GUTIERREZ, Alyana S.

2012-08797

PS 178 - MHE
Prof. Advincula

Thailand:
OF DOMESTIC INSTABILITY AND FOREIGN RELATIONS
Thailand is a country rich in culture and traditions. It houses amazing scenic beauties and
has the friendliest people in the world. It was also once an epitome of domestic stability in
Southeast Asia. But in the wake of two rather disruptive military coups in the past eight years, it
has created a stigma of inevitable complications that will imply on the existing bilateral and
multilateral relations the country has under its wing. Can Thailand overcome such stigma and
still keep intact all foreign relations it has amassed through time?
THAILAND AND THE PHILIPPINES
Here are some key points there is to know about the existing bilateral relations of Thailand and
the Philippines:

Diplomatic relations started around 1950s and has propagated ever since, producing
numerous bilateral agreements.

Cordial relations were strengthened even more when the Joint Commission for Bilateral
Cooperation (JCBC) was established in the 1990s that were spearheaded by the head of
Foreign Affairs from each country.

Military operations have been intact for the past 65 years which were solidified by almost
annual high level military visits from both countries

Economic and trade investments have been booming given that private investors from
Thailand have been setting up businesses here in the Philippines thus providing jobs for
unemployed Filipinos

Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) is still of great practice by Thailand i.e. giving
back the benefits of private corporations in the forms of scholarships and health activities
for the youth

There are efforts to bridge the cultures of Thailand and the Philippines through showcase
of artworks, plays, etc.

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Thailand has been a forerunner foreign in times of natural calamities that often strike the
Philippine Areas of Responsibility (PAR)

What more then, aside from economic privileges that is, can the Philippines give for
Thailand? Is it just that we, as a country that has agriculture as a primary source of living, still
import rice from Thailand in order to avoid shortage? These are just few of the long list of
questions there is to be asked based on the existing bilateral relations of both countries.
Philippines have a lot to learn from Thailand especially on how on the success of Thailands
agriculture, tourism, i.e. the economy in general.
THAILAND AND THE ASEAN
Thailands local foreign policy with fellow Southeast Asian nations who make up
ASEAN (Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore, Brunei Darussalam, Vietnam,
Laos, Burma, and Cambodia) consists of a web of complicated relations. As one of the
largest and most economically developed of the ASEAN countries, Thailand has much to
gain for promoting ASEANs significance in global affairs. With its favorable geographic
location and broad-based economy, Thailand has traditionally been considered among the
most likely countries to play a major leadership role in Southeast Asia and has been an
aggressive advocate of increased economic integration in the region. (Thailand:
Background and US Relations, 2014)
With the ASEAN Integration already in the works especially this year, Thailand has
been a prime mover of such. But there is always a catch and that is its domestic instability. It has
made serious implications especially towards Thailand being a regional leader of power and
peace. Yet if we disregard such flaw, there is actually more than enough confidence in Thailand
that it can actually lead the integration and other regional matters given its healthy economy and
high end contributions for it being a really strategic and close partners of renowned superpowers
like the US and China.
A starting point of ASEAN relations among and with Thailand was the IMT-GT i.e.:
In 1993, three rapidly growing middle-income ASEAN Member States formed the
Indonesia- Malaysia-Thailand Growth Triangle (IMT-GT). The purpose was to accelerate
the growth in poorer localities, especially in Sumatra in Indonesia, and in southern
Thailand. Although IMT-GT was a govern- mental project, it was intended to be driven
by the private sector, especially since Malaysian businesses were keen to trade with
northern Sumatra. Since its formation, IMT-GT has grown in geographic scope and
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activities. It now encompasses more than 70 million people in 32 provinces and states
14 provinces in southern Thailand, eight northern states in Peninsular Malaysia, and 10
provinces of Sumatra in Indonesia. (ASEAN community 2015: Managing integration for
better jobs and shared prosperity, 2014)
At present, Thailand remains to be one of the leading countries in the ASEAN. It has
perpetuated its influence and economy among its co-member states giving it the upper hand in
the multilateral relations point.

