On 8 August 1967, the Asean Secretariat opened its doors in Jakarta, Indonesia. It was a momentous day for the 10-nation bloc, as the new Secretariat would serve as the organisation’s main headquarters and lead the charge in driving forward Asean integration.
The idea for a dedicated Asean Secretariat was first proposed by then-Thai Prime Minister Plaek Pibulsongkram in 1962. Asean’s founding fathers recognised the need for a centralised body to coordinate the bloc’s activities and manage its expanding agenda. …