Accession of the Lao People’s Democratic Republic to ASEAN The Lao People’s Democratic Republic (Lao PDR) officially became a member of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) on 23 July 1997, following a sustained process of political and economic adjustment in the post–Cold War period. Process of AccessionEconomic Policy Reform (1986) Lao PDR introduced … Continue reading Lao PDR : Lao Admission into ASEAN