AD 1953

Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam granted independence from France

AD 1954

Battle of Dien Bien Phu: Viet Minh forces defeat French troops: end of the First IndoChina War

AD 1954

Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation created under the Manila Pact

AD 1955

First SEATO council meeting held

AD 1957

Federation of Malaya gains independence from Britain

AD 1957

Thai army seizes power in Bangkok

AD 1959

Outbreak of Vietnam War

AD 1959

Singapore granted independence from Britain

AD 1960

Military junta take power in Burma

AD 1962

Indonesia gains independence from Netherlands

AD 1962

US sends troops to Thailand

AD 1963

Formation of the Federation of Malaysia: Federation of Malaya, Singapore, Sabah and Sarawak

AD 1963

Indonesia takes over administration of Papua

AD 1964

US joins the Vietnam War

AD 1965

Singapore leaves the Federation of Malaysia

AD 1965

Thailand permits US to use bases during the Vietnam War; Thai troops fight in South Vietnam

AD 1965

Ferdinand Marcos becomes president of Philippines

AD 1967

Association of Southeast Asian Nations formed

AD 1968

Pattani United Liberation Organisation formed in southern Thailand

AD 1969

Irian Jaya (Papua) becomes a province of Indonesia

AD 1971

Brunei ceases to be a British protectorate

AD 1971

Australia and New Zealand withdraw troops from Vietnam

AD 1972

Ferdinand Marcos declares martial law in the Philippines

AD 1973

Student riots in Bangkok bring about the fall of the military government in Thailand

AD 1973

US and Vietnam agree Peace Treaty: end of Vietnam War

AD 1975

Indonesia invades and occupies East Timor

AD 1975

Khmer Rouge, led by Pol Pot, takes power in Cambodia

AD 1975

North Vietnam invades South Vietnam

AD 1976

Thailand and Vietnam establish diplomatic relations

AD 1976

Vietnam formally reunited as Socialist Republic of Vietnam

AD 1976

US troops leave Thailand

AD 1979

Vietnamese enter Cambodia and establish People’s Republic of Kampuchea (later renamed the State of Cambodia)

AD 1984

Brunei gains full independence from Britain

AD 1986

Karen refugees from Burma establish the Huay Ko Lok refugee camp in Thailand

AD 1987

New constitution and democratic politics restored in Philippines

AD 1988

State Law and Order Council (SLORC) take power in Burma

AD 1991

Daw Aung San Suu Kyi, leader of the Burmese National League for Democracy, wins the Nobel Peace Price

AD 1992

Asian Development Bank begins building and improving transport and telecom links between China, Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, Thailand and Vietnam

AD 1994

First bridge built over lower Mekong River, joining Nong Khai, Thailand and Vientiane, Laos

AD 1995

Vietnam becomes a member of ASEAN

AD 1997

Beginning of the Asian economic crises

AD 1997

Thai soldiers push Karen refugees back across the border into Burma

AD 1999

East Timor granted independence from Indonesia