"The new chair has a priority set and useful agenda as an implementation guidance and a support for member countries, the ASEAN Secretariat, the ASEAN's dialogue partners and other external parties," Pitsuwan said.

Under the theme of “Toward ASEAN Community: From Vision to Mission,” the country hopes to accelerate implementation of three blueprints and enforcement of the charter by developing a legal framework and fostering ties with countries and groups outside the bloc.

The chair, along with other ASEAN members, will speed up the implementation of agreements, plans and programmes, including the implementation of the ASEAN Charter and the Roadmap for an ASEAN Community, according to the statement.

On this occasion, the Thailand’s Bangkok Post on January 2 carried an article, saying that Vietnam will push to get the group turned into a community as planned by 2015.

According to the article, Vietnamese Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung pledged that Vietnam will build the ASEAN Community and raise the voice of the group internationally.