Written AssignmentTopic : The Overview of ASEAN

I. Introduction ( Sophor) : The Association of Southeast Asian Nations is an organization of countries in southeast Asia set up to promote cultural, economic, and political development in the region. ASEAN was officially formed on 8 August 1967 with the signing of the Bangkok Declaration. The original five members included Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Since then, membership has expanded to include Brunei, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar (Burma) and Vietnam. Since its information, ASEAN has been growing slowly and more countries in the region have gained membership. Its aims include accelerating economic growth, social progress, among its members, protection of regional peace and stability, and opportunities for member countries to discuss differences peacefully. ASEAN covers a land area of 4.46 million km, which is 3% of the total land area of Earth, and has a population of approximately 600 million people, which is 8.8% of the world's population. The sea area of ASEAN is about three times larger than its land counterpart. In 2012, its combined nominal GDP had grown to more than US$2.3 trillion. If ASEAN were a single entity, it would rank as the seventh largest economy in the world, behind the US, China, Japan, Germany, France and the United Kingdom ASEAN was existing before by an organization called the Association of Southeast Asia (ASA), a group consisting of the Philippines, Malaysia and Thailand that formed in 1961. When foreign ministers of five countries such as Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand met at the Thai Department of Foreign Affairs building in Bangkok and signed the ASEAN Declaration, more commonly known as the Bangkok Declaration. The five foreign ministers Adam Malik of Indonesia, Narciso Ramos of the Philippines, Abdul Razak of Malaysia, S. Rajaratnam of Singapore, and Thanat Khoman of Thailand are considered the organizations Founding Fathers. The original ASEAN logo presented five brown sheaves of rice stalks, one for each founding member. Beneath the sheaves is the legend "ASEAN" in blue. These are set on a field of yellow encircled by a blue border. Brown stands for strength and stability, yellow for prosperity and blue for the spirit of cordiality in which ASEAN affairs are conducted. When ASEAN celebrated its 30th Anniversary in 1997, the sheaves on the logo had increased to ten - representing all ten countries of Southeast Asia and reflecting the colors of the flags of all of them. In a very real sense, ASEAN and Southeast Asia would then be the same, just as the Founding Fathers had envisioned. Furthermore, the use of the English language will serve to unite all ASEAN member countries as a common working language. The motto of ASEAN is One Vision, One Identity, One Community. The ASEAN Flag is a symbol of Member States unity and support for the principles and endeavors of ASEAN and is a means to promote greater ASEAN awareness and solidarity and ASEAN Flag represents a stable, peaceful, united and dynamic ASEAN.II. Objective of ASEAN (Sreythy) To accelerate the economic growth, social progress, and cultural development in the region through joint endeavors in the spirit of equality and partnership in order to strengthen the foundation for a prosperous and peaceful community of the Southeast Asian Nation To promote regional peace and stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law in the relationship among countries of the region and adherence to the principles of the United Nation Charter. To promote active collaboration and mutual assistance on matters of common interest in the economic, social, cultural, technical, scientific, and administrative field. To provide assistance to each other during the term of training and research facilities in the educational, professional, technical and spheres. To collaborate more effectively for the greater utilization of their agriculture and industries, the expansion of their trade, including the study of the problem of international commodity trade, the improvement of their transportation and communications facilities and the raising of the living standards of their people. To promote southeast Asian studies, and to maintain close and beneficial cooperation with existing international and regional organizations with similar aim and purposes, and explore all avenues for even closer cooperation among themselves.III. Why ASEAN is formed? (Sophea)1. To maintain and ameliorate peace, stability and security and additional strengthen peace-oriented values in the region.2. To improve regional resilience by promoting greater economic, security, political and socio-cultural cooperation;3. To maintain Southeast Asia as a Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone and free of all other weapons of mass destruction;4. To make sure that the people and Member States of ASEAN live in democratic, peaceful, lawful and honorable environment.5. To create a single market and manufacturing base which is flourishing, stable, highly competitive and economically integrated with effective alleviation for trade and investment in which there is free flow of goods, investment and services, facilitated movement of businessman, professionals, talents, labor and free flow of capital.6. To alleviate poverty and narrow the development gap within ASEAN through mutual assistance and cooperation.

