SURVEY: Will ASEAN be a success?

[Scott]

This weeks poll looks at how successful ASEAN will be. Please feel free to vote and to make a comment.

[webfact]

Please feel free to vote and to make a comment

[Soutpeel]

Asean will be about as successful as the EU, the only ones benefiting from it are the pigs round the trough politicians and assorted hangers on, all talk no action..

[KhaoNiaw]

Just to clarify, is this referring to ASEAN, which has been in existence since 1967, or the coming ASEAN Economic Community (AEC)?

[ThaiRich]

It will be successful for the rich and powerful and the factory owners. It will be a failure for the common people.

[Credo]

I doubt that it will be very successful. I believe that Thailand believes that they will be the leader of ASEAN, but I don't think that is going to cut it with some of the other members. The cultures are vastly different with no common language or common religion. There are a lot of differences between the member states.

They will bump along, but they would bump along with or without ASEAN.

[EmptyHead]

ASEAN will be a success because it is more democratic than the EU. Each country has its own say.

The day there is a president of ASEAN making all of the decisions is the day it will fail, like the EU.

Yes, it will move more slowly, but what's wrong with that?

Also, ASEAN is simply about business, not one identity with one currency.

The countries of ASEAN will be business partners, not fools.

[AJBangkok]

The title of the poll should be corrected. The OP is probably referring to the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) which begins this year. ASEAN has existed for almost 50 years already so it's a bit late to ask if it will be a success

[HeijoshinCool]

Another decade of the crooked, lying, thieving, self-serving, traitorous politicians we have in every country, and no place on earth will be a "success."

[wabothai]

as long as the Thai feel superior to bordering nations there will be no success with ASEAN.

[thedude82]

ASEAN is a collection of weak states that dont exactly get along. It is a talk shop that accomplishes nothing but a yearly photo op. sure people parade around with ASEAN tshirts and banners hanging from the freeway, but its not any deeper than that. Thailand is way too nationalistic for all the wrong reasons and wont be able to integrate into the economic zone. An OK concept that will fail miserably, but its failures will be denied and covered up to save face.

[i claudius]

It will be a resounding success ,just like the E.U those in the Asean "Brussels" will all tell you how wonderfull it all is as the accountants refuse to sign off the accounts yet again

[trogers]

Ask me this question again in 20 years.

The present gaps are too wide among the ASEAN countries; education, income distribution, cultural beliefs and language.

[mogo51]

I doubt it will succeed simply because The government, military or whoever is in charge, will not play by the rules, unless the rules give them an advantage.

[Ming Mueng]

Maybe for all the other countries, but not Thailand. They are not ready yet.

[tlcwaterfall]

ASEAN will be a success because it is more democratic than the EU. Each country has its own say.

The day there is a president of ASEAN making all of the decisions is the day it will fail, like the EU.

Yes, it will move more slowly, but what's wrong with that?

Also, ASEAN is simply about business, not one identity with one currency.

The countries of ASEAN will be business partners, not fools.

Never ever forget how much they dislike and mistrust each other.

And how very superior our host country believes they are in relation to the other asian countries.

It will be an unmitigated failure in reality but the countries will commend each other in public.

[marko kok prong]

Places like Malaysia,Vietnam it will work better there than in Thailand,as agree with other posters the Thai's seem to have this idea they are no1,or should be in the organisation,also the fact that Thailand at present does not have an elected government may also have an effect.

[krisb]

I'd probably vote yes if I knew what it was about.

[lust]

One currency? Singapore dollar.

[piersbeckett]

For whom in the member states might it be a success - what exactly are these trade agreements between the nations & how were they arrived at - how does the agreement differ from that of the E.U.?

I think we need someone with an economics degree to spout-off on this - please, I'm all ears.

[joshstiles]

why do you insist on qualifying every yes or no answer with your hidden agenda bs?

why no just yes or no and believe me everyone can qualify their own answer with comments

it isnt necessary to dictate...i know its hard....try

next weeks poll

will we ever see a legitimate poll question on tv? yes or no

see how easy it is

[sawadee1947]

interesting...

I am from EU, but haven't seen so much pigs around the politicians yet, or didn't I recognize you??

Asean will be about as successful as the EU, the only ones benefiting from it are the pigs round the trough politicians and assorted hangers on, all talk no action..

[Ragzilb]

I follow the old universal rule. What was one many most be one, what is one must be many

[angiolo]

not a snowballs chance in hell. I wish I could see it being a success

[KhaoNiaw]

Assuming we're talking about the AEC, there are some Thai companies that are already taking advantage. For example, in preparation Vietnam has removed a lot of restrictions on retail businesses, and Berli Jucker have already moved in and taken over a big share of the convenience store sector and other areas they're involved in. Those that are prepared and have a plan will benefit. But it's a business thing, not for the ordinary folk.

So, if the question means the AEC (not ASEAN), the next question is what do you mean by success? For regional integration? For Thailand? For ordinary people? etc. etc.

[maddermax]

If this is truly to be an economic community similar to the EU it will mean that there should be freedom of movement and employment in all of the member countries. This should mean that ASEAN nationals from other countries will be able to come to work in Thailand with no need for a visa or work permit. Do you honestly see the Thai Government allowing other nationals to take the jobs of Thai workers?

I have asked this question of several people and they suggest that the Thai Govt will only allow professionals and those with specific qualifications to work here freely. Not really an even playing field.

[maidee]

rules are there to be bend what suits & profits thailand

game over

[Lee4Life]

Please excuse me for being a bit on the pessimistic side, but the fact that certain member countries don't even seem to understand the concept of waiting in line to board a bus or plane doesn't exactly create a lot of confidence as far as I am concerned.

[bangkokheat]

it will be a success for business people that have had a gut full of thai workers

[Berkshire]

Impossible to tell, of course, especially not knowing the particulars, e.g., movement of labor, sovereignty rights, governing body, currency, etc. I'm sure many predicted the success of the EU and we know how that's turning out. But perhaps the AEC will take heed of lessons learned from the EU and not make those mistakes. Generally speaking, I'd say it'll benefit workers in the poorer countries like Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, PI. Beyond that, hard to say. Interesting to note that 2 of the top 5 countries in the world in terms of GDP per capita are in ASEAN. Bet you guys didn't know that.