Five decades have gone by, but the Association of Southeast Asian Nations is still standing. That said, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs said the coronavirus crisis is a clarion call for increased cooperation in what some observers have described as the age of "deglobalisation".
In an interview with the Bangkok Post ahead of Asean Day, the director-general of the Department of Asean Affairs under the Foreign Affairs Ministry, Usana Berananda, said the novel coronavirus outbreak shows the need for increased regional cooperation because no nation can single-handedly bring the pandemic under control.
"At the Special Asean Summit on Covid-19 in April, Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha announced he would provide test kits to neighbouring countries. The idea is, none of us will be safe unless all of us are safe," she said.
Ms Usana said Asean is now discussing the plan to set up more medical warehouses to prepare for public health emergencies, in addition to existing ones in Indonesia, the Philippines and Thailand.
"Did you know that some of the body bags used in coronavirus deaths were taken from our warehouse in Chai Nat?" she said. "In light of this, Vietnam has drafted a plan to set up more medical depositories."
Ms Usana said some countries in the region, such as Thailand and Vietnam, have won praise for their handling of the pandemic, partly because they have had a mechanism for sharing information in public health emergencies since the 2003 Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (Sars) outbreak.
"Beijing notified us of the outbreak and shared advice via the Asean+3 network, which enabled us to respond in time. We also enjoyed support from the United States through its the Center for Disease Control (CDC) and their labs," she said.
Regional issues
The regional bloc has come under fire in recent months following reports of Rohingya refugees fleeing the squalid camps in Bangladesh's Cox's Bazar, where they have been staying following a crackdown in Myanmar in late 2016.
Ms Usana said Thailand has donated US$50,000 (1.5 million baht) to the World Health Organization (WHO) to support its efforts to improve public health in refugee camps, as an outbreak in the camps can put the entire community of up to one million at risk.
"Last year, Asean carried out a preliminary need assessment to facilitate the Rohingya refugees' return to Myanmar and came up with a plan to ensure their livelihoods.
However, travel restrictions brought on by the pandemic disrupted its implementation," she said.
When asked about Asean's stance on the protracted crisis, Ms Usana said the bloc is aiming to foster deeper trust with Myanmar -- and the process cannot be rushed.
"It's necessary to keep our doors open. In the past, we can barely talk about Rakhine state, but now we are able to discuss the matter and offer our support," she said.
"We have been trying hard to match international expectations with the reality on the ground in Myanmar. In the end, Myanmar and Bangladesh will have to sit and discuss some issues together."
Meanwhile, the South China Sea has seen an increasing number of military exercises, both by China and the United States.
On the matter, Ms Usana said that while Thailand is a non-claimant state in the dispute, it will continue to support efforts to establish a stable and peaceful environment.
"Asean is calling on stakeholders to avoid escalating tensions. In the wake of the outbreak, we are still finding ways to proceed with the second reading of the single draft of the code of conduct in the South China Sea," she said.
When asked whether the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership will be signed in November this year, Ms Usana said it is "likely" before adding that Asean's doors are always open to India.
Everyone's friend
Ms Usana said Thailand's good relationships with its strategic partners has made it a trustworthy partner in the international community. Furthermore, she said, other countries could benefit from Thailand's push for sustainable development, especially in the aftermath of the pandemic.
However, she said, political instability risks interrupting policy continuity in Southeast Asia, especially during transition periods between governments.
"Political transition can muffle our voice, but fortunately, our governments have been pushing the same agenda -- such as sustainable development -- over the past decade," she said.
Ms Usana then encouraged Thai youths to make the best out of the opportunities presented by Asean, which range from scholarships to free-trade agreements with its partners.