Social media key to ASEAN integration
The use of social media such as Facebook, Twitter and other open community forums and platforms are an important strategy that may be used to communicate the key messages of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as it works towards building an integrated community by 2015.
This was the key message of Sonny Coloma, secretary of the Philippine Presidential Communications Operations Office, at a press conference held in Manila on June 8. The press conference followed a three-day meeting of ASEAN communication and information representatives from eight out of ten of the ASEAN member-states at the Asian Institute of Management in Makati City.
”The strategies shall include the full utilisation of traditional and new media, exploring new collaborative networks, and strengthen linkages with government ministers and civil society organisations in helping build the ASEAN Community,” Coloma said, according to the Philippine Information Agency, the country’s official news agency.
“Beyond the well-known channels of traditional and mainstream media, we can now look at an exciting world of new opportunities offered by the new social media such as Facebook and Twitter. The concept of one ASEAN Community can also be mainstreamed in the school curriculum, classroom and extra-curricular activities,” Coloma said.
“ASEAN needs to evolve from a community of governments to a community of people,” added Kamal Bin Mamat, representative from the ASEAN Secretariat, at the press briefing.
The ASEAN officials agreed to implement the strategy in their national communication plans in the future.
”I hope that with this communication plan, more support from the private sectors will come in,” Kamal said.
The ASEAN region has a fast growing Internet community. The Philippines currently lead with 24.9 million users online followed by Indonesia with 22.2 million. In terms of internet penetration, Singapore is way ahead of the other countries listed with a 70 per cent penetration. Indonesia appears to be way ahead of the other Southeast Asian countries in terms of Facebook penetration with a 143 per cent penetration rate, according to web research firm MVF Global.
The top Facebook users in Southeast Asia in terms of user engagement come from Thailand with 10.2 million unique visitors from the country visiting Facebook every day. Thai Internet users also account for the highest number of Youtube visitors daily with five million unique visits to youtube.com every day.
LinkedIn is dominated by Indonesia and the Philippines with 80,000 and 60,000 unique visitors every day.
Bangkok has some 8.68 million Facebook users, followed by Jakarta (7.43 million), according to a list published by international social media analytics company Socialbakers.
The Thai capital beats out global megalopolises like London, Sao Paulo, Mexico City, Mumbai, New York City, and Los Angeles, Socialbakers found. The other Southeast Asian cities included in the top 20 were Kuala Lumpur (number 13 world-wide, with 3.33 million users) and Singapore (number 17 globally, with 2.66 million users).
[caption id="attachment_3363" align="alignleft" width="300" caption="Buddhist monks surfing the Internet in Thailand"][/caption] The use of social media such as Facebook, Twitter and other open community forums and platforms are an important strategy that may be used to communicate the key messages of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as it works towards building an integrated community by 2015. This was the key message of Sonny Coloma, secretary of the Philippine Presidential Communications Operations Office, at a press conference held in Manila on June 8. The press conference followed a three-day meeting of ASEAN communication and information representatives from eight out...
The use of social media such as Facebook, Twitter and other open community forums and platforms are an important strategy that may be used to communicate the key messages of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) as it works towards building an integrated community by 2015.
This was the key message of Sonny Coloma, secretary of the Philippine Presidential Communications Operations Office, at a press conference held in Manila on June 8. The press conference followed a three-day meeting of ASEAN communication and information representatives from eight out of ten of the ASEAN member-states at the Asian Institute of Management in Makati City.
”The strategies shall include the full utilisation of traditional and new media, exploring new collaborative networks, and strengthen linkages with government ministers and civil society organisations in helping build the ASEAN Community,” Coloma said, according to the Philippine Information Agency, the country’s official news agency.
“Beyond the well-known channels of traditional and mainstream media, we can now look at an exciting world of new opportunities offered by the new social media such as Facebook and Twitter. The concept of one ASEAN Community can also be mainstreamed in the school curriculum, classroom and extra-curricular activities,” Coloma said.
“ASEAN needs to evolve from a community of governments to a community of people,” added Kamal Bin Mamat, representative from the ASEAN Secretariat, at the press briefing.
The ASEAN officials agreed to implement the strategy in their national communication plans in the future.
”I hope that with this communication plan, more support from the private sectors will come in,” Kamal said.
The ASEAN region has a fast growing Internet community. The Philippines currently lead with 24.9 million users online followed by Indonesia with 22.2 million. In terms of internet penetration, Singapore is way ahead of the other countries listed with a 70 per cent penetration. Indonesia appears to be way ahead of the other Southeast Asian countries in terms of Facebook penetration with a 143 per cent penetration rate, according to web research firm MVF Global.
The top Facebook users in Southeast Asia in terms of user engagement come from Thailand with 10.2 million unique visitors from the country visiting Facebook every day. Thai Internet users also account for the highest number of Youtube visitors daily with five million unique visits to youtube.com every day.
LinkedIn is dominated by Indonesia and the Philippines with 80,000 and 60,000 unique visitors every day.
Bangkok has some 8.68 million Facebook users, followed by Jakarta (7.43 million), according to a list published by international social media analytics company Socialbakers.
The Thai capital beats out global megalopolises like London, Sao Paulo, Mexico City, Mumbai, New York City, and Los Angeles, Socialbakers found. The other Southeast Asian cities included in the top 20 were Kuala Lumpur (number 13 world-wide, with 3.33 million users) and Singapore (number 17 globally, with 2.66 million users).
