On 8 August 1967, in Bangkok, Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand sign the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration) — the founding act of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

The Declaration sets goals of economic, social and cultural cooperation and regional peace, amid the Cold War and Indochina conflicts.

Though a political declaration rather than a classic ratifiable treaty, it is treated as ASEAN’s constitutive document and was followed by the ASEAN Charter (2007).

The five signatories were later joined by Brunei, Vietnam, Laos, Myanmar and Cambodia.

For Southeast Asian integration, 8 August 1967 marks the birth of ASEAN in Bangkok.

The official text is on the ASEAN site.

The ASEAN Declaration of 8 August 1967 remains the founding act of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations.

Image: Bangkok / ASEAN; Wikimedia Commons. Cropped to 16:9.

Source consulted: ASEAN Declaration. Treaty text: ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration, ASEAN).