Myanmar acceded to ASEAN on the same day as Lao PDR, after Viet Nam and before Cambodia

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Myanmar acceded to ASEAN on the same day as Lao PDR, after Viet Nam and before Cambodia

Background

The official ASEAN account of the Association's own membership records that the Association of Southeast Asian Nations was established on 8 August 1967 in Bangkok, Thailand, with the signing of the ASEAN Declaration, also called the Bangkok Declaration, by the Founding Fathers of ASEAN: Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore and Thailand. Brunei Darussalam joined ASEAN on 7 January 1984, followed by Viet Nam on 28 July 1995, Lao PDR and Myanmar on 23 July 1997, and Cambodia on 30 April 1999. Timor-Leste acceded on 26 October 2025 as the eleventh member of ASEAN. Myanmar therefore joined at the same time as Lao PDR and ahead of Cambodia.

Date Myanmar joined ASEAN: 23 July 1997 Joined on the same day: Lao PDR ASEAN membership: eleven Member States of ASEAN

Why it matters for exams: The order and dates of ASEAN accessions are a recurring prelims question, and Myanmar is the member whose accession examiners most often pair with Lao PDR.

Kerala PSCUPSC

8 October 2026 Source: Lao PDR ASEAN Chairmanship - About ASEAN

In plain words

Bangkok Declaration ASEAN Declaration, 1967 — The short founding document that created ASEAN, signed in Bangkok by five states.