Module 1: INTRODUCTION TO ASEAN

Module Overview:

Hello students! Welcome to Module 1 of our subject, ASEAN Cultural Heritage Studies. The first
lesson in this module is intended for anyone who has little to no knowledge of ASEAN and its history.
Once you know the ASEAN, you will be able to discuss its history and it’s the member nations.

Module Objectives/Outcomes:

At the end of this module, students are expected to:

• Discuss the history of the ASEAN;
• Label the 10 ASEAN country members in the map and compile pictures of the 10
ASEAN nations and their leaders;
• Describe cultural diversity of each members in the ASEAN while valuing Filipino
identity; and
• Discuss the relevance of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community.

Lessons in Module:
Lesson 1 : Knowing ASEAN
Lesson 2 : Valuing Identity and Diversity
Lesson 3 : The ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community
 Module 1: INTRODUCTION TO ASEAN
Lesson 1: Knowing ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations)

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this module, students are expected to:
• discuss the history of ASEAN; and
• label the 10 ASEAN country members in the map and compile pictures of the 10
ASEAN nations and their leaders.

Time Frame: Week 1

Introduction:

In this module you will be discussing the history of ASEAN. We will tackle its significance and
importance to us as Filipinos. The students can expect interactive presentations and discussions for a
fun and enjoyable learning. This lesson is estimated to be accomplished for a span of 2 weeks.

Abstracti
on:

The image below is the official emblem of ASEAN.

1. The ASEAN Emblem represents a stable, peaceful, united and
dynamic ASEAN. The colors of the Emblem — blue, red, white and
yellow
— represent the main colors of the state crests of all the ASEAN
Member States.
2. The blue represents peace and stability. Red depicts courage and
dynamism, white shows purity and yellow symbolizes prosperity.
3. The stalks of padi in the center of the Emblem represent the dream
of ASEAN’s Founding Fathers for an ASEAN comprising all the countries
in Southeast Asia, bound together in friendship and solidarity
4. The circle represents the unity of ASEAN.
Source: https://asean.org/asean/about-asean/asean-emblem/
The following article narrates the founding and conception of the ASEAN. Kindly read the article
carefully.
Article 1: The Founding of ASEAN

On 8 August 1967, five leaders – the Foreign Ministers of Indonesia, Malaysia, the
Philippines, Singapore and Thailand – sat down together in the main hall of the Department of
Foreign Affairs building in Bangkok, Thailand and signed a document. By virtue of that document, the
Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was born. The five Foreign Ministers who signed it –
Adam Malik of Indonesia, Narciso R. Ramos of the Philippines, Tun Abdul Razak of Malaysia, S.
Rajaratnam of Singapore, and Thanat Khoman of Thailand – would subsequently be hailed as the
Founding Fathers of probably the most successful inter-governmental organization in the developing
world today. And the document that they signed would be known as the ASEAN Declaration.

It was a short, simply-worded document containing just five articles. It declared the
establishment of an Association for Regional Cooperation among the Countries of Southeast Asia to
be known as the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and spelled out the aims and
purposes of that Association. These aims and purposes were about cooperation in the economic,
social, cultural, technical, educational and other fields, and in the promotion of regional peace and
stability through abiding respect for justice and the rule of law and adherence to the principles of the
United Nations Charter. It stipulated that the Association would be open for participation by all
States in the Southeast Asian region subscribing to its aims, principles and purposes. It proclaimed
ASEAN as representing “the collective will of the nations of Southeast Asia to bind themselves
together in friendship and cooperation and, through joint efforts and sacrifices, secure for their
peoples and for posterity the blessings of peace, freedom and prosperity.”

It was while Thailand was brokering reconciliation among Indonesia, the Philippines and
Malaysia over certain disputes that it dawned on the four countries that the moment for regional
cooperation had come or the future of the region would remain uncertain. Recalls one of the two
surviving protagonists of that historic process, Thanat Khoman of Thailand: “At the banquet marking
the reconciliation between the three disputants, I broached the idea of forming another
organization for regional cooperation with Adam Malik. Malik agreed without hesitation but asked
for time to talk with his government and also to normalize relations with Malaysia now that the
confrontation was over. Meanwhile, the Thai Foreign Office prepared a draft charter of the new
institution. Within a few months, everything was ready. I therefore invited the two former members
of the Association for Southeast Asia (ASA), Malaysia and the Philippines, and Indonesia, a key
member, to a meeting in Bangkok. In addition, Singapore sent S. Rajaratnam, then Foreign Minister,
to see me about joining the new set-up. Although the new organization was planned to comprise
only the ASA members plus Indonesia, Singapore’s request was favorably considered.”

And so in early August 1967, the five Foreign Ministers spent four days in the relative
isolation of a beach resort in Bang Saen, a coastal town less than a hundred kilometers southeast of
Bangkok. There they negotiated over that document in a decidedly informal manner which they
would later delight in describing as “sports-shirt diplomacy.” Yet it was by no means an easy process:
each man brought into the deliberations a historical and political perspective that had no
resemblance to that of any of the others. But with goodwill and good humor, as often as they
huddled at the negotiating table, they finessed their way through their differences as they lined up
their shots on the golf course and traded wisecracks on one another’s game, a style of deliberation
which would eventually become the ASEAN ministerial tradition.

Now, with the rigors of negotiations and the informalities of Bang Saen behind them, with
their signatures neatly attached to the ASEAN Declaration, also known as the Bangkok Declaration, it
was time for some formalities. The first to speak was the Philippine Secretary of Foreign Affairs,
Narciso Ramos, a one-time journalist and long-time legislator who had given up a chance to be
Speaker of the Philippine Congress to serve as one of his country’s first diplomats. He was then 66
years old and his only son, the future President Fidel V. Ramos, was serving with the Philippine Civic
Action Group in embattled Vietnam. He recalled the tediousness of the negotiations that preceded
the signing of the Declaration that “truly taxed the goodwill, the imagination, the patience and
understanding of the five participating Ministers.” That ASEAN was established at all in spite of these
difficulties, he said, meant that its foundations had been solidly laid. And he impressed it on the
audience of diplomats, officials and media people who had witnessed the signing ceremony that a
great sense of urgency had prompted the Ministers to go through all that trouble. He spoke darkly of
the forces that were arrayed against the survival of the countries of Southeast Asia in those
uncertain and critical times.

“The fragmented economies of Southeast Asia,” he said, “(with) each country pursuing its
own limited objectives and dissipating its meager resources in the overlapping or even conflicting
endeavors of sister states carry the seeds of weakness in their incapacity for growth and their self-
perpetuating dependence on the advanced, industrial nations. ASEAN, therefore, could marshal the
still untapped potentials of this rich region through more substantial united action.”

When it was his turn to speak, Adam Malik, Presidium Minister for Political Affairs and
Minister for Foreign Affairs of Indonesia, recalled that about a year before, in Bangkok, at the
conclusion of the peace talks between Indonesia and Malaysia, he had explored the idea of an
organization such as ASEAN with his Malaysian and Thai counterparts. One of the “angry young
men” in his country’s struggle for independence two decades earlier, Adam Malik was then 50 years
old and one of a Presidium of five led by then General Soeharto that was steering Indonesia from the
verge of economic and political chaos. He was the Presidium’s point man in Indonesia’s efforts to
mend fences with its neighbors in the wake of an unfortunate policy of confrontation. During the
past year, he said, the Ministers had all worked together toward the realization of the ASEAN idea,
“making haste slowly, in order to build a new association for regional cooperation.”

Adam Malik went on to describe Indonesia’s vision of a Southeast Asia developing into “a
region which can stand on its own feet, strong enough to defend itself against any negative influence
from outside the region.” Such a vision, he stressed, was not wishful thinking, if the countries of the
region effectively cooperated with each other, considering their combined natural resources and
manpower. He referred to differences of outlook among the member countries, but those
differences, he said, would be overcome through a maximum of goodwill and understanding, faith
and realism. Hard work, patience and perseverance, he added, would also be necessary.

The countries of Southeast Asia should also be willing to take responsibility for whatever
happens to them, according to Tun Abdul Razak, the Deputy Prime Minister of Malaysia, who spoke
next. In his speech, he conjured a vision of an ASEAN that would include all the countries of
Southeast Asia. Tun Abdul Razak was then concurrently his country’s Minister of Defense and
Minister of National Development. It was a time when national survival was the overriding thrust of
Malaysia’s relations with other nations and so as Minister of Defense, he was in charge of his
country’s foreign affairs. He stressed that the countries of the region should recognize that unless
they assumed their common responsibility to shape their own destiny and to prevent external
intervention and interference, Southeast Asia would remain fraught with danger and tension. And
unless they took decisive and collective action to prevent the eruption of intra-regional conflicts, the
nations of Southeast Asia would remain susceptible to manipulation, one against another.
 “We the nations and peoples of Southeast Asia,” Tun Abdul Razak said, “must get together
and form by ourselves a new perspective and a new framework for our region. It is important that
individually and jointly we should create a deep awareness that we cannot survive for long as
independent but isolated peoples unless we also think and act together and unless we prove by
deeds that we belong to a family of Southeast Asian nations bound together by ties of friendship and
goodwill and imbued with our own ideals and aspirations and determined to shape our own
destiny”. He added that, “with the establishment of ASEAN, we have taken a firm and a bold step on
that road”.

For his part, S. Rajaratnam, a former Minister of Culture of multi-cultural Singapore who, at
that time, served as its first Foreign Minister, noted that two decades of nationalist fervor had not
fulfilled the expectations of the people of Southeast Asia for better living standards. If ASEAN would
succeed, he said, then its members would have to marry national thinking with regional thinking.

“We must now think at two levels,” Rajaratnam said. “We must think not only of our
national interests but posit them against regional interests: that is a new way of thinking about our
problems. And these are two different things and sometimes they can conflict. Secondly, we must
also accept the fact, if we are really serious about it, that regional existence means painful
adjustments to those practices and thinking in our respective countries. We must make these painful
and difficult adjustments. If we are not going to do that, then regionalism remains a utopia.”

S. Rajaratnam expressed the fear, however, that ASEAN would be misunderstood. “We are
not against anything”, he said, “not against anybody”. And here he used a term that would have an
ominous ring even today: balkanization. In Southeast Asia, as in Europe and any part of the world, he
said, outside powers had a vested interest in the balkanization of the region. “We want to ensure,”
he said, “a stable Southeast Asia, not a balkanized Southeast Asia. And those countries who are
interested, genuinely interested, in the stability of Southeast Asia, the prosperity of Southeast Asia,
and better economic and social conditions, will welcome small countries getting together to pool
their collective resources and their collective wisdom to contribute to the peace of the world.”

