ASEAN Declaration
Signing of the declaration by five foreign ministers at the main hall of Saranrom Palace, on Phra Nakhon, Bangkok | |
| Type | Founding treaty |
|---|---|
| Signed | 8 August 1967 |
| Location | Phra Nakhon in Bangkok, Thailand |
| Original signatories | |
| Full text | |
| Bangkok Declaration at Wikisource | |
| History of ASEAN |
|---|
The ASEAN Declaration, commonly known as the Bangkok Declaration, is the founding charter of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). Signed on 8 August 1967 by the foreign ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, and Thailand in Bangkok, the capital city of Thailand, it formally established the Association to promote regional cooperation in economic, social, cultural, technical, and administrative fields, and to foster regional peace and stability through adherence to the United Nations Charter and the rule of law.
The Declaration states the basic principles of sovereign equality, non‑interference, and consensus-based decision-making (known as Musyawarah) among members. Although conceived during the Cold War amid concerns over communist expansion, its text notably omits any direct reference to ideological or military alliances. The date of its signing is now commemorated annually as ASEAN Day throughout Southeast Asia.