Thailand’s chairmanship of Asean is an opportunity to secure regional prosperity

FEW regions have experienced as many consecutive years of sustained economic growth as Southeast Asia. And with an average annual gross domestic product (GDP) approaching 5 percent, the economy of the Asean Community is expanding more than twice as fast as some other parts of the world. This prosperity has been stimulated by ever deepening economic, political security and socio-cultural cooperation of countries in the region.

As Thailand has assumed the chairmanship of Asean this year under the theme “Advancing Partnership for Sustainability,” it is time to reflect on how this positive path forward can be continued and safeguarded. But some uncomfortable truths have to be acknowledged to succeed in these efforts. In parallel with the impressive economic progress of the region, transnational organized crime networks have ingeniously taken advantage of reductions in trade barriers and investments in infrastructure, as well as corresponding increases in cross-border movements of people, goods and capital.