Notes on the Pro-Asean Stance of the Yingluck's Administration

As someone who has been following Asean integration, I have noticed the keen interest in the use of the term 'Asean' by the Yingluck's administration. I can hardly recall any mentioning of the word Asean prior to the her position as Thailand's premier.

However, the sudden explode of Asean discourses may be the benefits one can exploited from using such the term, for political use. This is not to mean that the government lacks sincerity when it  invokes the term. I should like to simply point out that ASEAN has gained its currency, and some aspects are healthy to Thailand as a whole. To be politically correct, one should not forget to mention ASEAN as a reason for doing or not doing things.

Take for example, the plan to build a speed train system from the north or Chiang Mai to BKK.

A recent interview by General Prayuth Chan-ocha, the Army Chief, given to a radio program aired on the 18th of January 2013, marking the nation's army day for the year 2013, also mentioned that fact that Thai army personnel should be ready for the Asean integration. He pointed out also that the violence in the deep south of Thailand would be gradually solved as Asean has to establish one of its three pillars, that is, the political and security one.