Security forces were deployed on Tuesday, October 8, ahead of the Asean summit in the Laotian capital Vientiane.
Armed soldiers and armored vehicles were stationed around the venue as the four-day meeting gets under way.
Foreign ministers from the Asean member states are to discuss regional issues such as climate change and the Myanmar junta's unwillingness to honor its commitment to dialogue, which has tested the bloc's credibility and the viability of a peace plan agreed months after a 2021 coup.
The meeting will also see participation from countries such as Australia and China.
REUTERS VIDEO