The goal of ASEAN, then, is to create, not to destroy. This, the Foreign Minister of Thailand,
Thanat Khoman, stressed when it was his turn to speak. At a time when the Vietnam conflict was
raging and American forces seemed forever entrenched in Indochina, he had foreseen their eventual
withdrawal from the area and had accordingly applied himself to adjusting Thailand’s foreign policy
to a reality that would only become apparent more than half a decade later. He must have had that
in mind when, on that occasion, he said that the countries of Southeast Asia had no choice but to
adjust to the exigencies of the time, to move toward closer cooperation and even integration.
Elaborating on ASEAN objectives, he spoke of “building a new society that will be responsive to the
needs of our time and efficiently equipped to bring about, for the enjoyment and the material as
well as spiritual advancement of our peoples, conditions of stability and progress. Particularly what
millions of men and women in our part of the world want is to erase the old and obsolete concept of
domination and subjection of the past and replace it with the new spirit of give and take, of equality
and partnership. More than anything else, they want to be master of their own house and to enjoy
the inherent right to decide their own destiny …”

While the nations of Southeast Asia prevent attempts to deprive them of their freedom and
sovereignty, he said, they must first free themselves from the material impediments of ignorance,
disease and hunger. Each of these nations cannot accomplish that alone, but by joining together and
cooperating with those who have the same aspirations, these objectives become easier to attain.
Then Thanat Khoman concluded: “What we have decided today is only a small beginning of what we
hope will be a long and continuous sequence of accomplishments of which we ourselves, those who
will join us later and the generations to come, can be proud. Let it be for Southeast Asia, a
potentially rich
region, rich in history, in spiritual as well as material resources and indeed for the whole ancient
continent of Asia, the light of happiness and well-being that will shine over the uncounted millions of
our struggling peoples.”

The Foreign Minister of Thailand closed the inaugural session of the Association of Southeast
Asian Nations by presenting each of his colleagues with a memento. Inscribed on the memento
presented to the Foreign Minister of Indonesia, was the citation, “In recognition of services rendered
by His Excellency Adam Malik to the ASEAN organization, the name of which was suggested by him.”

And that was how ASEAN was conceived, given a name, and born. It had been barely 14
months since Thanat Khoman brought up the ASEAN idea in his conversations with his Malaysian
and Indonesian colleagues. In about three more weeks, Indonesia would fully restore diplomatic
relations with Malaysia, and soon after that with Singapore. That was by no means the end to intra-
ASEAN disputes, for soon the Philippines and Malaysia would have a falling out on the issue of
sovereignty over Sabah. Many disputes between ASEAN countries persist to this day. But all Member
Countries are deeply committed to resolving their differences through peaceful means and in the
spirit of mutual accommodation. Every dispute would have its proper season but it would not be
allowed to get in the way of the task at hand. And at that time, the essential task was to lay the
framework of regional dialogue and cooperation.

The two-page Bangkok Declaration not only contains the rationale for the establishment of
ASEAN and its specific objectives. It represents the organization’s modus operandi of building on
small steps, voluntary, and informal arrangements towards more binding and institutionalized
agreements. All the founding member states and the newer members have stood fast to the spirit of
the Bangkok Declaration. Over the years, ASEAN has progressively entered into several formal and
legally-binding instruments, such as the 1976 Treaty of Amity and Cooperation in Southeast Asia and
the 1995 Treaty on the Southeast Asia Nuclear Weapon-Free Zone.

Against the backdrop of conflict in the then Indochina, the Founding Fathers had the
foresight of building a community of and for all Southeast Asian states. Thus, the Bangkok
Declaration promulgated that “the Association is open for participation to all States in the Southeast
Asian region subscribing to the aforementioned aims, principles and purposes.” ASEAN’s inclusive
outlook has paved the way for community-building not only in Southeast Asia, but also in the
broader Asia Pacific region where several other inter-governmental organizations now co-exist.

The original ASEAN logo presented five brown sheaves of rice stalks, one for each founding
member. Beneath the sheaves is the legend “ASEAN” in blue. These are set on a field of yellow
encircled by a blue border. Brown stands for strength and stability, yellow for prosperity and blue for
the spirit of cordiality in which ASEAN affairs are conducted. When ASEAN celebrated its 30th
Anniversary in 1997, the sheaves on the logo had increased to ten – representing all ten countries of
Southeast Asia and reflecting the colors of the flags of all of them. In a very real sense, ASEAN and
Southeast Asia would then be one and the same, just as the Founding Fathers had envisioned.
Source: https://asean.org/asean/about-asean/history/
Image 1. ASEAN Map

Image 2. ASEAN Nations Flags

The following individuals are the current Leaders of the 10 ASEAN Member States.
1. Sultan of Brunei Darussalam 2. Head of State of Cambodia

His Majesty Sultan Haji His Majesty King Norodom

Bokiah Mu’izzadin Waddaulah
Hassanal Sihamoni
 3. President of Indonesia 4.President of the Lao
People’s Democratic Republic

President Joko Widodo President Bounnhang Vorachith

5. Yang di-Pertuan Agong of Malaysia 6. President of Myanmar

His Majesty Seri Paduka Baginda The Yang U Win

Myint Di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin
Al-Mustafa Billah Shah Ibni Almarhum Sultan Haji
Ahmad Shah Al-Musta’in Billah

7. President of Philippines 8. President of Singapore

President Rodrigo Roa President Halimah

Duterte Yacob
 9. Head of State of Thailand 10. Head of State of Vietnam

His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Nguyen Phu Trong

Bodindradebayavarangkun

Closure:
Congratulations for finishing lesson 1.
Keep persevering and take care always.
“The struggle you’re in today is
developing the strength you need for
tomorrow.”
-Robert Tew

You can now proceed to lesson 2!

 Module 1: INTRODUCTION TO ASEAN
Lesson 2: Valuing Identity and Diversity

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this module, students are expected to:
• Describe cultural diversity of each members in the ASEAN while valuing Filipino
identity.

Time Frame: Week 2

Introduction:
Welcome Students for our 2nd lesson. In this lesson we will be describing the different
identities and diverse cultures of the members of ASEAN. We will come to learn and appreciate
other cultures while valuing ours.

Abstraction:
In order for us to appreciate the cultural diversity of each member of the ASEAN while valuing
our own, it is a must to know what separates them from us, and us to them.

The following are the diverse cultures of all the members of the ASEAN.

1. BRUNEI
Facts and Statistics
Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the South China Sea and Malaysia
Capital: Bandar Seri Begawan
Climate: tropical; hot, humid, rainy
Population: 437,479 (2020)
Ethnic Make-up: Malay 66.3%, Chinese 11.2%, indigenous 3.4%, other 19.1% (2018 est.)
Religions: Muslim (official) 67%, Buddhist 13%, Christian 10%, other (includes indigenous beliefs) 10%
Government: constitutional sultanate

Language in Brunei
Due to Brunei's rich history, which has seen the country become the seat of the Malay
empire and the subject of European invasion, Brunei is a melting pot for international languages. The
official language of the state of Brunei is Standard Malay. This came into force on 29th September
1959, with the signing of Brunei 1959 Constitution.

English is also widely used as a business and working language. It is also the language of
instruction in secondary and tertiary education. Other languages spoken in Brunei include the
Chinese, Indian and Native languages spoken by the minority ethnic groups.
 Bruneian Society and Culture
The Family
The family is the focal point of the social structure. The Bruneian family is the extended family and
includes aunts, uncles, and cousins as well as close friends.
● Members of the extended family are expected to remain loyal to each other and the family.

● As a result of this Brunei is a hierarchical culture. Age and position are revered.

● From a young age, children are taught to subjugate their own desires for the good of the
entire family and to respect elders without question. In addition, they also learn that it is
through family support that they accomplish goals.

The Concept of Face

The role of face, shame and honor is crucial to Bruneians. Consequently, they are very polite and
well-mannered.
● Maintaining face is of upmost importance and they do their best not to cause issues or
problems which could jeopardize this.
● In order to maintain face their communication style is very indirect and can come across as
somewhat ambiguous to those from a culture where direct communication is the norm.
● By being indirect Bruneians avoid embarrassing another person, which would cause that
person to lose face. As a consequence, this approach is an important way of protecting
relationships
● Most Bruneians find emotions such as impatience, anger, or irritation embarrassing and try
to avoid them since expressing them could result in a loss of face and disharmony.

Religion
Most Bruneians are Muslims and as such their lives revolve around the duties afforded to them
by Islam.
● Alcohol is banned from the country however pork is allowed for non-Muslims.

● Gender relations are also governed by Islamic principles and etiquette. Shaking hands across
genders is rare. As such, if you are visiting Brunei, then consider placing your right hand over
your heart and giving a small bow if meeting someone of the opposite sex.
● Bruneians practice a devout but tolerant brand of Islam, which includes devotion, yet allows
other faiths and beliefs.
● Muslims must pray five times a day – at dawn, noon, afternoon, sunset, and evening. Friday
is the Muslim holy day. Everything is closed. Many companies as well as government offices
also close on Sunday and Saturday afternoon.
● During the fasting month of Ramadan, government staff works a six-hour day and
entertainment and sporting activities are suspended.
● The Sultan encourages the recital of the Quran each morning prior to the start of work to
obtain Allah’s blessing and guidance (Commisceo Global Consulting Ltd., 2020).
2. CAMBODIA
Facts and Statistics
● Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, between Thailand, Vietnam, and Laos

● Capital: Phnom Penh

● Population: 16,449,519 (est. 2018)

● Ethic Groups: Khmer 90%, Vietnamese 5%, Chinese 1%, other 4%

● Religions: Theravada Buddhist 95%, other 5%

 Language in Cambodia
Khmer is the official language of Cambodia and is used in most social contexts including
government administration, education at all levels, and in the mass media.
● It is spoken by roughly 90% of the population.

● Regional differences are slight and normally mutually intelligible. Based on the dialect of the
capital city of Phnom Penh,
● Modern Khmer is used throughout the nation and widely understood by its inhabitants. Much
Khmer vocabulary used in literature, the military, and administration is borrowed from Sanskrit,
or Pali.
● Due to years of French colonial rule, French became widely spoken within the educated classes.
However, when the Khmer Rouge took power in the 1970s, they killed many educated people
which saw an almost total decline of French language influences. These influences are now
limited to ad-hoc words only.

Cambodian Society & Culture

Religion
● The majority of Cambodians follow Theravada Buddhism which originated in India. It teaches
that that life and death in this world are intertwined through the concept of reincarnation.
● Every person lives a life as a worldly being and depending on their behavior will come back in
their next life as a higher or lower being.
● "Karma" is the term used to describe this - i.e. if you do good you will have good karma. A rough
translation of this is, "you reap what you sow."

Theravada Buddhism has the following principles:

● Have the right thoughts.

● Have the right goals.

● Speak the right words.

● Perform the right deeds.

● Earn a living in the right way.

● Make the right effort.

● Be intellectually alert.

● Meditate.

Hierarchy
● Buddhism also reinforces a sense of hierarchy within society.

● Interpersonal communication is built on the relationship between those involved.

