Thai Foreign Policy in the Global Age: Principle or Profit?

Abstract

Globalization has brought a number of challenges to Thailand's foreign policy. It is open to closer public scrutiny and issues of democracy and human rights have also become important elements. How country is to steer its foreign policy in order to reap benefits and avoid downside of new international economic reality represents a challenge. The Chuan government's policy, while it admittedly could not avoid pragmatism, nevertheless kept its sight on principles. It is yet to be seen how succeeding governments, starting with Thaksin government, will deal with dilemma between principle and profit within increasing complexity of international relations in global age. The Changing Setting of Foreign Policy Formulation Prior to decades of 1980s and 1990s, Thai foreign policy had been formulated independent of public domain to extent that Foreign Ministry was dubbed the zone. Pressures, both external and internal, have opened up foreign policy decision-making to greater public scrutiny, to extent that one can say that twilight zone no longer exists. In one context, greater openness can be explained as a consequence of rapid economic growth with adoption of an export-led growth strategy and subsequent financial liberalization. The result has been a growth rate of more than 10 per cent in 1987, 1988, and 1989. Deregulation and capital account convertibility in 1991-93 led to massive inflows of money. A more socially and politically conscious middle class emerged. Politically, a more pluralistic body politic has emerged, with business and other non-bureaucratic interests as important components. This new business interest group consists not only of Bangkok-based firms but also of businessmen in provinces. The influence of this interest group has become clearly visible in business-driven focus of Thai foreign policy. The Chatichai government's policy of turning Indochina from a battlefield into a market place was in no small way influenced by businessmen in areas bordering Indochina countries who saw potential economic opportunities. The Thai economy has always been outward-looking. Despite economic crisis of 1997-99 that resulted in a more inward-looking sentiment on part of general public, to a large extent business sector continues to look to externally-generated growth. Important changes in Thai foreign policy process have followed movement towards political reform, with momentum growing from student unrest in 1970s and becoming particularly evident after May 1992 incident (when urban middle class participated in street demonstrations against military government, which was quelled with much bloodshed). The downside of globalization in form of economic crisis of 1997-99 had a positive impact in providing a significant impetus to reform effort. There was a heightened recognition among public that country needed a political system that was more in line with an economy which was now integrated with wider world. There was increased appreciation that transparency and accountability was necessary not only for economic but also for political and bureaucratic structures. Consequently, public demonstrations had effect of deterring efforts of conservative elements to dilute important political reforms being introduced in new constitution. These included measures providing for greater transparency in policy-making, such as provision for freedom of information and public hearings. The more democratic political environment impacted on Thai foreign decision-making in reducing influence of military over policy implementation and in exerting pressure on foreign ministry officials to, at very least, pay lip service to public views and critiques. As noted above, rapid economic growth in 1980s also resulted in a large middle class that was more politically aware, as evident in its role in May 1992 protest against military. …