HUA HIN, Thailand--Southeast Asian nations Friday launched a new human rights body, the Thai prime minister announced at a summit, despite criticism that it is effectively powerless to take any action.

Abhisit Vejjajiva, current chair of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), hailed the body as an important first step towards strengthening human rights in the region.

"The establishment of the commission is yet another significant milestone in the evolution of ASEAN," Abhisit said after leaders of the 10-member bloc inaugurated the ASEAN Intergovernmental Commission on Human Rights (AICHR).

"Ultimately, it is about the commitment of member states to enhancing the quality of the life of ASEAN peoples, empowering and engaging them in ASEAN's community-building process," he said.

The commission, signed on the first day of a regional summit at the Thai resort of Hua Hin, faces criticism that it will be too soft on members such as military-ruled Myanmar.
The UN has urged leaders to make "credible" the body, which is meant to answer claims that the bloc has fallen short on rights during its 42-year history.

Member states pledged to provide $200,000 in a start-up fund to support the activities of the watchdog, according to a statement released after the inauguration.

The countries will review the commission's terms of reference every five years to "further develop and strengthen the mandate and function of the body", the statement added.

"The responsibility now rests on all of us to work together to move AICHR forward -- to make it credible and effective in the promotion and protection of human rights," Abhisit added in defence of the commission.

The body, which will cover a region of nearly 600 million people, has been criticised for having no power to punish member nations and for focusing on the promotion of rights rather than protection.

"It is a start, but far short of a mechanism that speaks to the credibility of the countries in the region supporting human rights in any substantive form," said Bridget Welsh, a Southeast Asia expert at Singapore Management University.