● Common hierarchical guidelines are that parents are superior to children, teachers to students
and managers to subordinates.
● You will also see the value placed on hierarchy in the way that monks walk – they do so in rank
order; the most senior in front and the most junior at the rear.
● As a foreigner you may find that people ask personal questions - this is a means to identify your
'rank' rather than being nosy. They may change the way they communicate depending on your
status.

Collectivism
● Cambodia is a collective society - individuals take second place to the group whether this is the
family, neighborhood or company.
● In such societies, etiquette and protocol guidelines are used to maintain a sense of common
harmony - for example subtle communication styles are employed in order to minimize the
chances of causing offense to others.
● Cambodia is a face culture, where importance is placed on protecting the reputation of oneself
and of others.
● Face can be lost, given and accrued. It can be lost if one is criticized, embarrassed or exposed in
public. It can also be lost by the person doing the criticizing as others will perceive them as
lacking etiquette and potentially as someone not to be trusted. It can also be lost by failing to
take care of one’s appearance.
● Face can be given to others by praising them in public, hosting them to a nice meal or giving
them special treatment.
● Face can be gained by acting respectfully, wearing nice clothes, doing well in the workplace or
through the act of giving face to others.
● Foreigners in Cambodia need to be aware of the mechanics of face to ensure they do not cause
anyone to lose face as a result of unintentional actions. Saying something that could be
perceived as a criticism may cause someone to feel a loss of face. It will also lose you face by
acting in an underhanded way. Foreigners in Cambodia should also make the effort to gain face
by being mindful of their appearance and conduct and by giving face to others (Commisceo
Global Consulting Ltd., 2020).

3. INDONESIA
Facts and Statistics
Location: South-eastern Asia, archipelago between the Indian Ocean and the Pacific Ocean
Capital: Jakarta
Population: 267+ million (2019 est.)
Ethnic Groups: Javanese 45%, Sundanese 14%, Madurese 7.5%, coastal Malays 7.5%, other 26%
Religions: Muslim 88%, Protestant 5%, Roman Catholic 3%, Hindu 2%, Buddhist 1%, other 1%
Language
The official language of Indonesia is known as Indonesian or 'Bahasa Indonesian'. Indonesian
is a standardized dialect of the Malay language and was formulated at the time of the declaration of
Indonesian independence in 1945. Malay and Indonesian remain very similar.
Although the official language, in reality it is most of the population's second language. Due
to the sheer size and fractured, island make-up of the country most people speak regional dialects
such as Minangkabau or Javanese. These will usually be spoken at home and in the local community
but at work or at school Indonesian is used.

Indonesian Society & Culture

Diversity
● Indonesia is a hugely diverse nation.

● It is made up of over 17,500 islands (6,000 of which are inhabited) which are home to over 300
ethnic groups.
● Each province has its own language, ethnic make-up, religions and history.
● Most people will define themselves locally before nationally.
● In addition, there are many cultural influences stemming back from difference in heritage.
Indonesians are a mix of Chinese, European, Indian, and Malay.
● Although Indonesia has the largest Muslim population in the world it also has a large number of
Christian Protestants, Catholics, Hindus and Buddhists.
● This great diversity has needed a great deal of attention from the government to maintain a
cohesion.
● As a result, the national motto is "Unity in Diversity", the language has been standardized and a
national philosophy has been devised known as "Pancasila" which stresses universal justice for
all Indonesians.
● Group Thinking

● Due to the diverse nature of Indonesian society there exists a strong pull towards the group,
whether family, village or island.
● People will define themselves according to their ethnic group, family and place of birth.
● The family is still very traditional in structure.
● Family members have clearly defined roles and a great sense of interdependence.

Hierarchy
● As with most group orientated cultures, hierarchy plays a great role in Indonesian culture.
● Hierarchical relationships are respected, emphasized and maintained.
● Respect is usually shown to those with status, power, position, and age.
● This can be seen in both the village and the office where the most senior is expected to make
group decisions.
● Superiors are often called "bapak" or "ibu", which means the equivalent of father or mother, sir
or madam.
● Although those higher up the hierarchy make decisions Indonesians are advocates of group
discussion and consensus. This ties back to the idea of maintaining strong group cohesiveness
and harmonious relationships.

Face
● Due to the need to maintain group harmony the concept of 'face' is important to understand.
● In Indonesia the concept is about avoiding the cause of shame ("malu").
● Consequently, people are very careful how they interact and speak.
● Although a foreigner cannot be expected to understand the nuances of the concept it is crucial to
keep an eye on one’s behavior.
● One should never ridicule, shout at or offend anyone. Imperfections should always be hidden
and addresses privately. Similarly blame should never be aimed at any individual/group publicly.
● One manifestation of the concept of face/shame is that Indonesians communicate quite
indirectly, i.e. they would never wish to cause anyone shame by giving them a negative answer
so would phrase it a way where you would be expected to realize what they truly want to say.
Bahasa Indonesian actually has 12 ways of saying "No" and several other ways of saying "Yes"
when the actual meaning is "No" (Commisceo Global Consulting Ltd., 2020).

4. LAOS DARUSSALAM
 Facts and Statistics
Location: A landlocked country bordered by China,
Vietnam, Cambodia, Thailand and Burma.
Capital: Vientiane
Population: 7.062 million (2018 est.)
Climate: tropical monsoonal climate.
Geographic Make-up: rugged mountains, plateaus and
alluvial plains
 Language in Laos
The official language of Lao’s is Laotian. The tribes have their own languages and dialects
speaking an assortment of Mon-Khmer, Hmong-Yao (Hmong has its own written language, but only a
few Hmong are literate), and Tibeto-Burman languages (Leigh, 2012).

Laotian Characteristics
● The Lao are known for their amiable characteristic and tolerant, easy-going attitudes.

● Traditionally the society is patriarchal in structure.

● Privacy is an important cultural value. Relationships are based on trust and personal questions
from people they don’t know very well are not appreciated.
● Modesty is highly valued. Public body contact, especially between men and women is
avoided.
● Lao people do not like to be touched on the head as it is considered offensive. It is also
considered impolite to point one’s foot at another person.
● It is also not appreciated if visitors behave as if they are in a hurry.

● Lao people may ask visitors to their home and to remove their shoes. Many homes will have
both a mat and chairs on the floor for sitting. If an older person is sitting on the floor it is
generally considered impolite for the visitor to sit in a chair (Leigh, 2012).

Values
Respect and Equality
● Gender is the main way in which social roles and practices are organized.

● Women – has a relatively high standing in the private and civic realms of Lao culture.

● Men - are considered culturally superior because of their ability to become monks, this
status is affected by social class. Men have this status because they tend to occupy key
positions in public, predominately in political positions, something that is slowly but
increasingly changing (Leigh, 2012).

Marriage
Lao’s have a considerable degree of freedom in choosing their spouse although there is
some preference for cousins. Among male-lineage inheritance clans (e.g. Hmong, Iu Mien, Khmu,
and others) they tend to choose their wives from outside the clan. The Hmong had a past practice of
so- called “marriage by capture”. Multiple wives to the one husband can be found among some
highland groups.
Parents may propose a potential spouse and must be consulted about potential marriage
partners. A payment like a bride-price is made with its value varying considerably.
Most young men are expected to become a monk for a short period to prepare them for marriage.
This practice is also crucial for the transfer of merit from son to mother and is the source of a special
bond between them.
The marriage ceremony usually takes place in the bride's family home. At the center of the
ritual is a spirit-calling ceremony. In the past the marriage ceremony was always in the morning
which was believed to be the best time for a joyful celebration to take place—whereas the afternoon
is considered the time for sad ceremonies like cremations. However, with modern lifestyles,
convenience has become more important so the time doesn’t really matter anymore.
Divorce can be initiated by either party and is not uncommon. Among male-lineage groups,
parents play a much more active role in choosing spouses for their children (Leigh, 2012).
 Family Structure
Hierarchical inter-dependence is the central value instilled in Lao children. Parents raise and
support their children and the children reciprocate as soon as they can, thus creating strong family
bonds.
Kinship amongst the Lao is reckoned through males and females in general with little
genealogical consciousness beyond two past generations, except among the former aristocracy.
Male- lineage inheritance clans can be found among the Hmong, Iu Mien, Khmu, and others.
With babies and children, separation is avoided and crying is actively discouraged. Babies are
constantly in the care of the mother and are fed on demand. Older children are responsible for the
care of younger children.
Usually the whole family sleeps together until the children reach puberty. Even in modern
homes where children may have a separate room, they all sleep together (Leigh, 2012).

Religion
The dominant religion is Theravada Buddhism (which was brought from India and is shared
by Thailand, Cambodia and Burma). Co-existing easily with Buddhism are beliefs usually labelled
animistic (common among the mountain people) and beliefs associated with shamanism that involve
house spirits, village spirits, district spirits, city spirits, and spirits of the realm.
Lao Buddhists may also wear images of Buddha around their necks or display images of
Buddha in their homes. These images are there to remind Buddhists of the qualities of the perfect
wisdom and the perfect compassion of Buddha. They serve to inspire Buddhists to develop these
qualities. Some Lao’s may also wear amulets for protection against evil spirits (Leigh, 2012).

Socializing
Lao people typically socialize as families and most live in extended families with three or
sometimes more generations sharing one house or compound. With the Lao people’s simple life, it is
perfectly normal for relatives or friends to drop by without calling in advance. The fact that most Lao
people were brought up in extended families that require a high level of harmony, kindness,
patience and readiness to help each other, has made the Lao people a generous, kind and soft-
hearted, tolerant and socialized people.
Time is also a fairly flexible commodity in Lao culture. Planning ahead and making firm times
can sometimes be problematic. Invitations (e.g. to parties and weddings) are often only issued the
day before the event (Leigh, 2012).

5. MALAYSIA
Facts and Statistics
Location: Southeastern Asia. Shares borders with Thailand, Indonesia, Singapore and Brunei.
Capital: Kuala Lumpur
Climate: tropical; annual southwest (April to October) and northeast (October to February) monsoons
Population: 32+ million (2019 est.)
Ethnic Make-up: Malay 50.4%, Chinese 23.7%, indigenous 11%, Indian 7.1%, others 7.8%
Religions: Muslim 60.4%, Buddhist 19.2%, Christian 9.1%, Hindu 6.3%, Confucianism, Taoism, other
traditional Chinese religions 2.6%, other or unknown 1.5%, none 0.8%
Government: constitutional monarchy

Language in Malaysia
The Malay language is an Austronesian language spoken not only by Malaysians but all
Malay people who reside in the Malay Peninsula, southern Thailand, the Philippines, Singapore,
central
eastern Sumatra, the Riau islands, parts of the coast of Borneo, Cocos and Christmas Islands in
Australia.
It is also very similar to Indonesian, known locally as Bahasa Indonesia. In Malaysia, the
language is officially known as Bahasa Malaysia, which translates as the "Malaysian language". The
term, which was introduced by the National Language Act 1967, was predominant until the 1990s,
when most academics and government officials reverted to "Bahasa Melayu," which is used in the
Malay version of the Federal Constitution.