THAILAND AND THE UNITED STATES OF AMERICA

Thailand has been an ally of the US since the 1950s, thanks to the support the former
gave the latter in the midst of the Cold War and has since expanded into the realms of economic
and security matters. Some key points of such relations include (1) Thailand has been a relatively
significant economic, investments, and trade partner of the US, case in point Thailand was
actually the 24th largest trading goods partner in 2013; and (2) military access given by Thailand
to the US has been invaluable and became a statement regarding the presence of the US in the
region and is (and hopefully remains) the strongest stake of the relations.
Also, a stable Thailand could provide a critical anchor for additional U.S. initiatives
such as broadening regional defense cooperation, fostering more liberal trade and
investment regimes in Asia, and strengthening the regions multilateral organizations.
(Thailand: Background and US Relations, 2014)
But such cordial and stable relations seem to be crossing deep waters in the light of the
recent military that has happened in 2014. Thailand has just regained the trust and confidence
from the US post-2006 coup. It must be duly noted that since the latest coup erupted, US has
withdrawn all security assistance funds and has put the relationship in jeopardy due to the
instability in the government. Yet despite of it all, Thailand and its rather strategic position
coupled with the emphasis of the US on the ASEAN as a form of engaging the ASEAN into
more multilateral relations remains to keep the relationship at bay. The biggest question here
though is that will such relations last in the light of Thailands seemingly routine kind of
domestic instability.

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THAILAND AND CHINA

After the establishment of formal diplomatic relations, the two countries signed many
agreements on mutual benefit and cooperation in economic matters, trade, science and
technology, tourism, civil aviation, sea transportation, judicial, consular and other affairs.
With the signing of these agreements and protocols, broader prospects have been opened
for the development of Thai-Chinese economic relations. Thai-Chinese cooperation in
economic matters and trade has been steadily expanding, with bilateral trade and
investments growing with it. New cooperation mechanisms have been created for
conducting smoother economic affairs. Meanwhile, the two countries have also
cooperated in education, science, culture, health, sports and other areas to an
unprecedented level. (Kasikorn Research Center, 2013)
China has been brewing an even stronger, more aggressive relation with Thailand so as to
perpetuate even greater influence in the Southeast Asian region. Thailand serves as the regional
coordinator of talks between Southeast Asian nations and China on a Code of Conduct in the
South China Sea. Also, given US nearly dropping off Thailand stint, China has found its way
towards shifting the lion share of the alliance towards it.
Thailand and the European Union
The EU has been at the forefront of economic progress in the European continent. And its
framework of progress that has inspired the ASEAN Integration 2015.
The EUs reaction to the military coup in Thailand is arguably the first time the EU has
taken the global lead in a foreign-policy crisis, with the rest of the world is taking cue and
following suit. Measures have included sanctions, an indefinite postponement of trade
talks, a moratorium on signing of the Partnership and Cooperation Agreement,
suspension of official visits and a review of military ties. (The EU and Thailand:
Challenges ahead, 2014)
The excerpt explains how the EU treats Thailand as an alliance and as a relation. It has
function towards the gain of the relation thus conceiving actions that will secure the EUs gain
rather than actually lending out a hand in hopes of trying to help out Thailand i.e. regarding its
domestic stability.

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WHAT IS THERE TO GAIN FROM A RELATION WITH THAILAND?

