Thailand and ASEAN in a Dangerous World

Abstract

WHENEVER THE DOMINO THEORY is discussed, Thailand's precarious situation on the turbulent frontiers of Communist Asia inevitably comes under scrutiny. Some of those who are ready to cast Thailand in the role of the next falling domino do so from an imperfect knowledge of Thailand's long history of dangerous living. This country is familiar with predators from both East and West. When the first Thai kingdom was founded by Sri Intratit (circa 1240) in the northern city of Sukhothai, the Mongols had already started their conquest of China. By the time King Ram Kamhaeng had consolidated the Thai kingdom in 1290, Kublai Khan had launched his campaigns of conquest from Peking to the south. Mongol fleets and armies invaded Burma, North Vietnam, Champa (South Vietnam), and Java. The Great Khan also sent threatening messages to Cambodia and Japan, demanding submission to his suzerainty. Thailand, however, was neither invaded nor threatened. King Ram Kamhaeng (or his predecessor King Ban Muang) had already paid tribute to Peking and been accepted as a loyal ally. Thai tradition has it that King Ram Kamhaeng himself journeyed twice to the court of Kublai Khan; but this is not supported by the Chinese chronicles. What is historically certain is that Thailand not only remained inviolate, but took advantage of the Mongol attacks on its neighbors to widen its own territories. Parts of Burma and Cambodia were annexed to the Sukho-