Malay Culture and

Society A Multi-Cultural
Society
Malaysia is a multi-cultural society. The main ethnic groups are the native Malays as well as
large populations of Chinese, and Indians. When visiting the country, it is clear that the ethnicities
retain their religions, customs and way of life. The most important festivals of each group are public
holidays.
Although growing up, children are educated in the same schools and will eventually work in
the same offices, few marry outside their own ethnicity. Families tend to socialize within their own
ethnic group – all part of retaining their individual traditions and lifestyles.
Despite the ethnic differences there are commonalities culturally speaking.

Group Orientation
The family is considered the center of the social structure. As a result, there is a great
emphasis on unity, loyalty and respect for the elderly. The family is the place where the individual
can be guaranteed both emotional and financial support. When one member of the family suffers a
financial setback, the rest of the family will contribute what they can to help out. Families tend to be
extended, although in the larger cities this will naturally differ.

The Concept of Face

Malays, Chinese and Indians all strive to maintain face and avoid shame both in public and
private. Face is a personal concept that embraces qualities such as a good name, good character,
and being held in esteem by one's peers. Face is considered a commodity that can be given, lost,
taken away, or earned. On top of this face also extends to the family, school, company, and even the
nation itself.
The desire to maintain face makes Malaysians strive for harmonious relationships.
Face can be lost by openly criticizing, insulting, or putting someone on the spot; doing
something that brings shame to the group; challenging someone in authority, especially if this is
done in public; showing anger at another person; refusing a request; not keeping a promise; or
disagreeing with someone publicly. Conversely, face can be saved by remaining calm and courteous;
discussing errors or transgressions in private; speaking about problems without blaming anyone;
using non- verbal communication to say "no"; and allowing the other person to get out of the
situation with their pride intact (Commisceo Global Consulting Ltd., 2020).

6. MYANMAR
Facts and Statistics
Location: It is bordered by Bangladesh to the west, India and China to the north, and Laos and
Thailand to the east. The southern portion faces the Bay of Bengal and the Andaman Sea.
Capital: Naypyitaw
Population: 54 million (2009 est.)
Ethnic Make-up: The Burmese account for about 68% of the population. Other major ethnic groups
include the Shan (about four million), Karen (about three million), Arakanese or Rakhine (about two
million), Chinese (over one million), Chin (over one million), Wa (about one million), Mon (about one
million), Indians and Bengalis (about one million), Jingpho (about less than one million), and Palaung
(less than one million). With the exception of the Chinese, Indian, and Belgalis, each minority group
occupies a relatively distinct area (Everyculture, 2020)

Social conventions in Myanmar

(Burma) Modesty and Face
Generally speaking, people from Myanmar tend to maintain a modest and calm disposition.
This is partly due to the concept of face. Face indicates a person's reputation, dignity and honor. By
complimenting people, showing them respect or doing something to increase their self-esteem, you
give them face. Similarly, people can lose face by being criticized or behaving in a way that is
considered socially inappropriate. Therefore, the Burmese generally communicate quite indirectly
and maintain a modest demeanor to protect their self-worth and peer perception. For example,
people avoid excessive displays of negative emotions (e.g. anger, selfishness) or public outbursts.
One of the biggest ways to lose face in Myanmar is to be contradicted, criticized or disagreed
with by a junior (e.g. a child or any kind of subordinate). Such an action shows a lack of respect,
which is both embarrassing for the person being disrespected, and uncouth of the speaker.
However, the shame felt from moments such as these is not very long-lasting. While people may be
temporarily embarrassed, small indiscretions rarely permanently damage one’s reputation as it
might in some other cultures (Evason, 2017).

Age
Age is very much respected in Myanmar, and this is also reflected in the national attitude - as
well as the Burmese language, which makes considerable use of age-dependent honorific terms.
Elders are always served first at mealtimes, when something is passed to them it is done with both
hands, and younger people avoid raising themselves to a higher level than their elders. These are all
marks of respect for age (Insideasiatours, 2020).

Religious courtesy & freedom of expression

Since the 2010 reforms, talking openly about politics has become much easier in Myanmar -
and although there are sore points (namely religious clashes and ethnic strife), in general there are
not too many subjects that are considered taboo.
Despite this relaxation of attitudes, there are still areas where visitors should exercise special
care. Perceived disrespect towards Buddhism, particularly, is not something that is taken lightly in
Myanmar (Insideasiatours, 2020).

Sensitive Interaction
Consideration of other people’s feelings is essential in Myanmar. The Burmese are very
empathetic people and tend to assume a personal approach to everything. For instance, criticism is
often taken to heart. Such emotional investment means the Burmese rarely seek objective analysis
into personal situations; the advice of an elderly family member or monk is usually preferred over
that of a counsellor. Furthermore, people are expected to respond empathetically in difficult
circumstances. To console someone by being very stoic and logical about the situation (e.g. pointing
out that an issue is temporary) could be seen as insensitive.
The Burmese are constantly mindful of whether their actions could offend, embarrass or
inconvenience other people. This is related to the concept of ‘ah-nar-de’ (or anade) – the feeling of
not having the heart to say or do something that might affect another person’s feelings. Ah-nar-de
represents the unwillingness of many Burmese to assert themselves or interfere with other people’s
affairs. This concept underpins the expectations of social etiquette and interaction. As an example, if
someone asked you to perform a favor that was becoming excessive, there would be a feeling that
the person lacked ah-nar-de because they did not care or were unaware of how it was
inconveniencing you.
Such reluctance to impose on others means the Burmese tend to comply and say what they
think the other person wants to hear rather than voicing their opinion. For example, if asking a
Burmese what they’d like to eat, they might say, "Anything is fine," to avoid embarrassing you by
asking for something you may not have. While this is very considerate, such delicate consideration
can make it quite hard to get direct and open answers when asking more crucial questions.
Ultimately, it sees the Burmese be quite accommodating and compliant people (Evason, 2017).

Social Hierarchies
The respectful and compliant character of the Burmese often leads them to be quite
accepting of the differences in power and status throughout society. This obviously has its
exceptions (for example, ethnic minorities have challenged the dominance of the ethnic majority),
but on a day-to- day basis, people generally observe the power distances between members of
society and obey their superiors. It is considered inappropriate to challenge, argue or answer back to
someone with a senior social status, especially if they are older. Respect for the social hierarchy of
age is particularly strong and important. The Burmese are expected to defer to their elders at all
times.
There is also quite a noticeable social divide between the educated urban elites and those
living in rural areas. Apart from an obvious differentiation of wealth, there are often different family
practices and attitudes between these two groups. The 2014 census reported that 30% of people in
Myanmar lived in urban areas, whilst the majority (70%) lived in rural areas. People rarely travel
outside of their city or region to explore the rest of the country.
As mentioned previously, there is generally a strong sense of belonging and loyalty to one’s
hometown and ethnicity as well as one’s religion. However, years of instability and necessity have
prioritized the individual and family over the group. Social attitudes are generally individualistic,
particularly in urban areas. There may be variation to this; for example, the Karen people are
traditionally focused on harmony, consensus and cooperation and are much more likely to continue
a collectivistic community structure. Nonetheless, the Burmese appear to be some of the more
individualistic thinkers in the South Asian region (Evason, 2017).

Ethnic Relations
Myanmar has had a history of multi-ethnic tolerance and interchange. However, the era of
colonialism emphasized ethnic differences that led to tensions between the Bamar majority and
indigenous minorities. The British distinguished the more literate Buddhist Bamar majority from the
(often non-literate) ethnic minorities in the hills and essentially practiced a policy of ‘divide-and-
rule’. Some believe these divides were pre-existing; however, the push for independence
undoubtedly stressed them.
The exact events are complex, but ultimately a strong political rhetoric arose in the mid-20th
century. It asserted that the ethnic Bamar majority represented the national identity and culture of
Myanmar. The spirit of the country has been correlated with Theravāda Buddhism (the traditional
Bamar religion); meanwhile, minority religions have been seen as a foreign invasion. The use of
minority languages continues to be discouraged. This nationalism marginalized the ethnic minorities
in the hills and many ethnic groups that had been promised independence never received it (e.g. the
Karen, Karenni, Mon and Shan). This led to ethno-religious antagonism and ultimately prompted
some minority groups to mobilize as armed rebels to fight for self-determination against Bamar
nationalism. Some of these groups are still active today whilst others have demobilized. Recently,
some rebel groups have agreed on ceasefires; however, tensions remain.
 On a day-to-day basis, different ethnicities are respectful and courteous to one another.
Many different ethnicities and religions often live together harmoniously in metropolitan areas. The
Burmese are generally peace-seeking, passive people. Nevertheless, there is a lot of unresolved
resentment and distrust that has developed over years of conflict (Evason, 2017).

Spirituality, Stoicism and Patience

The Burmese are generally very patient and stoic in difficult circumstances. It is common for
people to restrain themselves from reacting to problems, saying “Shi-par-say-taw” (‘Let it be’). This
relaxed attitude is somewhat attributed to the spiritual culture of the country. Indeed, the teachings
of Theravāda Buddhism consider the pursuit of revenge to be evil, and encourage people to be
tolerant.
The fundamental importance of religion can influence the Burmese to have a fatalistic
attitude. For example, it may be assumed that the causes of problems are the result of a spirit’s
work, and misfortunes are often attributed to an individual’s behavior. For instance, Buddhists
commonly perceive accidents to result from bad karma. Therefore, people are known to be quite
stoic and tolerant in difficult situations as this explanation of problems can make them feel as if they
somewhat deserve to suffer.
This relaxed and patient attitude has also partly impacted the approach to time in Myanmar.
People are not generally in a hurry and tend to carry out their business at a more leisurely pace.
With such freedom of time, the Burmese often stop to help or put more time and effort into
interactions. However, it also means that foreigners may be kept waiting longer than expected. Try
to be tolerant in this regard. ‘Thee Khan’ (patience) is a core value in Myanmar and people generally
don’t like it when they’re hassled or put in a pressurized situation (Evason, 2017).

7. PHILIPPINES
Facts and Statistics
Location: Southeastern Asia, archipelago between the Philippine Sea and the South China Sea, east of
Vietnam
Capital: Manila
Population: 107+ million (2019 est.)
Ethnic Make-up: Christian Malay 91.5%, Muslim Malay 4%, Chinese 1.5%, other 3%
Religions: Roman Catholic 83%, Protestant 9%, Muslim 5%, Buddhist and other 3%

Languages in the Philippines

Filipino (formerly Pilipino) is based on Tagalog and is the official language of the Philippines.
In spite of being the national language, only about 55 percent of Filipinos speak the language. In
addition to Filipino are about 111 distinct indigenous languages and dialects, of which only about 10
are important regionally.
English is generally used for educational, governmental and commercial purposes and is
widely understood since it is the medium of instruction in schools. The Philippines are the third
largest group of English-speaking people in the world, after the United States and the United
Kingdom.
Since English is widely spoken in the Philippines, it is common to hear Filipinos use a mixture
English and Filipino words or phrases, known as "Taglish" (a mixture of English and Tagalog), in their
everyday conversations. A steadily dwindling minority still speak Spanish, which had at one time
been an official language.

