PM Samak presided over the declaration of the country's assumption of the ASEAN chairmanship on July 25 at the Thai Foreign Ministry, according to news reports.

Thailand was handed over the ASEAN Standing Committee chairmanship following the 41^st ASEAN Ministerial Meeting in Singapore on July 24.

The ASEAN Charter was signed in November 2007, with the aim of creating an economically, socially and politically integrated group by 2015.

Of the ten members of the grouping, Thailand, the Philippines and Indonesia have not yet ratified the Charter, which is expected to come into force after 30 days of all ten members’ ratification.

ASEAN comprises Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, the Philippines, Singapore, Thailand and Vietnam.