ASEAN Must Remember its Principles Before They are Broken

The ASEAN Foreign Ministers' Meeting (AMM) Retreat on Cebu Island, Philippines on January 29. Foreign ministry

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Thailand, as one of ASEAN’s founding members, bears a special responsibility to uphold the principles that created the organisation. When a member acts in ways that contradict these principles, it is not only a question of one country’s behaviour — it is a test of ASEAN’s credibility and moral authority.

ASEAN was created in 1967, at a time when Southeast Asia was emerging from colonial rule but remained deeply vulnerable — divided by ideology, unsettled borders and the growing influence of external powers. War was not a distant memory; it was a lived reality.

When the foreign ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia, Thailand, the Philippines and Singapore signed the Bangkok Declaration, they made a conscious choice: to reject a future defined by conflict and to embrace dialogue, restraint and coexistence. ASEAN was not merely a diplomatic grouping; it was a commitment to shared regional responsibility.

At its core, ASEAN rests on enduring principles, as reaffirmed in the ASEAN Charter (2007):

Peaceful settlement of disputes — differences among members must be resolved through consultation and negotiation, not force.
Respect for sovereignty and territorial integrity — all members are to honour existing borders and refrain from threatening another’s independence.
Non-interference in internal affairs — the “ASEAN Way” encourages trust and mutual respect across political systems.
Renunciation of threat or use of force — members must refrain from actions that endanger regional stability.
Cooperation for shared prosperity — economic, social and cultural collaboration strengthens peace.
For more than five decades, ASEAN largely succeeded in this mission. Despite disagreements, the region avoided declared wars between member states — an achievement of historical significance.

Yet principles endure only if consistently applied. Recent tensions, particularly Thailand’s incursions into Cambodian territory, highlight a serious contradiction: These actions run directly counter to the principles Thailand itself helped enshrine. Invading or militarily entering another member state violates sovereignty, non-interference and the commitment to peaceful dispute resolution — all central to ASEAN’s founding purpose.

Thailand’s actions toward Cambodia are not only a bilateral concern; they challenge ASEAN’s moral authority. When one member departs from the values it promised to uphold, it undermines trust, weakens regional cohesion and sets a dangerous precedent. ASEAN’s strength depends on all members honouring the commitments they agreed to in 1967 and reaffirmed in 2007.

ASEAN was designed to prevent unilateral action, coercion and power-based dominance. Declarations alone cannot preserve these norms. Summits cannot substitute for restraint. Principles applied selectively lose their force.

The founders of ASEAN believed dialogue was stronger than weapons, and regional unity mattered more than historical grievance. That belief is just as relevant today. ASEAN members — especially founding states — must remember their own creation and act in accordance with the principles that ensure peace, respect and cooperation.

ASEAN cannot remain silent or passive. It must actively uphold its values, hold members accountable to the commitments they made and prevent actions that threaten regional stability. Thailand, and all members, must remember that principles matter more than short-term advantage, and that no country is above the norms it helped establish. The credibility and future of ASEAN depend on it.

-Phnom Penh Post-
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