Filipino Society & Culture

Filipino Family Values
● The family is the center of the social structure and includes the nuclear family, aunts, uncles,
grandparents, cousins and honorary relations such as godparents, sponsors, and close family
friends.
● People get strength and stability from their family. As such, many children have several
godparents.
● Concern for the extended family is seen in the patronage provided to family members when
they seek employment.
● It is common for members of the same family to work for the same company.
● In fact, many collective bargaining agreements state that preferential hiring will be given to
family members.

Filipino Concept of Shame

● Hiya is shame and is a motivating factor behind behavior.
● It is a sense of social propriety and conforming to societal norms of behavior.
● Filipinos believe they must live up to the accepted standards of behavior and if they fail to do so
they bring shame not only upon themselves, but also upon their family.
● One indication of this might be a willingness to spend more than they can afford on a party
rather than be shamed by their economic circumstances.
● If someone is publicly embarrassed, criticized, or does not live up to expectations, they feel
shame and lose self-esteem (Commisceo Global Consulting Ltd., 2020).

8. SINGAPORE
Facts and Statistics
Location: Southeastern Asia, islands between Malaysia and Indonesia
Capital: Singapore
Population: 5,567,301 (2014 est.)
Ethnic Make-up: Chinese 76.7%, Malay 14%, Indian 7.9%, other 1.4%
Religions: Buddhist (Chinese), Muslim (Malays), Christian, Hindu, Sikh, Taoist, Confucianist

The Language
Singapore has attempted to promote a national identity in its land of immigrants since its
independence in 1965. As part of this effort, Singapore has four national languages: Mandarin,
Malay, Tamil and English. For business and politics, English is the language of choice.

Singapore Society & Culture

The Family
● The concepts of group, harmony, and mutual security are more important than that of the
individual.
● The family is the center of the social structure and emphasizes unity, loyalty and respect for the
elderly.
● The term, 'family' generally includes extended family and close friends who are treated as family
members.
● Respect for the elderly and seeing the family as the place one goes to for support, both help
retain core values in this island nation.

Face & Respect

● Having face indicates personal dignity.
● Singaporeans are very sensitive to retaining face in all aspects of their lives.
● Face is a prized commodity that can be given, lost, taken away or earned.
● It is a mark of personal qualities such as a good name, good character, and being held in esteem
by one's peers.
● It can also be greater than the person and extend to family, school, company, and even the
nation itself.
● Face is what makes Singaporeans strive for harmonious relationships.

Hierarchy
● Singaporeans claim they are an egalitarian society, yet they retain strong hierarchical
relationships that can be observed in the relationship between parents and children, teachers
and students, and employers and employees.
● This goes back to their important cultural value, group dependence.

● This reliance on hierarchy is drawn from Confucianism, which emphasizes respecting age and
status, even blind obedience to one's elders. In the workplace this is seen in the increased
deference that is paid to employees who are older.
● The elderly is always treated with the utmost respect and courtesy.
● Even if you do not personally know the individual, you will be expected to give special
consideration.
● Elders are introduced first, are given preferential seating, are given the choicest food, and in
general put on a pedestal.
● There was a law passed in 1996 that mandated that children must assume financial
responsibility for their elderly parents should the need arise.
● This is indicative of the high status of the elderly and the challenges facing the small country as
the next generation becomes more individualistic.

Ethnic Diversity
● Singapore is a multi-ethnic society where Chinese, Malay and Indian traditions coexist beneath
the veneer of a western cosmopolitan metropolis.
● The three main ethnic groups are religiously and culturally diverse.

Non-Verbal Communication
● Singaporeans are group dependent and rely on facial expression, tone of voice and posture to
tell them what someone feels.
● They often trust non-verbal messages more than the spoken word.

● They tend to be subtle, indirect and implicit in their communications.

● They hint at a point rather than making a direct statement, since that might cause the other
person to lose face.
● Rather than say 'no', they might say, 'I will try', or 'I'll see what I can do'. This allows the person
making the request and the person turning it down to save face and maintain harmony in their
 relationship.
● Silence is an important element of Singaporean communication.

● Pausing before responding to a question indicates that they have given the question appropriate
thought and considered their response carefully.
● They do not understand western cultures ability to respond to a question hastily and think this
indicates thoughtlessness and rude behavior (Commisceo Global Consulting Ltd., 2020).
9. THAILAND
Facts and Statistics
● Location: South-eastern Asia, bordering the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand, southeast of
Burma
● Capital: Bangkok

● The Flag: The Thai flag was adopted in 2017 by royal decree. It consists of five horizontal stripes
which, starting from the top, run in the following order: red, white, blue, white and red. On
direction of Rama VI, who commissioned the flag and considered ‘blue’ an important color, the
middle blue strip is twice the width of the other four stripes. The red stripes denote the Thai
people the white stripes denote religion and the blue stripe denotes the Thai Monarchy.
● National anthem: The national anthem of Thailand, entitled ‘Phleng Chat’ (literally translated as
‘national anthem), was adopted shortly after the country changed its name from ‘Siam’. The
national anthem is played twice a day on television and radio and Thais are expected to stand
for its duration to show their respect. This custom is played out in public as part of the lifting of
the flag in public areas such as the work place, schools, universities, prisons, hospitals etc.
● Ethnic Make-up: Thai 96%, Burmese 2%, other 2%.

● Population: 69 million (2019 est.)

● Population growth rate: 0.32% (2019 est.)

● Climate: tropical; rainy, warm, cloudy southwest monsoon (mid-May to September); dry, cool
northeast monsoon (November to mid-March); southern isthmus always hot and humid
● Time Zone: The time zone used in Thailand is ‘Indochina Time’ (ICT) which is UTC +7

● Currency: Thai Baht

● Government: Thailand has a constitutional monarchy but is currently led by a military Junta
which took power in May 2014, following which, General Prayuth Chan-ocha became Prime
Minister. Following the 1932 Siamese coup d'état, in which the system of absolute monarchy
was replaced by a constitutional monarchy, Thailand’s military has seized power 12 times. The
current King, Maha Vajiralongkorn, ascended the throne in 2016 following the death of his
father, King Bhumibol Adulyadei. Much loved by the Thai people, King Bhumibol had lived to
become the world’s longest reigning monarchy prior to his death.

INTRODUCTION TO THAILAND
Whilst its neighbors fell prey to the colonizing powers of Europe, Japan and the United
States, Thailand holds a unique position in South East Asia for its ability to have retained its integrity.
This was not without a price however, as Thailand was not only compelled to give away large
areas of land to the French and English but was also forced to end its position of neutrality during
World War II and side with the Japanese – or face being taken over. Called Siam until 1939, the
bloodless Siamese coup d’état ended the rule of absolute monarchy and resulted in the renaming of
the country to ‘Thailand’.
Although Thailand had aligned with the Japanese during the second world war, it proceeded
to become a US ally in 1954 whereby it fought alongside America during the Vietnam war.
Politically tumultuous, Thailand has faced coups in 1932, 1947 2006 and 2014. There is also
considerable violence due to the ethno-nationalist insurgency taking place in its Malay-Muslim
majority province which has resulted in the deaths of thousands of civilians.
LANGUAGE IN THAILAND
The Thai language is comprised of 44 consonants, 32 vowels and five tones in Thai
pronunciation, along with a script that has Indian origins.
The Thai language, belonging to the ‘Tai’ family, is the standard spoken language in Thailand
and is used for governmental and administrative purposes across the country. Regional dialects are
particularly distinct depending on whether the speaker is from the North or South of Thailand.
 Other languages spoken in Thailand are Chinese, Lao, Malay and Mon-Khmer. The use of
English is becoming more prevalent in government and commerce. It is also being taught as a second
language in secondary school and universities, which enables the English-speaking visitor in Thailand
to have little trouble conversing.
The largest concentration of people speaking Thai outside of the country is in the US; in
particular in the states of California and Los Angeles.

THAI CULTURE & SOCIETY

Religion & Beliefs
With 93% of adherents, Buddhism is the official religion in Thailand with Islam as the largest
minority religious group at 5% of adherents. Christians account for 1.2% of the Thai population and
those in the ‘other’ or non-religious category account for 0.8%.

The Family
● Thai families are the cornerstone of life in Thailand and, although nuclear family setups are the
norm, it is not uncommon for extended family members live with the family.
● Families are typically far more closely knit than those in western culture and hierarchy is more
pronounced.

Social Stratification
● Social stratification demographics in Thailand have changed considerably over the last fifty years.

● Social stratification traditionally consisted of an elite section of Thai noble people,

complimented by a small foreign merchant class, and a large class of poorer rural dwellers.
● Over the years however, these distinctions have changed and wealth has played a key role in
establishing a middle class which has grown considerably.
● The elite class and poorer rural dwellers still exist, but the latter has grown to include poorer
dwellers of the growing urban areas.

Gender Roles
● Traditional gender divisions exist in Thailand in respect to child care and domestic work, with
women taking on the vast majority of these tasks.
● In an agricultural setting, there is a great deal of overlap in tasks carried out between the
genders whilst men dominate roles within the religious sphere.
● Women make up almost half of the labor force and account for over half of the workforce.

● The Thai government are working to combat violence against women and women’s rights are
built
into the constitution.
● Most frequent violations against women include domestic abuse (affecting women across the
socio-economic spectrum), discrimination and prostitution trafficking.

Socialization
● Children have a special place in Thai society and are typically doted on by family members and
non-family adults.
● Mothers rarely, if ever, leave their babies and will typically take them wherever they go.

● Babies are weaned at two or three years of age. They learn from the people and implements
around them and are often given access to the tools used by their parents.
● In this respect, the children of craftsmen, farmers etc. will grow up with a passive (and often
active) understanding of parental crafts.
● The government provide children with free education for a minimum period of 12 years and
children are mandated to attend for at least 9 of these 12 years.

Food
● Thai cuisine is much loved internationally and Thai restaurants are a feature of most large cities
around the world.
● In 2011, Thai dishes featured more than the dishes of any other country on an online CNN poll.

● Thai cuisine is a complex fusion of sweet, sour, salty, spicy and bitter flavors which are balanced
in a way that creates ‘harmony’.
● Rice plays such an important role in Thai cuisine that the word for ‘rice’ and ‘food’ is the same.

● It is typically eaten at all meals and comes in the form of standard white rice, or, it is of the
sticky, glutinous variety. It is usually eaten using a spoon and fork in dishes containing seafood,
beef, pork, chicken or vegetables.

