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and among local people and other parts of for this region is based upon the convergence
the world. Globalization also promotes a glo- of interests among the ASEAN member coun-
bal culture adapted to and able to emphasize tries to deepen and broaden economic inte-
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the attractiveness of peopleûs core significance gration through existing and new initiatives.
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in a viable fashion. Moreover, there are ar- AEC will be characterized by a single-mar-
guments regarding globalization and the pos- ket production base, a highly competitive
sibility that it may trigger the merger of cul- economic region, equitable economic deve-
tures so that they will become homogeneous lopment, and full integration into the global
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through globalized media companies. Fur- economy. These characteristics are interre-
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thermore, under the influence of globaliza- lated and mutually reinforcing. AEC may
tion, communities are affected by global capi- adversely affect traditional healers in rural
talism, which promotes economic develop- areas, however, as they may not adapt well
ment and commercialism. Consequently, to global capitalization, because it results in
people in rural areas are mentally, intellec- devaluing local wisdom and ideas, a process
tually, and culturally dominated by foreign that would eventually weaken society. Glo-
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forces. Heavy exposure to the outputs of bal capitalism also enhances the conversion
academic institutions and mass media has of ideas about traditional herbal medicine and
become a major factor in villagers seeing its originality by destroying the ecosystem
themselves as old-fashioned and uncivilized and biodiversity, which are the major sources
beings, which leads to ignorance among them of traditional medicine, through such mea-
in the acquisition and use of valuable know- sures as the conversion of a forest into a mono-
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ledge and wisdom from former days. crop farm. In addition to the latter, the com-
The concept and development of the mercial purposes of traditional medicine have
ASEAN Economic Community (AEC) are been diverted from attention to preservation
driven by the demands of globalization, based of local knowledge toward massive endea-
on a variety of sources, along with a sum- vors to utilize such products for profit. Local
mary definition within the present study. AEC traditional healers would find it difficult to
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refers to the integration of the 10 members of compete with such measures. Folk medicine
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations has equalized cultural diversity and meets
(ASEAN): Brunei, Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, the needs of the people within Thai society.
Malaysia, Myanmar, Philippines, Singapore, Folk medicine is indeed a form of local know-
Thailand and Vietnam, which is planned to ledge, a lasting legacy which involves social

be launched at the end of December 2015. costs and values. The majority of folk healers
The purpose of AEC is to contribute to the treat their patients wholeheartedly without
economic benefits of all 10 members and fos- expecting anything in return, such as pay-
ter unity among them. The creation of power ment for treatment given. The relationship or