History of ASEAN

ASEAN was established in Bangkok on August 8, 1967 by five countries namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand through Bangkok Declaration. PERBARA (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) are more famous with ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations) is a geo-political and economic organization of countries in Southeast Asia. This organization aims to promote economic growth, social progress and cultural development of its member countries, as well as promote peace in regional level. ASEAN gets new members on January 7, 1984, namely Brunei Darussalam, followed by Vietnam as ASEAN's new members are seventh on 28 July 1995 and up till now, is all the ASEAN member countries in Southeast Asia, except East Timor and Papua New Guinea.

Main principle of Asean

• Respect for the independence, sovereignty, equality, territorial integrity, national, and national identity of each country
• The right of every state to lead a national presence for free rather than interference, subversion or coercion outsiders
• Non-interference in domestic affairs of fellow members
• Settlement of differences or dispute peacefully
• Reject the use of deadly force
• Effective cooperation between member

ASEAN was founded by five countries initiators, namely Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand in Bangkok through the Bangkok Declaration. The foreign minister Bangkok Declaration signatories at the time was Adam Malik (Indonesia), Narciso Ramos (Philippines), Tun Abdul Razak (Malaysia), S. Rajaratnam (Singapore), and Thanat Khoman (Thailand).

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Bangkok Declaration contents are as follows:

• the growth accelerate economic, social progress and cultural development in Southeast Asia
• Promote peace and regional stability
• Improve cooperation and mutual assistance in the common interest in the economic, social, engineering, science, and administration
• Maintain close cooperation in the middle - the middle of regional and international organizations that exist
• Enhance cooperation to promote education, training, and research in Southeast Asia

Brunei Darussalam became the first ASEAN member countries beyond the five initiators. Brunei Darussalam became a member of ASEAN on January 7, 1984 (exactly a week after commemorate freedom). Eleven years later, ASEAN again accepting new members, namely Vietnam became the seventh member on July 28, 1995. Two years later, following the Laos and Myanmar joined the ASEAN, namely on July 23, 1997. Although Cambodia plan to join the ASEAN together with Myanmar and Laos, the plan had to be postponed because of the political problems in the country Cambodia. Even so, two years later, Cambodia finally became a member of ASEAN, namely on December 16, 1998.