Many experts have forecast promising economic growth from member states of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). And there are several reasons for such expectations, including the region’s advantageous location, global security, the global economy and its policies over the last two decades.

But history has also shown us evidence of the presence of great nations in the ASEAN region in the past. The golden age of Sriwijaya, Majapahit and many other kingdoms in Southeast Asia are in the remaking now, albeit under a different banner: ASEAN countries.

The most important reason for this is the location advantage of the region, which connects two economic giants, China and India, as well as the Middle East and Western nations.

The second most important factor is global security in the past and in the future. The formation of Singapore by Thomas Raffles and ...