Attitudes and Awarenesstoward ASEAN:

Findings of a Ten Nation Survey

Conducted by Conducted by

Dr. Eric C. Thompson Dr. Eric C. Thompson National University of SingaporeNational University of Singapore

Dr. Chulanee ThianthaiDr. Chulanee ThianthaiChulalongkorn UniversityChulalongkorn University

OverviewOverview The history and future of ASEANThe history and future of ASEAN Our base-line survey attempts to measure:

Attitudes toward ASEAN Knowledge about the region and the association Orientation toward the region and countries Sources of information about the region Aspirations for integration and action

Key findings on a nation-by-nation basis

Summary of region wide trends

SubjectsSubjects

2,170 undergraduate university students (1064 male and 1106 female) from leading universities in each of the ten member nations of ASEAN

A sample of ~ 200-220 students per university

Average Age: 20 years old

MethodsMethodsSeptember to November 2007

Survey questionnaires were handed to students from leading universitiesNationNation UniversityUniversity LanguageLanguage

BruneiBrunei Univ. of Brunei DarussalamUniv. of Brunei Darussalam Bahasa MelayuBahasa Melayu

CambodiaCambodia Royal Univ. Phnom PenhRoyal Univ. Phnom Penh KhmerKhmer

IndonesiaIndonesia University of IndonesiaUniversity of Indonesia Bahasa IndonesiaBahasa Indonesia

LaosLaos National Univ. of LaosNational Univ. of Laos LaoLao

MalaysiaMalaysia Univ. of MalayaUniv. of Malaya Bahasa MelayuBahasa Melayu

MyanmarMyanmar Distance Education StudentsDistance Education Students BurmeseBurmese

PhilippinesPhilippines University of the PhilippinesUniversity of the Philippines EnglishEnglish

SingaporeSingapore National Univ. of SingaporeNational Univ. of Singapore EnglishEnglish

ThailandThailand Chulalongkorn Univ.Chulalongkorn Univ. ThaiThai

VietnamVietnam Vietnam National Univ. (Hanoi)Vietnam National Univ. (Hanoi) VietnameseVietnamese

Findings: Findings: Attitudes toward ASEAN

Toward ASEAN as a WholeToward ASEAN as a Whole

ASEAN-enthusiasm

ASEAN- positive attitudes

ASEAN-

ambivalence

ASEAN-

skepticism

Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam

Singapore and some other countries

Myanmar*Most common across the region

*Responses from Myanmar were Bi-modal: Positive and Skeptical

Findings: Findings: Attitudes toward ASEAN

ASEAN citizenship. Over 75% agreed:

Nearly 90% felt that membership in ASEAN is beneficial to their nation and nearly 70 % felt it was beneficial to them personally

“ I feel I am a citizen of ASEAN”

Singapore Myanmar

Least Agreement

Cambodia, Laos, Vietnam

Strongest Agreement

Findings: Findings: Attitudes toward ASEAN

Similarities among ASEAN countries

Greatest sense of similarity: Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, Indonesia

Least sense of similarity: Singapore, Brunei, Myanmar, Malaysia

Economically and Politically CulturallyDissimilar Similar

Findings: Findings: Knowledge about the region and the Association

Overall, students have a strong knowledge about the region and Association

“How familiar are you with ASEAN ?” Greatest sense of familiarity: Vietnam,

Laos Least sense of familiarity: Brunei,

Singapore, Myanmar

Findings: Findings: Knowledge about the region and the Association

Students could Students could list nine out of ten list nine out of ten ASEAN countriesASEAN countries and and identify seven on identify seven on a mapa map of Southeast Asia. of Southeast Asia.

