Saving America’s Ties With Thailand
Deteriorating ties between the U.S. and Thailand jeopardize recent gains in modernizing the security relationship and threatens to undermine President Obama’s proposed pivot to Asia.
U.S. ties with Thailand have deteriorated significantly since the May 2014 coup, and it’s no wonder. Washington has turned a cold shoulder to the interim Thai government and emphasized an immediate return to democracy to the detriment of other aspects of the relationship.
This approach not only jeopardizes recent gains made in modernizing the security relationship. It also threatens to undermine one of the Obama administration’s signature foreign-policy initiatives, the rebalance to the Asia-Pacific.
Security cooperation with Thailand has weakened, and economic and trade cooperation has stagnated. It’s time for the administration to re-evaluate its approach.
That’s not to say the U.S. should turn a blind eye to the Thai military’s most recent intervention in the nation’s politics. Washington can and must play a constructive role in encouraging good governance, including respect for human rights and civil liberties.
But there is no need to publicly antagonize the generals in a demeaning way that also alienates Thais who want to see an end to military rule. This type of diplomacy is best conducted with discretion and finesse, not public and blanket condemnation.
The Thai response has been predictable: Leaders have essentially tuned America out, bilateral cooperation has suffered and Thailand has strengthened its relationship with China.
Bilateral military cooperation has been the main casualty in the postcoup period. The U.S. has suspended strategic, policy-oriented discussions. High-level dialogue, particularly between military leaders, has all but ceased.
Washington has cut scholarships for Thai officers to study in the U.S. through programs like the International Military Education and Training program. The U.S. has imposed restrictions on the sale of certain types of defense equipment to Thailand.
The net effect of these steps and others has been to undermine Thai confidence in the United States’ long-term commitment to the alliance. Bangkok is responding by strengthening security ties with other partners, particularly China and Southeast Asian nations.
The Thai military has imposed restrictions on the unfettered access that was historically granted to U.S. forces. It has also demonstrated, through recent military-acquisition decisions, that it wants to minimize its reliance on the U.S. as a supplier of defense equipment.
Why is this a mistake? After all, some in the U.S. may say, there is no need to be deferential. It’s true that Thailand is a medium-size country, with roughly 70 million people and the world’s 22nd largest economy. Its $38 billion in bilateral trade won’t make or break the U.S. economy.
But Thailand’s strategic importance and its long friendship with the U.S. should make Americans think twice about allowing this relationship to further deteriorate. It offers U.S. forces the only reliable access point to mainland Asia. And it possesses significant military capabilities that can be used to reduce the region’s historic dependence on the U.S. to respond to security challenges.
What’s more, the U.S. defense industry has benefited from Thailand’s relatively robust defense spending, which stood at approximately $7 billion in 2015. American companies have sold Bangkok close to $2 billion in defense equipment and services over the past five years.
Most people are familiar with Thailand’s world-famous hospitality, but few are aware that this welcoming approach extends into the security realm. Bangkok is the unquestioned regional leader in facilitating the growth of multilateral security cooperation.
Thailand hosts the region’s largest multilateral military exercise, Cobra Gold, which involves 28 nations, including China and India. It also plays a leading role in countless initiatives designed to build trust and interoperability among the armed forces of Southeast Asia and the Asia-Pacific.
In the midst of the rebalance to the Asia-Pacific—a strategy that hinges on a strong network of bilateral partnerships—the U.S. benefits strategically by maintaining, and strengthening, its alliance with Thailand. But of all America’s allies in the Asia-Pacific, Thailand historically has been regarded with the greatest degree of ambivalence. As the senior representative of the Department of Defense to Thailand from 2012 to 2015, I often had to explain the strategic benefits of the alliance to senior U.S. officials.
Can the alliance be strengthened in a way that does not compromise firmly held U.S. beliefs in the promotion of democracy? Based on extensive interaction with Thai military leaders, academics and prominent citizens, I believe the answer to this question is yes.
Thais expect the U.S. to speak up on issues of democracy, human rights and civil liberties. However, to effectively influence developments in Thailand on these important issues, two things need to happen.
First, we need to engage directly with senior Thai leaders. The self-imposed suspension of senior-leader dialogue is counterproductive.
Second, U.S. diplomacy should use more discrete channels that facilitate the candid exchange of views. Public browbeating only serves to antagonize and alienate our allies.
The U.S. needs to implement a dual-track approach to Thailand. We should strengthen multifaceted cooperation while simultaneously encouraging democratic development. That’s the best path to realizing the full potential of this vital relationship.