7. To strengthen democracy, enhance good governance and the rule of law, and to promote and protect human rights and fundamental freedoms, with due regard to the rights and responsibilities of the Member States of ASEAN.8. To respond effectively, in accordance with the principle of comprehensive security, to all forms of threats, transnational crimes and trans boundary challenges.9. To promote sustainable development so as to ensure the protection of the regions environment, the sustainability of its natural resources, the preservation of its cultural heritage and the high quality of life of its peoples;10. To develop human resources through closer cooperation in education and lifelong learning, and in science and technology, for the empowerment of the people of ASEAN and for the strengthening of the ASEAN Community.11. To enhance the well-being and livelihood of the people of ASEAN by providing them with equitable access to opportunities for human development, social welfare and justice.12. To strengthen cooperation in building a safe, secure and drug-free environment for the people of ASEAN;13. To promote a people-oriented ASEAN in which all sectors of society are encouraged to participate in, and benefit from, the process of ASEAN integration and community building;14. To promote an ASEAN identity through the fostering of greater awareness of the diverse culture and heritage of the region; and15. To maintain the centrality and proactive role of ASEAN as the primary driving force in its relations and cooperation with its external partners in a regional architecture that is open, transparent and inclusive.IV. The ASEAN Member States: (Thearith)The ASEAN was founded on 8 August 1967 with five members, including Thailand, Indonesia, Malaysia, Singapore, and The Phillipines. As of 2010theAssociation of Southeast Asian Nations(ASEAN) has 10members, one candidate member state, and one observer state. The ASEAN is an organization in theSoutheast Asiaregion that aims to accelerate economic growth, social progress, and cultural development among its members and to promote regional peace.This is a list and a short description about the members states in ASEAN :

Royal Universities of Phnom PenhInstitute of Foreign LanguagesGS 201Department of EnglishLecturer : Peou Sopheak

Overview of ASEANPage 4Group 7Barunei Darussalam

Head of State : His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin WaddaulahCapital : Bandar Seri BegawanLanguage(s) : Malay, EnglishCurrency : B$ (Brunei Dollar)

Cambodia

Head of State : His Majesty King Norodom SihamoniHead of Government : Prime Minister Hun SenCapital : Phnom PenhLanguage : KhmerCurrency : Riel

Indonesia

Head of State : President Joko WidodoCapital : JakartaLanguage : IndonesianCurrency : Rupiah

Lao PDR

Head of State : President Choummaly SayasoneHead of Government : Prime Minister Thongsing ThammavongCapital : VientianeLanguage : LaoCurrency : KipMalaysiaHead of Government : The Honourable Dato' Sri Mohd Najib bin Tun Abdul RazakCapital : Kuala LumpurLanguage(s) : Malay, English, Chinese, TamilCurrency : Ringgit

MyanmarHead of State : President Thein SeinCapital : Nay Pyi TawLanguage : MyanmarCurrency : KyatMinistry of Foreign Affairs of Myanmar

PhilippinesHead of State : President Benigno S. Aquino IIICapital : ManilaLanguage(s) : Filipino, English, SpanishCurrency : Peso

SingaporeHead of State : President Tony Tan Keng YamHead of Government : Prime Minister Lee Hsien LoongCapital : SingaporeLanguage(s) : English, Malay, Mandarin, TamilCurrency : S$ (Singapore Dollar)

ThailandHead of State : His Majesty King Bhumibol AdulyadejHead of Government : Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-o-chaCapital : BangkokLanguage : ThaiCurrency : Baht

Viet NamHead of State : President Truong Tan SangHead of Government : Prime Minister Nguyen Tan DungCapital : Ha NoiLanguage : VietnameseCurrency : Dong

V. The ASEAN Economic Community : (Theara)The ASEAN Heads at their Summit in 2000 launched the Initiative for ASEAN Integration (IAI) to narrow the development gaps and to facilitate as well as accelerating the economies of developing cultures, protecting peaces amongst its members. In 2015, the 10 nations are collaborating into one in order to create The Asean Economic Community (AEC). The goal of the AEC is highly prioritized on integrated the economic community within 2015 in which will focuses on 4 main pillars. These include: Single Market and Production Base: Free flow of goods Free flow of services Free flow of investment Free flow of skilled labor Food and agriculture, security Competitive Economic Region: Develop competition policy Strengthen consumer protection Intellectual properties and rights Promote infrastructural development and e-commerce Reduced double-taxation Equitable Economic Development: Accelerating the development of small and medium enterprises Enhance ASEAN integration to reduce the development gap between countries Integration into Global Economy: Develop coherence towards external economic relations Form and manage Free Trade Agreements and Comprehensive Economic Partnership Enhance participant in global supply networks

VI. ConclusionWe could clearly be witnessed of the concern in several parts have led Southeast Asia to become a place full of worried; ASEAN had become the most crucial role in order to keep peace, to protect and to expand the productivity of the nations.

References:

Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). (n.d.). Retrieved December 26, 2014, from http://www.state.gov/p/eap/regional/asean/

Benefits of the ASEAN Economic Community - AEC - ASEAN UP. (2014, May 19). Retrieved December 26, 2014, from http://aseanup.com/benefits-asean-economic-community-aec/

HARIS, N., & SERI BEGAWAN, B. (2013, November 12). English to unite all ASEAN member countries. Retrieved December 26, 2014, from http://www.bt.com.bn/news-national/2013/11/12/english-unite-all-asean-member-countries

Navigation menu. (2011, April 29). Retrieved December 26, 2014, from http://www.human.nu.ac.th/en/asean-motto.php