Southeast Asia Treaty Organization

Southeast Asia Treaty Organization

SEATO's flag
Map of SEATO members, shown in blue.
Abbreviation	SEATO
Formation	8 September 1954
Type	Intergovernmental military alliance
Headquarters	Bangkok, Thailand
Region served	Southeast Asia
Membership	8 states  Australia  France  New Zealand  Pakistan  Philippines  Thailand  United Kingdom  United States Non-members protected by SEATO 3 states  Cambodia (until 1956)  Khmer Republic (1970–1975)  Laos  South Vietnam
Official languages	6 languages English Urdu Thai Filipino Spanish French
Budget	Total: US$1.236 trillion
Website	http://seato.int/

The Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) was an international organization for collective defense in Southeast Asia created by the Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty signed in September 1954 in Manila, Philippines. The formal institution of SEATO was established on 19 February 1955 at a meeting of treaty partners in Bangkok, Thailand. The organization's headquarters was also in Bangkok. Eight members joined the organization.

Primarily created to block further communist gains in Southeast Asia, SEATO is generally considered a failure because internal conflict and dispute hindered general use of the SEATO military; however, SEATO-funded cultural and educational programs left longstanding effects in Southeast Asia. SEATO was dissolved on 30 June 1977 after many members lost interest and withdrew.