Thailand celebrates Asean Day on August 8, an important occasion to reflect on the developments of this 57-year-old organization. The Asean Community now encompasses 675 million people and is projected to become the world’s fourth-largest economy.
To remain relevant, ASEAN must uphold the principles that have shaped the bloc while simultaneously adapting to new internal and external changes.
When Asean was established in 1967, many doomsayers believed that the bloc would not survive due to its lack of military power and its nature as a supranational entity.
Critics often highlighted the disagreements among member states and the slow consensus-building process. However, these observations overlooked the bloc’s diversity and domestic dynamism.
Asean is akin to a Disney World of political systems, encompassing a variety of politics, religions, languages, and cultures. The 10-member bloc has successfully and peacefully co-existed and promoted developmental cooperation across all areas, directly mitigating conflicts stemming from colonial histories and preventing open warfare among its members.
The past decade has witnessed tumultuous global changes, impacting both individual Asean members and the bloc as a whole. Fortunately, all Asean members recognize that their unity and the bloc’s centrality are prerequisites for their survival and relevance.
Currently, teams of Asean experts are drafting the Asean Vision 2045, which is expected to be completed early next year. This time, the bloc is adopting a long-term perspective. It is indeed challenging to predict what the world will look like in the next two decades, let alone in the coming years. The drafters understand what needs to be enshrined in the vision to address future challenges in a multipolar world.
However, amidst this backdrop, specific practices and principles will certainly remain unchanged, such as the non-interference principle, consensus-making, and the non-use of force. These universal norms have served Asean well.
Next year, ASEAN will welcome Timor-Leste as its 11th member after nearly a decade of preparation. With the world’s youngest democracy joining, Asean will become more dynamic and people-centered. While there will undoubtedly be disagreements on global issues among old and new members, at the end of the day, Asean will reach a consensus that all members will respect and uphold.
Currently, the Myanmar crisis has tarnished the bloc’s reputation, having persisted for the past three and a half years. Asean has already punished Myanmar and barred the country leader from the Asean-related summit.
Lest we forget, Asean was previously credited with guiding Myanmar towards democracy before the 2021 coup. However, the current conflict is significantly more complex and involves numerous stakeholders.
With social media's pervasive influence, Asean cannot hastily follow the narratives endorsed by these platforms and their influencers. That is why Asean reaffirms its commitment to the Five-Point Consensus agreed in April 2021.
Thailand, the only non-colonized member, continues to strengthen ties with Asean. It is no exaggeration to say that Asean is the DNA of Thailand and vice versa. Throughout its history with the bloc, the country has consistently supported the bloc’s policies and approaches without fail. All past and present governments have been strong advocates for Asean.
Today, Asean is resilient and adaptable. A glance at the list of leaders who have participated in Asean-related meetings and summits reveals a desire to engage with the bloc, which has no enemies and is friendly to all.