Nearly 75% could identify ASEAN flagNearly 75% could identify ASEAN flag Over 80% in all nations, other than Over 80% in all nations, other than

Cambodia (63%), Thailand (38%) Cambodia (63%), Thailand (38%) and Philippines (36%)and Philippines (36%)

Nearly 50% could identify year of Nearly 50% could identify year of foundingfounding Most in Laos, Vietnam, IndonesiaMost in Laos, Vietnam, Indonesia Least in Thailand and MyanmarLeast in Thailand and Myanmar

1967

Findings: Findings: Orientation toward the region and countries

Most Salient Countries: Thailand, Malaysia

Most Familiar: Thailand, Singapore

Sub-regions: Mainland, Maritime Generally, students are most aware and familiar with countries in their own sub-region Within Mainland Southeast Asia, other countries are more salient than familiar In other words, students in Mainland nations feel more familiar with some Maritime countries (Singapore, Malaysia) than with neighbors

Findings: Findings: Orientation toward the region and countries

Category Country Rankings

TravelTravel 1st Singapore, 2nd Thailand, and 3rd Malaysia, 4th Vietnam

WorkWork 1st Singapore, 2nd Malaysia, Brunei, and Thailand

Findings: Findings: Sources of informationabout the region

Primary Sources:Primary Sources:

Television, School, Newspapers, BooksTelevision, School, Newspapers, Books

Secondary Sources:Secondary Sources:

Internet, RadioInternet, Radio

Others Sources:Others Sources:

Sports, Advertising, FriendsSports, Advertising, Friends

Least Important Sources:Least Important Sources:

Family, Travel, Movies, Music, WorkFamily, Travel, Movies, Music, Work

Findings: Findings: Sources of informationabout the region

Notable TrendsNotable Trends

Everywhere, Internet rated Everywhere, Internet rated lessless important important than television and newspapersthan television and newspapers

Importance of Internet reveals a linguistic Importance of Internet reveals a linguistic bias (rather than wealth bias)bias (rather than wealth bias)

Media environments differ, for example Media environments differ, for example Radio is especially important in Cambodia, Radio is especially important in Cambodia, Vietnam and Laos; but not so elsewhereVietnam and Laos; but not so elsewhere

Findings: Findings: Aspirations for integration and action

1.1. Economic CooperationEconomic Cooperation2.2. TourismTourism3.3. Development AssistanceDevelopment Assistance4.4. Educational ExchangeEducational Exchange5.5. Security and Military Security and Military

CooperationCooperation6.6. SportsSports7.7. Cultural ExchangeCultural Exchange8.8. Political CooperationPolitical Cooperation

Most Important to Least Important Aspects of Integration and Cooperation

As ranked by “Strong Agreement” of students across the region

Findings: Findings: Aspirations for integration and action

Issues Crucial to Cooperation and AwarenessIssues Crucial to Cooperation and Awareness

Most important:Most important: PovertyPoverty Reduction Reduction EducationEducation Exchange and Improvements Exchange and Improvements Science and TechnologyScience and Technology Development Development

Moderately important:Moderately important: Natural Resource and Environmental Natural Resource and Environmental

ManagementManagement

Low importance:Low importance: Cultural Preservation and PromotionCultural Preservation and Promotion

Findings: Findings: Aspirations for integration and action

Issues Crucial to Cooperation and AwarenessIssues Crucial to Cooperation and Awareness

Notable variations across the regionNotable variations across the regionHealth and Disease ControlHealth and Disease Control High importance in nations seeing it as a threat High importance in nations seeing it as a threat

(Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore) but low were problems (Brunei, Malaysia, Singapore) but low were problems are endemic (Vietnam, Cambodia)are endemic (Vietnam, Cambodia)

Science and Technology DevelopmentScience and Technology Development Very low importance in Singapore, but high elsewhereVery low importance in Singapore, but high elsewhere

Disaster Prevention and Relief; Regional Identity Disaster Prevention and Relief; Regional Identity and Solidarity also highly variableand Solidarity also highly variable

National SummariesNational Summaries

Brunei:Brunei: Students’ knowledge of the region Students’ knowledge of the region is very good. Attitudes are mostly positive, is very good. Attitudes are mostly positive, sometimes range toward ambivalence. sometimes range toward ambivalence. Brunei remains one of the least well Brunei remains one of the least well known countries.known countries.Cambodia:Cambodia: Students are among the Students are among the strongest ASEAN-enthusiasts. Objective strongest ASEAN-enthusiasts. Objective knowledge of the region somewhat less knowledge of the region somewhat less than elsewhere.than elsewhere.