Thailand annually hosts the multilateral Cobra Gold military exercises, the largest
exercise in Asia and one of the largest worldwide.1
This has been a key towards stronger military-military relations with the US and
other Asian nations. But China has already been invited to be an observer plus.
This may entail an upturn towards the military-military relations between China
and Thailand, giving it almost the same edge as the US

In 1998, the International Law Enforcement Academy (ILEA) Bangkok, one of the five
ILEA across the world, was established to provide legal training for official to combat
transnational crime.2
The center is open to government officials from any Southeast Asian country.
ILEA Bangkok aims to enhance law enforcement capabilities in each country, as
well as to encourage cross-border cooperation on issues like human trafficking
and gang suppression.3

Key notes on how Thailand has managed to successfully progress and be one of the
biggest economies in Southeast Asia
Also, one thing to gain from Thailand is how it has successfully funded and
valued its healthcare system proven by an excerpt from below:

*Grabbed from ASEAN

community 2015: Managing integration for better jobs and shared prosperity, 2014
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WHAT IS THERE TO RISK FROM RELATIONS WITH THAILAND?

The only key point relevant to the question stated above is that Thailand has a long
history of domestic instability. It has been like a ghost that continues and will continue to
haunt Thailand in the years to come.

IN A NUTSHELL

Thailand, given its economic supremacy in Southeast Asia and its long list of allies, will
remain a strategic country to look out for in the coming years. Not only will it guarantee
revenues for foreign investments, it will also be deliberate once its military-military
relations, esp. with US and with China, expands and innovates.

Given that it has a tendency to be backed up by either of the two superpowers, it can have
an edge in territorial disputes like that of the South China Sea if and when it comes to
that.

Thailand is indeed at the center of two superpowers maintaining two close relationships
yet still faces a chaotic future if and when such domestic instability will not subside
and/or eradicated.

Thus, as long as the internal matters of Thailand will not be put to rest, the question of its
credibility to hold a rather high end position at the international level will always be
evident leading for Thailand to be doubted and lose the vote of confidence from countries
it has relations with.

Thailand, amidst domestic turmoil, has been resilient thus making it survive despite
discrepancies in domestic stability.

CONCLUSION
Thailand has demonstrated a remarkable ability to muddle through its crises; despite
periodic bouts of violence and political discord, accommodations have been made to allow
Thailands government and economy to move forward. Many experts say this time may be
different and that Thailand is convulsing through a historic transition. The current monarch
has been in place for 65 years. Many analysts believe the inevitable royal succession, when it
comes, could reshape the role the palace plays within Thailands political structure.
(Thailand: Background and US Relations, 2014)
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From the excerpt above, we can say that after all this time, Thailand has proved to be and
remains to be resilient despite challenges both at the domestic and the regional level. Thus, it
gives us the impression that it can get past these trying times and keep its foreign relations intact
and more secure than ever. It well maybe Thailands weakness is keeping its domestic instability
at bay but it cannot be denied that its strikingly good cordial relations within and outside
Southeast Asia is actually giving balance to the former.
We cannot disregard the role the monarchy has played through this all. It has been at the
forefront of uniting Thailand and has been successful in doing so, or at least it was. The
monarchy has been losing its grip of Thailand thus making it more and more difficult after every
coup to put all the angst to rest. For all we may know, a change in the monarchy would actually
be the solution to the routine of domestic instabilities but for that to be proved right, we just have
to wait and see.
Through it all, Thailand proves that the notion of what is bothering you from the inside
should not translate to your performance is actually applicable even at the state level. It will be
a rather long journey ahead in order for Thailand to overcome its domestic challenges but in the
end, this only goes to show that what doesnt kill you makes you stronger.

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REFERENCES:
Chanlett-Avery, E., & Dolven, B. (2014). Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations.
Congressional Research Service, 1-22.
Shaviv, A. (2014, September 12). The EU and Thailand: Challenges ahead. Retrieved from
http://euractiv.com
Kasikornthai. (2013). Steady Development through Exchange and Cooperation. Retrieved from
http://www.thailand-china.com

FOOTNOTES
1

lifted from Thailand: Background and US Relations, 2014

lifted from Thailand: Background and US Relations, 2014

lifted from Thailand: Background and US Relations, 2014

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