Looking back, Timor Leste had expressed its intention to join ASEAN as a year after independence in 2002. At the time, Thailand and Cambodia were the only two countries backing the young nation's bid to join ASEAN right away. They thought that the best way to help was to include it the ASEAN familys as soon as possible. As a young democracy, Thailand at the time also viewed ASEAN's expansion as a way to strengthen openness and democratization in its member states.