The countries of Southeast Asia have rarely found it easy to cooperate, despite founding one of the world's best-known regional clubs -- the Association of Southeast Asian Nations -- over 50 years ago.
With the members in very varied political and economic positions, they have found it tough to launch concrete joint projects. So in a welcome move Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar and Vietnam -- half of ASEAN's 10 members -- have announced a common infrastructure and development fund.
