week high.

Philippine shares were nearly flat after a drop yesterday to their lowest in more than three months while Vietnam fell 0.9 per cent to a one-week low.

Most Asian share markets lurched lower today as investors booked profits on a range of once-crowded positions, largely to the benefit of bonds and the detriment of the US dollar. — Reuters