Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha delivers his response shortly after accepting Thailand hosting and chairmanship of the ASEAN Summit and Related Summits next year Thursday, Nov. 15, 2018 in Singapore. (AP Photo/Bullit Marquez)
PUNDITS and observers of the region have long doubted Asean, consigning the organisation to the doldrums of history after the fall of the Berlin Wall in 1989. While Asean’s role at that time was limited to regional security, over the past two decades, it has evolved to cover regional economic and social integration as well.
The recently concluded 33rd Asean Summit in Singapore reaffirmed the organisation as a fundamental player within the regional political-security architecture. Except for US President Donald Trump, every major Asean partner was represented by their respective heads of government – a nod towards Asean’s crucial position at the heart of Asia-Pacific regionalism.
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