Thai cuisine varies depending on region, with differences primarily reflecting the food
preferences of the region’s neighbors. Many popular Thai dishes were introduced by the Chinese
during the 15th century and European influences on Thai cuisine were gradually introduced from the
17th century onwards. Some of the most popular dishes include:
● Pad Thai – Pad Thai could well be considered a national Thai dish due to its popularity both in
Thailand and abroad. It consists of noodles, with fish sauce, tamarind and stir fried with other
ingredients such as egg, shrimp, shallots, garlic, ginger, chili, soy sauce, bean sprouts and
peanuts. It is often sold as street food.
● Thai Green Curry – This is a fragrant and popular dish, which consists of coconut cream, green
chilies, lemon grass and a key ingredient such as chicken or fish balls.
● Tom Yum Soup –The basic building blocks of Tom Yum (or Tom Yam) soup are lemon grass, lime
juice, fish sauce, chilies and kaffir lime. Shrimp is then typically used as the key ingredient.

Arts, Humanities & Popular Culture

● The arts are supported by both private and public groups.

● There are colleges of dance, music and drama in Thailand and a very popular national theatre.

● There are also organizations which support the work of Thai artisans

● Fictional writing has changed greatly over the years, and modern fiction is generally built around
plots which detail the lives of ordinary people; particularly depicting the struggles of those in the
poorer classes
● Traditional folk dance has influenced a love of classical dance in Thailand and national festivals
are fairly popular events.
● If there is a great social distance between two people, the wai will not be returned.

● If invited to a Thai home, then allow your host and hostess to introduce you to the other guests.
This enables other guests to understand your status relative to their own, and thus know who
 performs the wai and how low the head should be bowed (Commisceo Global Consulting Ltd.,
2020).

10. VIETNAM
Facts and Statistics
● Location: Southeastern Asia, bordering the Gulf of Thailand, Gulf of Tonkin, and South China
Sea, alongside China, Laos, and Cambodia
● Capital: Hanoi
● Climate: tropical in south; monsoonal in north with hot, rainy season (mid-May to mid-
September) and warm, dry season (mid-October to mid-March)
● Population: 97 million (2019 est.)

● Ethnic Make-up: Vietnamese 85%-90%, Chinese, Hmong, Thai, Khmer, Cham, various mountain
groups
● Religions: Buddhist, Hoa Hao, Cao Dai, Christian (predominantly Roman Catholic, some
Protestant), indigenous beliefs and Muslim.

The Language
Vietnamese, Vietnam's official language, is a tonal language that can be compared to
Cambodia's official language, Khmer. With each syllable, there are six different tones that can be
used, which change the definition and it often makes it difficult for foreigners to pick up the
language.
There are other languages spoken as well such as Chinese, Khmer, Cham and other
languages spoken by tribes inhabiting the mountainous regions. Although there are some similarities
to Southeast Asian languages, such as Chinese, Vietnamese is thought to be a separate language
group, although a member of the Austro-Asiatic language family.
In written form, Vietnamese uses the Roman alphabet and accent marks to show tones. This system
of writing called quoc ngu, was created by Catholic missionaries in the 17th century to translate the
scriptures. Eventually this system, particularly after World War I, replaced one using Chinese
characters (chu nom), which had been the unofficial written form used for centuries.

Vietnamese Culture & Society

Confucianism
● The teachings of Confucius influence the Vietnamese describe the position of the individual in
Vietnamese society.
● Confucianism is a system of behaviors and ethics that stress the obligations of people towards
one another based upon their relationship.

The basic tenets are based upon five different relationships:

● Ruler and subject

● Husband and wife

● Parents and children

● Brothers and sisters

● Friend and friend

Confucianism stresses duty, loyalty, honor, filial piety, respect for age and seniority, and sincerity.

The Family
● Vietnamese life revolves around the family.

● The Vietnamese family consists of the nuclear as well as the extended family.

● It is not uncommon for three generations to be living together under one roof.

● In Confucian tradition, the father is the head of the family and it is his responsibility to provide
food, clothing and shelter and make important decisions.
● Within the same tradition it is believed that after someone dies their spirit lives on. Descendants
will "worship" their ancestors to ensure their good favor. On the anniversary of a person's
death,
 ceremonies are held in their memory. They are also remembered during certain lunar festivals
and souls are consulted prior to important decisions or occasions such as a birth or a wedding.

Face
● As with many other Asian nations, the concept of face is extremely important to the Vietnamese.

● Face is a tricky concept to explain but can be roughly described a quality that reflects a person's
reputation, dignity, and prestige.
● It is possible to lose face, save face or give face to another person.

● Companies as well as individuals can have face or lose face.

● For foreigners it is important to be aware that you may unintentionally cause a loss of face so it
is important to be aware of your words and actions. Understanding how face is lost, saved or
given is critical.
● Someone can be given face by complimenting them for their hospitality or business acumen.
Accusing someone of poor performance or reprimanding them publicly will lead to a loss of face.

Collectivism
● In general, the Vietnamese are collectivists.

● The individual is seen as secondary to the group - whether the family, school or company.

● As a result, there are strict guidelines for social interaction that are designed to protect a group's
face.

Hierarchy
● As with most group-orientated societies there are also hierarchical structures.

● In Vietnam these are very much based upon age and status.

● This derives from Confucianism, which emphasizes social order. Everyone is seen as having a
distinct place and role within the hierarchical structure, be it the family or workplace.
● An obvious example is seen in social situations where the oldest person in a group is greeted or
served first.
● Within the family the head would be responsible for making decisions and approving marriages.

Etiquette and Customs in Vietnam

Vietnamese society has a fair amount of public etiquette. The following are some of the more
common points:

Etiquette in Vietnam
● Avoid public displays of affection with a member of the opposite sex.

● Do not touch someone's head.

● Pass items with both hands.

● Do not point with your finger - use your hand.

● Do not stand with your hands on your hips.

● Do not cross your arms on your chest.

● Do not pass anything over someone's head.

● Do not touch anyone on the shoulder.

● Do not touch a member of the opposite sex.

● Shorts should only be worn at the beach.

 Dining Etiquette
If invited to a Vietnamese home:
● Bring fruit, sweets, flowers, fruit, or incense.

● Gifts should be wrapped in colorful paper.

● Do not give handkerchiefs, anything black, yellow flowers or chrysanthemums.

Table Manners
● Wait to be shown where to sit.

● The oldest person should sit first.

● Pass dishes with both hands.

● The most common utensils are chopsticks and a flat spoon.

● Chopsticks should be placed on the table or a chopstick rest after every few mouthfuls or when
breaking to drink or speak.
● People hold bowls close to their faces.

● Hold the spoon in your left hand while eating soup.

● Meals are typically served family-style.

● Try to finish everything on your plate.

● When you are finished eating, rest your chopsticks on top of your rice bowl.

● Cover your mouth when using a toothpick.

Business Etiquette and Protocol

● Appointments are required and should be made several weeks in advance.

● The best means of doing so is through a local representative who can act as a reference and also
translator/interpreter.
● The Vietnamese are punctual and expect others to be so to.

● Dress conservatively.

● Handshakes are used upon meeting and departing. Handshakes only usually take place between
members of the same sex.
● Some Vietnamese use a two-handed shake, with the left hand on top of the right wrist.

● Always wait for a woman to extend her hand. If she does not, bow your head slightly.

● Business cards are exchanged on initial meetings and should be presented with both hands.
When receiving business cards ensure you show proper respect to it and do not simply glance at
it and put it on the table.
● Hierarchy and face manifest in different ways within business meetings. For example, the most
 senior person should always enter the room first.
● Silence is also common in meetings where someone disagrees with another but remains quite
so as to not cause a loss of face.
● Relationships are critical to successful business partnerships. Always invest time in building a
good relationship based on both personal and business lines. Any initial meeting
● should be solely used as a "getting to know you" meeting.

● The spoken word is very important. Never make promises that you cannot keep to as this will
lead to a loss of face.
● Negotiations can be slow so it is important to bear in mind that decisions have to go through a
lot of red tape and also group consultation. Be patient.
● Business gift giving is fairly common at the end of a meeting or during a meal in honor of your
business associates. Gifts should be small but not expensive. Something with your company logo
or something typical from your country both make excellent gifts (Commisceo Global Consulting
Ltd., 2020).
Closure:
Congratulations for
finishing lesson 2. Keep
up the good work!
“There are no
shortcuts to any place
worth going”
-Beverly Sills

You can now proceed

to lesson 3!
 Module 1: INTRODUCTION TO ASEAN
Lesson 3: The ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community

Learning Outcomes:
At the end of this module, students are expected to:
• Discuss the relevance of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community
Time Frame: Week 3

Introduction:
Welcome students to our 3rd lesson. This lesson is intended for those who have no to little
knowledge about the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) and its function in the lives of the
people of the ASEAN member nations.

Activity:
Write your answer on a separate clean sheet of paper.
• In your own knowledge and understanding, define or describe the meaning and
purpose of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community.

Analysis:
Write your answer on a separate clean sheet of paper.
• Have you ever encountered the term ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community before?
When and how?
• How do you thing the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community has affected the Filipino
people?

Abstraction:
ASEAN SOCIO-CULTURAL COMMUNITY BLUEPRINT 2025

ASEAN’s socio-economic progress in these two and a half decades is heralded by remarkable
human and sustainable development. At the heart of the ASEAN Socio-Cultural Community (ASCC) is
the commitment to lift the quality of life of its peoples through cooperative activities that are
people- oriented, people-centered, environmentally friendly, and geared towards the promotion of
sustainable development. The ASCC 2025 opens a world of opportunities to collectively deliver and
fully realize human development, resiliency and sustainable development as we face new and
emerging challenges together.

Thus, at this critical juncture for the ASEAN Community, cognizant of the challenges and
opportunities regionally and globally, the ASCC 2025 vision is for an ASEAN Community that engages
and benefits the peoples and is inclusive, sustainable, resilient, and dynamic. It aims to realize:

● A committed, participative and socially-responsible community through an accountable and

inclusive mechanism for the benefit of all ASEAN peoples, upheld by the principles of good
governance;
● An inclusive community that promotes high quality of life, equitable access to opportunities for
all and promotes and protects human rights of women, children, youths, the elderly/older
persons, persons with disabilities, migrant workers, and vulnerable and marginalized groups;
● A sustainable community that promotes social development and environmental protection
through effective mechanisms to meet the current and future needs of the peoples;
● A resilient community with enhanced capacity and capability to adapt and respond to social and
 economic vulnerabilities, disasters, climate change as well as emerging threats, and challenges;
and
● A dynamic and harmonious community that is aware and proud of its identity, culture, and
heritage with the strengthened ability to innovate and proactively contribute to the global
community.

CHARACTERISTICS AND ELEMENTS OF ASEAN SOCIO-CULTURAL COMMUNITY BLUEPRINT 2025

A. ENGAGES AND BENEFITS THE PEOPLE

The ASEAN Community shall be characterized as one that engages and benefits its peoples,
upheld by the principles of good governance.

