Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) established in 1967 by Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand to promote the economic, social and cultural development of the region through co-operative programmes, to safeguard the political and economic stability of the region, and to serve as a forum for the resolution if inter-regional differences. Brunei Darussalam (1984), Vietnam (1995), Laos (1997) and Myanmar (1997) have since joined the Association.