The document discusses several countries in Southeast Asia and their respective languages, religions, and political systems. It then analyzes some weaknesses of ASEAN and Thailand in relation to the ASEAN Economic Community (AEC). Specifically, it notes that ASEAN lacks a shared identity and focuses more on economic issues than other concerns. It also discusses challenges Thailand may face with AEC, such as structural barriers preventing equal benefits, an aging society, negative attitudes toward neighboring countries, and low English proficiency hurting its global competitiveness.
2. Language Religion Political
system
Thailand Thai Buddhism Democratic
Congress
Vietnam Vietnamese Buddhism Socialist
Communism
Singapore Bahasa Melayu Buddhism Democratic
English Catholic Congress
Mandarin
Philipines English Catholic Democratic
Philipino Republic
Myanmar Burmese Buddihism Military
Council
Malaysia Bahasa Malayu Islam Democratic
English, Chinese Congress
Laos Laos Buddhism Socialism
Communism
Indonesia Bahasa Islam Democratic
Indonesia Republic
Cambodia Cambodian Buddhism Democratic
Congress
Brunei Bahasa Melayu Islam Absolute
Darussalam English monarchy
3. AEC has no sense of belonging to the same community,
no shared identity to develop among the members of the
association.
AEC concentrate on economy and investment
but ignores other issues such as environment,
human rights and politic.
4. ASEAN was founded as a loose organization.
and reforming the institution is made more
difficult due to the objections of new members:
such as Cambodia , Laos and Burma
ASEAN policy: No-interference cause bad
reputation in the western countries
5. Weakness and Threats of Thailand for AEC
structural barriers prevent lower class people from
enjoying the benefits of the social and economic
progress from AEC
Investors, big companies
5%
Middle class
35%
Lower class
65%
7. Thai people still have negative attitudes toward to the
neighbour countries such as Laos, Burma and Cambodia,
also lack of learning more about ASEAN countries.
8. Educational impacts
According from New York Time, say that "low English level
can hurt countries' progress"
Thailand produces a workforce with
some of the worlds weakest English-
language skills.
World Competitiveness Report Thailand was
ranked 54th out of 56 countries globally for
English proficiency, the second-lowest in Asia.