It focuses on multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder engagements, including Dialogue and

Development Partners, sub-regional organizations, academia, local governments in provinces,
townships, municipalities and cities, private-public partnerships, community engagement, tripartite
engagement with the labor sector, social enterprises, government organization, non-governmental
organization, civil society organization (GO-NGO/CSO) engagement, corporate social responsibility
(CSR), inter-faith and inter-cultural dialogue, with emphasis on raising and sustaining awareness and
caring societies of ASEAN, as well as deepening the sense of ASEAN identity.

The objective is to enhance commitment, participation and social responsibility of ASEAN

peoples through an accountable and engaging mechanism for the benefit of all, towards a
community of engaged and empowered ASEAN peoples who are provided the platforms to
participate in ASEAN processes as well as to enjoy the benefits from the various initiatives.

The key result areas and corresponding strategic measures are as follows:
A.1. Engaged Stakeholders in ASEAN
processes Strategic Measures
i. Institutionalise ASEAN policies on relevant stakeholders’ consultations and engagement in the
work of ASEAN Organs and Bodies including policy making initiatives, integration of impact
assessment into policy development, programme development, implementation and monitoring,
among others; and
ii. Promote partnership frameworks and guidelines in engaging the stakeholders for the effective
implementation of ASEAN initiatives and promotion of public awareness of ASCC programmes and
accomplishments.
A.2. Empowered People and Strengthened
Institutions Strategic Measures
i. Increase competencies and resilience of relevant stakeholders with advanced technological and
managerial skills so as to improve institutional capacity to address current challenges and emerging
trends, such as disasters, pandemics and climate change;
ii. Harness the use of information and communication technologies across different age groups as a
means to connect with the regional and global community;
iii. Promote participation of local governments/authorities, provinces, townships, municipalities and
cities through the central government in the development of ASEAN capacity building programmes
that benefit their respective communities;
iv. Promote non-discriminatory laws, policies and practices by developing effective, responsive,
accountable and transparent institutions at all levels;
v. Strengthen civil service through effective capacity building, human resource development and
collaboration programmes among ASEAN Member States;
vi. Promote ASEAN awareness among government officials, students, children, youths and all
stakeholders as part of building ASEAN identity; and
vii. Work towards achieving gender equality and the empowerment of all women and girls.

B. INCLUSIVE
In realising the overarching goals of an ASEAN Community 2025, the ASCC is envisioned to
move towards a more inclusive community. This would entail the promotion of equitable access to
opportunities for ASEAN peoples, and the promotion and protection of human rights of women,
children, youths, the elderly/ older persons, persons with disabilities, migrant workers, ethnic
minority groups, and vulnerable and marginalised groups, throughout their life cycle, guided by a
life-cycle approach and adhering to rights-based principles in the promotion of ASEAN policies and
programmes in the ASCC Pillar.

Complementing the inclusive growth agenda of the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC), this
Characteristic focuses on addressing the concerns of all peoples of ASEAN on matters related to
welfare, social protection, women empowerment, gender equality, promotion and protection of
human rights, equitable access to opportunities, poverty eradication, health, decent work, education
and information.

The objective of this Characteristic is an inclusive ASEAN Community that promotes an

improved quality of life, addresses barriers to the enjoyment of equitable access to opportunities by
ASEAN peoples, and that promotes and protects human rights.

The key result areas and corresponding strategic measures are as follows:
B.1. Reducing Barriers

Strategic Measures

i. Reduce inequality and promote equitable access to social protection and enjoyment of human
rights by all and participation in societies, such as developing and implementing frameworks,
guidelines and mechanisms for elimination of all forms of discrimination, violence, exploitation,
abuse and neglect;
ii. Provide guidelines for quality care and support for women, children, youths, the elderly/older
persons, persons with disabilities, migrant workers, ethnic minority groups, and vulnerable and
marginalised groups;
iii. Provide regional mechanisms to promote access to information and communication technologies
for all;
iv. Promote regional cooperation initiatives to support ASEAN Member States in implementing the
Bali Declaration on the Enhancement of the Role and Participation of the Persons with Disabilities in
ASEAN Community and the ASEAN Decade of Persons with Disabilities (2011-2020); and
v. Promote regional cooperation initiatives to support ASEAN Member States to be well prepared for
ageing society.
B.2. Equitable Access for
All Strategic Measures
i. Enhance regional platforms to promote equitable opportunities, participation and effective
engagement of women, children, youths, the elderly/older persons, persons with disabilities, people
living in remote and border areas, and vulnerable groups in the development and implementation of
ASEAN policies and programmes;
ii. Develop regional strategies and enhance institutional capacity for gender mainstreaming in ASEAN
policies, programmes and budgets across pillars and sectors;
iii. Enhance effectiveness of the implementation of strategies and programmes under ASCC and
promote their harmonisation with those of ASEAN Political-Security Community (APSC) and AEC,
particularly in the areas of social protection, universal health coverage, food safety, poverty
eradication, employment and decent work, and trafficking in persons;
iv. Provide mechanisms and enhance institutional capacity to promote greater access to basic social
services for all, such as health services and education including early childhood education and
vocational education, skills training, and promotion of skills recognition;
v. Support ASEAN Member States’ initiatives in strengthening national gender and age-disaggregated
databases and analyses, including on poverty and equity, and establish a reliable regional database
for key sectors to support ASEAN policies and programmes;
vi. Promote human capital development, economic self-reliance and sustainable livelihood,
especially among the poor, through access to education, employment opportunities,
entrepreneurship and microfinance;
vii. Promote continuous efforts toward multi-dimensional poverty eradication through multi-
sectoral, multi-stakeholder and communitybased approaches;
viii. Build an enabling environment to provide the unemployed, poor and other marginalised groups
equitable access to resources, opportunities, and safeguard measures to prevent them from falling
under the negative influence of violent extremism and threats;
ix. Ensure inclusive, participatory and representative decision making at all levels with special
attention to the needs of those in disadvantaged situations, including ethnic minority groups,
children, youths, women, persons with disabilities, and the elderly/older persons;
x. Promote inclusive growth through appropriate measures at the national level to ensure that the
poor and vulnerable have equitable access to economic and other opportunities;
xi. Promote equitable opportunities to quality education and access to information with priority
given to the advancement of universal access to education;
xii. Promote a community that is healthy, caring, sustainable and productive, and one that practices
healthy lifestyle resilient to health threats and has universal access to healthcare; and
xiii. Promote increased accessibility for persons with disabilities and other vulnerable groups in
keeping with the universal design facilities.
B.3. Promotion and Protection of Human
Rights Strategic Measures
i. Promote regional inter-sectoral mechanisms towards a holistic and multi-disciplinary approach in
enhancing quality care, wellbeing, gender equality, social justice, human rights and fundamental
freedoms, especially the vulnerable groups, in response to all hazards and emerging social and
economic risks/threats;
ii. Promote sustainable financing mechanism for social protection, particularly universal health
coverage, early childhood care and development, financial risk protection for disaster risk reduction
and climate change adaptation, and social pension, through strategic partnerships with private
sector and other relevant stakeholders;
iii. Provide regional platforms for dialogue and support initiatives to address issues of traditional
practices that impinge upon the fulfilment of rights;
iv. Support accelerated implementation among ASEAN Member States to extend coverage,
accessibility, availability, comprehensiveness, quality, equality, affordability and sustainability of
social services and social protection;
v. Enhance the effective implementation of relevant ASEAN declarations and instruments related to
human rights;
vi. Enhance regional initiatives to promote and protect the rights of women and children as well as
persons with disabilities especially through the work of the ASEAN Commission on the Promotion
and Protection of the Rights of Women and Children (ACWC);
vii. Enhance regional initiatives and stakeholder participation to promote the elimination of all forms
of discrimination–institutionalised or otherwise–exploitation, trafficking, harmful practices, and
violence and abuse against children, women, persons with disabilities, youths, migrant workers, the
elderly/older persons, and victims/survivors of trafficking in persons, ethnic minority groups, and
vulnerable and marginalised groups;
viii. Encourage intergenerational relationships, families and communities in promoting and
protecting the rights of the elderly/older persons, and providing quality care and protection of the
elderly/older persons, in accordance with the Brunei Darussalam Declaration on Strengthening
Family Institution:
Caring for the Elderly; and
ix. Enhance regional initiatives in accordance with the ASEAN Declaration on the Protection and
Promotion of the Rights of Migrant Workers to improve the protection and promotion of the rights
of workers and migrant workers.

C. SUSTAINABLE
In moving towards the realisation of the overarching goals of an ASEAN Community 2025,
the ASCC envisions the achievement of a sustainable environment in the face of social changes and
economic development.

The objective of this Characteristic is to promote and ensure balanced social development
and sustainable environment that meet the needs of the peoples at all times. The aim is to strive for
an ASEAN Community with equitable access to sustainable environment that can support its social
development and its capacity to work towards sustainable development.

The key result areas and corresponding strategic measures are as follows:
C.1. Conservation and Sustainable Management of Biodiversity and Natural
Resources Strategic Measures
i. Strengthen regional cooperation to protect, restore and promote sustainable use of terrestrial
ecosystems resources, combat desertification, halt biodiversity loss, and halt and reverse land
degradation;
ii. Strengthen regional cooperation on sustainable forest management in the context of forest fire
prevention and control, including through the implementation of the ASEAN Agreement on
Transboundary Haze Pollution, to effectively address transboundary haze pollution;
iii. Promote cooperation for the protection, restoration and sustainable use of coastal and marine
environment, respond and deal with the risk of pollution and threats to marine ecosystem and
coastal environment, in particular in respect of ecologically sensitive areas;
iv. Adopt good management practices and strengthen policies to address the impact of development
projects on coastal and international waters and transboundary environmental issues, including
pollution, illegal movement and disposal of hazardous substances and waste, and in doing so, utilise
existing regional and international institutions and agreements;
v. Enhance policy and capacity development and best practices to conserve, develop and sustainably
manage marine, wetlands, peatlands, biodiversity, and land and water resources;
vi. Promote capacity building in a continuous effort to have sustainable management of ecosystems
and natural resources;
vii. Promote cooperation on environmental management towards sustainable use of ecosystems
and natural resources through environmental education, community engagement and public
outreach;
viii. Strengthen global and regional partnerships and support the implementation of relevant
international agreements and frameworks;
ix. Promote the role of the ASEAN Centre for Biodiversity as the centre of excellence in conservation
and sustainable use of biodiversity; and
x. Support the full implementation of the Strategic Plan for Biodiversity 2011-2020 and the Aichi
Targets.
C.2. Environmentally Sustainable Cities
Strategic Measures
i. Enhance participatory and integrated approaches in urban planning and management for
sustainable urbanisation towards a clean and green ASEAN;
ii. Strengthen the capacity of national and local institutions to implement strategies and
programmes towards liveable cities;
iii. Promote coordination among relevant sectors to provide access to clean land, green public space,
clean air, clean and safe water, and sanitation;
iv. Promote cities that are child-, youths-, the elderly/older persons-, and persons with disabilities-
friendly through enhanced coordination with relevant sectors to provide sustainable and accessible
infrastructure systems;
v. Strengthen positive economic, social and environmental linkages among urban, peri-urban and
rural areas; and
vi. Strengthen policies and strategies for the effective impact management of population growth and
migration on cities.
C.3. Sustainable Climate
Strategic Measures
i. Strengthen human and institutional capacity in implementing climate change adaptation and
mitigation, especially on vulnerable and marginalised communities;
ii. Facilitate the development of comprehensive and coherent responses to climate change
challenges, such as but not limited to multi-stakeholder and multi-sectoral approaches;
iii. Leverage on private sector and community to have access to new and innovative financing
mechanisms to address climate change;
iv. Strengthen the capacity of sectoral institutions and local governments in conducting Greenhouse
Gas (GHG) inventory, and vulnerability assessments and adaptation needs;
v. Strengthen the effort of government, private sector and community in reducing GHG emission
from main activities of development;
vi. Mainstream climate change risk management and GHG emission reduction on sectoral planning;
and
vii. Strengthen global partnerships and support the implementation of relevant international
agreements and frameworks, e.g. the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change
(UNFCCC).
C.4. Sustainable Consumption and Production

