In short, Thailand attempted to build its leading role on multilateral cooperation as regional leadership requires multilateral channels and coalitions. Thailand’s active promotion of regional initiatives under the Thaksin government shows that its foreign policy no longer strictly followed the image of “bending with the wind” diplomacy. Thailand instead exercised its leading role on every possible front. Its structural leadership in mainland Southeast Asia was elaborated into a more systematic approach even in theaftermath of the economic crisis. Beyond mainland Southeast Asia, Thailand also exercises “entrepreneurial” and “intellectual” leadership in Asian cooperation. Thaksin swiftly re-organized Thailand’s public sector particularly foreign service while he and his top policymakers also played a direct role in foreign policy. This, in fact, had the psychological effect on elevating morale amongst both the Thai private sector and regional audiences and resulted in stronger confidence in the Thai government’s regional schemes.