National SummariesNational Summaries

Indonesia:Indonesia: Generally positive attitudes Generally positive attitudes toward the region. Responses in the toward the region. Responses in the middle range of those region-wide. Some middle range of those region-wide. Some affinity for Malay-Muslim neighbors; but affinity for Malay-Muslim neighbors; but not to exclusion of the rest of the region.not to exclusion of the rest of the region.

Laos:Laos: Among the strongest ASEAN- Among the strongest ASEAN-enthusiasts and strongest objective enthusiasts and strongest objective knowledge of ASEAN.knowledge of ASEAN.

National SummariesNational Summaries

Malaysia:Malaysia: Generally positive attitudes Generally positive attitudes toward ASEAN, with some ambivalence. toward ASEAN, with some ambivalence. Overall in the middle-range of region-wide Overall in the middle-range of region-wide responses.responses.Myanmar:Myanmar: Evidence of two distinct Evidence of two distinct attitudes; Skepticism among a substantial attitudes; Skepticism among a substantial minority, generally positive attitudes minority, generally positive attitudes among the majority. Weaker knowledge of among the majority. Weaker knowledge of ASEAN relative to the regional average.ASEAN relative to the regional average.

National SummariesNational Summaries

Philippines:Philippines: Relatively weak knowledge of the Relatively weak knowledge of the region and Association; but generally positive region and Association; but generally positive attitude and interest about the region.attitude and interest about the region.

Singapore:Singapore: Trend of ambivalence toward the Trend of ambivalence toward the region. Least likely to see ASEAN members as region. Least likely to see ASEAN members as similar; least likely to see themselves as citizens similar; least likely to see themselves as citizens of ASEAN; below average knowledge about the of ASEAN; below average knowledge about the region. But, rate the benefit of their nation’s region. But, rate the benefit of their nation’s membership highly. Singapore also the most membership highly. Singapore also the most desirable destination for travel and work.desirable destination for travel and work.

National SummariesNational Summaries

Thailand:Thailand: Generally positive attitudes toward the Generally positive attitudes toward the region and Association. Somewhat strong but region and Association. Somewhat strong but uneven knowledge about the region and uneven knowledge about the region and Association.Association.

Vietnam:Vietnam: Among the strongest ASEAN- Among the strongest ASEAN-enthusiast and most knowledgeable about the enthusiast and most knowledgeable about the region and Association. Some evidence of region and Association. Some evidence of Vietnam’s emergence as a site for work and Vietnam’s emergence as a site for work and travel (but still less than Singapore, Malaysia, travel (but still less than Singapore, Malaysia, Thailand and Brunei) Thailand and Brunei)

General SummaryGeneral Summary

ASEAN is in potential if not in fact, more than a ASEAN is in potential if not in fact, more than a diplomatic “talking shop”diplomatic “talking shop”

Students displayStudents display High knowledge about ASEANHigh knowledge about ASEAN Positive attitudes toward ASEANPositive attitudes toward ASEAN Consider themselves Consider themselves “Citizens” of ASEAN“Citizens” of ASEAN

Strongest ASEAN-enthusiasm among the Strongest ASEAN-enthusiasm among the newest, least-affluent members (with the newest, least-affluent members (with the exception of Myanmar)exception of Myanmar)

General SummaryGeneral Summary

Trend to “associate up” and “dissociate down”Trend to “associate up” and “dissociate down”

Trend to see region as a threat in Malaysia, Trend to see region as a threat in Malaysia, Brunei, Singapore; but not elsewhere.Brunei, Singapore; but not elsewhere.

Need for greater familiarity among Mainland Need for greater familiarity among Mainland nationsnations

However, However, overalloverall there is a strong trend in there is a strong trend in commonality of responsescommonality of responses and overall positive and overall positive attitude toward ASEAN throughout the region.attitude toward ASEAN throughout the region.

Attitudes and Awarenesstoward ASEAN:

Findings of a Ten Nation Survey

Conducted by Conducted by

Dr. Eric C. Thompson Dr. Eric C. Thompson National University of SingaporeNational University of Singapore

Dr. Chulanee ThianthaiDr. Chulanee ThianthaiChulalongkorn UniversityChulalongkorn University