Strategic Measures
i. Strengthen public-private partnerships to promote the adoption of environmentally-sound
technologies for maximising resource efficiency;
ii. Promote environmental education (including eco-school practice), awareness, and capacity to
adopt sustainable consumption and green lifestyle at all levels;
iii. Enhance capacity of relevant stakeholders to implement sound waste management and energy
efficiency; and
iv. Promote the integration of Sustainable Consumption and Production strategy and best practices
into national and regional policies or as part of CSR activities.

D. RESILIENT
Integrated, comprehensive, and inclusive approaches are necessary to build resilient
communities in the ASEAN region post-2015. Resilience is an essential aspect of human security and
sustainable environment which is addressed by integrating policies, capacity and institution-building,
stakeholder partnerships in disaster risk reduction, humanitarian assistance, and community
empowerment, among others. Resilience has to be inclusive, non-discriminatory and incorporates
market and technology-based policies, including contributions from the private sector as well as the
scientific and academic communities. Through the Declaration on Institutionalising the Resilience of
ASEAN and its Communities and Peoples to Disasters and Climate Change adopted during the 26th
ASEAN Summit in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia on 27 April 2015, the Leaders committed “to forge a more
resilient future by reducing existing disaster and climate-related risks, preventing the generation of
new risks and adapting to a changing climate through the implementation of economic, social,
cultural, physical, and environmental measures which address exposure and vulnerability, and thus
strengthen resilience.”

The objective of this Characteristic is to achieve an enhanced capacity to collectively respond

and adapt to current challenges and emerging threats. This recognises that socio-cultural resilience
has cross-pillar linkages within the ASEAN Community as an effective force for moderation for the
common good, and one that is prepared for natural and human-induced disasters, and
socioeconomic crises, while fully embracing the principles of comprehensive security.

The key result areas and corresponding strategic measures are as follows:

D.1. A Disaster Resilient ASEAN that is able to Anticipate, Respond, Cope, Adapt, and Build Back
Better, Smarter, and Faster

Strategic Measures
i. Enhance regional mechanisms and capacities to enable ASEAN to respond together to disasters
within and outside the region;
ii. Promote regional standards, including methodologies and tools to assess, record, calculate the
disaster losses and damages, and share non-sensitive data and create common information system,
to enhance interoperability, ensure unity of action, and strengthen resilience;
iii. Promote local communities’ resilience by integrating principles of resilience in risk reduction,
preparedness, response, recovery, and rehabilitation measures;
iv. Promote policy coherence and interlinkages, and synergise initiatives on disaster risk reduction,
climate change adaptation and mitigation, humanitarian actions and sustainable development;
v. Institutionalise resilience by strengthening institutional and adaptive capacities to reduce existing
risks and prevent future risks;
vi. Harness local wisdom and traditional knowledge to foster a culture of resilience; and
vii. Enhance capacity, technology and community resilience to the impact of unexploded ordnance
on the livelihood of people, especially the vulnerable groups in rural areas.

D.2. A Safer ASEAN that is able to Respond to all Health-related Hazards including Biological,
Chemical, and Radiological nuclear, and Emerging Threats

Strategic Measures
i. Strengthen health systems to be resilient in preparedness for effective response to health-related
hazards, including biological, chemical, radiological-nuclear hazards and emerging threats;
ii. Promote regional standards to enhance interoperability, ensure unity of action and strengthen
collective resilience; and
iii. Enhance institutional and human capacities and approaches to support the effective
implementation of policies, strategies and programmes in preparing and responding to all health-
related hazards and emerging threats.

D.3. A Climate Adaptive ASEAN with Enhanced Institutional and Human Capacities to Adapt to the
Impacts of Climate Change

Strategic Measures
i. Expand regional cross-sectoral platforms and establish shared strategies to respond to the impacts
of climate change;
ii. Promote sound scientific and evidence-based policies on climate change adaptation; and
iii. Promote and consider indigenous and traditional knowledge and practices in responding and
adapting to the impacts of climate change.

D.4. Strengthened Social Protection for Women, Children, Youths, the Elderly/Older Persons,
Persons with Disabilities, Ethnic Minority Groups, Migrant Workers, Vulnerable and Marginalised
Groups, and People Living in At-risk Areas, including People Living in Remote and Border Areas and
Climate Sensitive Areas, to Reduce Vulnerabilities in Times of Climate Change-related Crises,
Disasters and other Environmental Changes

Strategic Measures
i. Encourage risk and vulnerability assessments and other scientific and evidence-based measures for
policies and plans to ensure targeted response measures; and
ii. Establish platforms to empower people living in at-risk areas to become resilient by reducing their
exposure and vulnerability to climate-related extreme events and other economic, social and
environmental shocks and disasters.
D.5. Enhanced and Optimised Financing Systems, Food, Water, Energy Availability, and other
Social Safety Nets in Times of Crises by making Resources more Available, Accessible, Affordable
and Sustainable

Strategic Measures
i. Enhance cross-sectoral and cross-pillar coordination to ensure food adequacy and accessibility at
the household level, especially vulnerable households, and ability to cope with disaster, food price
shocks and scarcity by developing adaptive mechanisms and strategies;
ii. Enhance cross-sectoral and cross-pillar coordination to ensure availability and accessibility of
affordable energy services at the household level and promote utilisation of renewable energy and
green technologies;
iii. Enhance cross-sectoral and cross-pillar coordination to ensure availability of clean water,
sanitation facilities and electricity to households in times of crises;
iv. Enhance the targeting of poor, vulnerable and marginalised groups in times of crises; and
v. Explore the possibility of establishing financial and insurance mechanisms and strategies for
disaster risk reduction and climate change adaptation.

D.6. Endeavour towards a “Drug-Free” ASEAN

Strategic Measures
i. Support the coordination with relevant stakeholders in policy formulation, develop and implement
preventive programmes for different target groups, adopt and utilise effective treatment and
rehabilitation and after-care programmes, and research on drug abuse problems; and
ii. Enhance community awareness and social responsibility on the ill-effects of dangerous drugs
through community engagement, advocacy and other relevant activities.

E. DYNAMIC
The objective of this Characteristic is to strengthen the ability to continuously innovate and be a
proactive member of the global community. It aims to provide an enabling environment with policies
and institutions that engender people and firms to be more open and adaptive, creative, innovative,
and entrepreneurial.

The key result areas and corresponding strategic measures are as follows:
E.1. Towards an Open and Adaptive

ASEAN Strategic Measures

i. Encourage freedom of universal access to information and communication technology in

accordance with national legislations;
ii. Promote a culture of tolerance, understanding and mutual respect for religions and interfaith
dialogue;
iii. Showcase ASEAN to the outside world using various approaches e.g. ASEAN arts, film festivals and
heritage programmes;
iv. Project a common ASEAN voice in global socio-cultural fora and negotiations, where appropriate;
v. Promote greater people-to-people interaction and mobility within and outside ASEAN;
vi. Promote cooperation in sports and develop comprehensive and inclusive sports programmes to
encourage healthy and active lifestyles;
vii. Strengthen capacity and capability of both the ASEAN civil service and public sectors to respond
to emerging challenges and the needs of the peoples through efficient, effective, transparent and
accountable public services, participatory and innovative approaches, and collaboration;
viii. Provide opportunities for relevant stakeholders for knowledge sharing, which include exchange
of best practices and studies;
ix. Encourage volunteerism among ASEAN Member States to strengthen the ASEAN Community;
x. Project ASEAN’s visibility through comprehensive, multi-stakeholder branding efforts, which are
represented by common ASEAN identifiers, such as ASEAN Day, ASEAN Flag, ASEAN Anthem and
ASEAN Emblem; and
xi. Promote measures to ensure a caring society, social harmony and values of humanity, and spirit
of community.
E.2. Towards a Creative, Innovative and Responsive ASEAN

Strategic Measures
i. Enhance the competitiveness of ASEAN human resources through the promotion of life-long
learning, pathways, equivalencies and skills development as well as the use of information and
communication technologies across age groups;
ii. Promote an innovative ASEAN approach to higher education, incorporating academics, community
service, regional placement, and entrepreneurship incubation and support;
iii. Encourage regional cooperation in the areas of education, training and research, and strengthen
ASEAN’s role in regional and global research network by promoting initiatives and providing
incentives and support for research and development, including research publications;
iv. Promote the free flow of ideas, knowledge, expertise, and skills to inject dynamism within the
region;
v. Strengthen curricula and system of education in science, technology and creative disciplines;
vi. Encourage and support creative industry and pursuits, such as film, music, and animation;
vii. Promote ASEAN as a centre for human resource development and training;
viii. Strengthen regional and global cooperation in enhancing the quality and competitiveness of
higher education institutions;
ix. Encourage the government, private sector and community to develop a system of continuous
training and re-training to support lifelong learning and workforce development; and
x. Promote registration of intellectual property rights (IPR), and strengthen its cooperation and
implementation in ASEAN in areas such as food safety, medicines, traditional cultural assets and
biodiversity-based products.
E.3. Engender a Culture of Entrepreneurship in
ASEAN Strategic Measures
i. Strengthen the supportive environment for socially and environmentally responsible
entrepreneurship, such as mentoring, providing seed money, venture and crowd funding, and
marketing support;
ii. Promote and nurture creative and inclusive social entrepreneurship for youths, persons with
disabilities, women and vulnerable and marginalised groups; and
iii. Encourage institutional and technical innovations in the provision of social services and health care.
Source: https://asean.org/wp-content/uploads/archive/5187-19.pdf

Closure:
Congratulations for
finishing lesson 3. Keep
up the good work!
“Strive for progress,
not perfection.”
-
U
n
k
n
o
w
n
You can now proceed
to Module 2!
 References:
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