On 23 March 2017, H.E. Mr. Don Pramudwinai, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Thailand, presided over the opening ceremony of the TU-ASEAN Expo 2017, organized by Thammasat University’s Center for ASEAN Studies to commemorate 50th Anniversary of the establishment of ASEAN.

In his opening remarks, H.E. the Minister of Foreign Affairs described the first 30 years of ASEAN by the “3Cs”– Consultation, Cooperation, and Consensus. The Foreign Minister went on to recollect ASEAN’s development in the past 20 years up until 2015 with the beginning of the ASEAN Community, which can be described by another set of “3Cs” – Community Building, Connectivity, and Centrality. These Cs were also reflected in the ASEAN Vision 2025, an inclusive, people-centered, people-oriented, and rule-based community. The Foreign Minister also welcomed all ideas from the student participants regarding the new “3Cs” which could describe the next 50 years of ASEAN.

After the opening ceremony, Mr. Suriya Chindawongse, Deputy Director-General of the Department of ASEAN Affairs, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, gave a special lecture on “50 years: Thailand and ASEAN”, stating that ASEAN has attached great importance to its posterity  as stipulated in the ASEAN Declaration. This reflects a far-sighted vision of ASEAN’s founders to secure for their peoples and for posterity the blessings of peace, freedom and prosperity. It is undeniable that ASEAN has significant implications on regional economic, political and security, and sociocultural dimensions. Without ASEAN, the region could have faced various threats and challenges, ranging from the lack of trust and confidence, transnational crimes, tariff barriers to the lack of cooperation framework for disaster response.

Also, during 23 – 25 March 2517 at TU-ASEAN Expo 2017, Ministry of Foreign Affairs held the special exhibition of “ASEAN@50”, which was earlier displayed at the ASEAN Cultural Center, Ratchadamnoen Avenue.