At the association’s annual meeting, high global oil prices forced intensive discussion on the possible effects on future economic development in member nations.

“We accorded high priority to promotion of energy efficiency in the transportation and industrial sectors, as this may be one of the most economical and effective ways to mitigate the adverse impact of higher oil prices,” said an official communiqué from the meeting.

Alternative fuel was a popular topic, with Thailand proud of its recent announcement to have ethanol and biodiesel comprise 10% of domestic fuel by 2012.

Similar plans are underway in Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia, with strong moves to integrate advantageous crops such as jatroba into national fuel infrastructures.

The only sticking point of the meeting was discussion of the scrapping of domestic oil subsidies, with most nations unwilling to risk the social backlash for the benefit of reducing oil demand.

Thailand was again strong on promoting subsidy removal, but major consumers Indonesia and Malaysia remained unmovable on their stance of cheap fuel for their populaces.

“Some members are now under a lot of pressure to reduce subsidies, but we do not see an immediate solution because citizens are so used to them,” said ASEAN secretary-general Ong Keng Yong.