1. ASEAN: Forty‐Five Years of Achievements
Since its inception in 1967, the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) has made a
number of achievements towards regional peace, stability, and prosperity. Thailand has played
an active role in ASEAN from the very beginning.
Thailand is one of the founding members of ASEAN, together with Indonesia, Malaysia, the
Philippines and Singapore. The ASEAN Declaration, or Bangkok Declaration, was signed on
8 August 1967 at Saranrom Palace, Bangkok. As stipulated in the Bangkok Declaration, ASEAN
was established with an aim to promote peace and stability, and accelerate economic growth,
social progress and cultural development in the region through joint endeavours in a spirit of
equality and partnership. Over the years, ASEAN has gradually evolved and expanded to include
Brunei Darussalam (1984), Viet Nam (1995), Lao PDR and Myanmar (1997), and Cambodia
(1999).