This Guide will help you research the legal systems of the 10 South East Asian nations that comprise the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN): Brunei Darussalam, Cambodia, Indonesia, Lao PDR, Malaysia, Myanmar (Burma), the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam. For information about ASEAN and human rights, see the South East Asian page on our Human Rights Research Guide. Japan and Korea have also been added to this Research Guide.
Use the following resources to find general country information about the 10 countries in this guide - history, demographics, economy, government etc.
This box provides general information about ASEAN. For information about ASEAN and human rights, see the South East Asian page on our Human Rights Research Guide.
The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration (Bangkok Declaration), which set outs the aims and purposes of ASEAN.
ASEAN - About Us about the history, establishment, structure and activities of ASEAN.
The 10 ASEAN Member States have adopted a set of fundamental principles, as contained in the 1976 Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia (TAC).
The ASEAN Community comprises three pillars, the ASEAN Political-Security Community, ASEAN Economic Community and ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community.
The ASEAN Charter entered into force on 15 December 2008. It is the foundation for achieving the ASEAN Community by providing the legal status of and institutional framework for ASEAN. It also codifies ASEAN norms, rules and values, sets clear targets for ASEAN; and presents accountability and compliance. For detailed commentary on the Charter, see the following book: