The Association of South East Asian Nations (ASEAN) Handicraft Promotion and Development Association (AHPADA) was established as a result of a Workshop on Handicraft for Export held as part of CONEX'81 which was hosted by the Royal Thai Government in February 1981 in Bangkok. AHPADA was formally inaugurated in Jakarta in March that year as a forum for both the government and private sectors concerned to meet and to complement each other in the promotion and development of arts and crafts activities. AHPADA is affiliated with the ASEAN and the World Craft Council. The Founding Members of AHPADA are Thailand, Malaysia, the Philippines and Indonesia. Singapore and Brunei Darusalam, Cambodia, Lao PDR, Myanmar and Vietnam joined AHPADA in September 1999.

1st AHPADA International Arts and Crafts Expo

The 1st AHPADA International Arts and Crafts Expo is organized by the AHPADA Philippines, fully supported by the Philippine Government and the private sector. The Expo provides a platform to raise the level of awareness about the importance of arts and crafts in ASEAN countries. The Expo likewise serves as a one-stop marketing venue for the products of AHPADA's craftspeople.