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REGIONAL INTEGRATION: ASEAN and EU In this period of globalisation, a country’s sole effort can easily be undermined by the rapid changes happening around the globe. In order to survive, one has to recognize that it cannot act alone and neither can it isolate itself from these changes. Globalisation requires the strength and collective effort of a larger community, and innovative way among each other to survive and compete in a bigger and more complex arena. It is from this very condition that the essence of regional integration serves its purposes. ASEAN has triumphed in some ways, particularly in achieving its goal of having all ten South East Asian countries in a single regional body. However, it fails to act as ‘one community’ in the most challenging circumstances that has faced the region. At some point, ASEAN has almost become insignificant in the international and within the community during the height of the financial crisis, the haze problem and the Cambodian conflict. Unresolved problems such as territorial disputes among members,