The key understanding of Thai foreign-policy pragmatism is that Thai leaders came to terms with their country's capabilities and acted eagerly in response to the reality, rather than to idealist goals or uninhibited ambitions. They made foreign policy based on practicality, seeing the country in terms of its history, form of government, and relationship with foreign Powers Meanwhile they pursued a conventional strategy of adjusting to whatever stance best maintained friendly
relations with Great Powers. Opportunism, alliance, and bandwagoning were vital elements of this strategy. Thai leaders also leant to be assertive if situations permitted and to be compliant when choices in foreign policy seemed to be inadequate. The principle of pragmatism resilience has been passed to the subsequent generations of Thai leaders in designing Thailand as a bamboo that leans with the prevailing