ASEAN in Brief



The Association of Southeast Asian Nations, or ASEAN, was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand.

The Founding Fathers of ASEAN were Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand.
Brunei Darussalam then joined on 8 January 1984, Viet Nam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999, making up what is today the ten Member States of ASEAN.

The ASEAN flag represents a stable, peaceful, united and dynamic ASEAN. The colours of the flag -- blue, red, white and yellow -- represent the main colours of the flags of all the ASEAN countries.

The blue represents peace and stability. Red depicts courage and dynamism. White shows purity and yellow symbolises prosperity.
The ten stalks of padi represent the dream of ASEAN's Founding Fathers for an ASEAN comprising all the ten countries in Southeast Asia bound together in friendship and solidarity. The circle represents the unity of ASEAN.

The motto of ASEAN is “One Vision, One Identity, One Community”.

8 August is observed as ASEAN Day.