In foreign affairs, Thailand has a reputation for aligning itself with the strongest power of the moment in Southern Asia, just as bamboos bend in the direction of the wind. This policy has served the kingdom well for over a century. At present Thailand is an important ally of the United States, a vital element in the Western defense system in Southeast Asia. Occasionally, however, there are indications that Thailand is having second thoughts about the alliance with the West. Will Thailand join the neutralist camp? And what role does foreign policy play in its internal political developments? The alliance with the United States has been the keystone of Thai foreign policy since the red flag was hoisted in Peking. Pibul Songgram, Prime Minister when the alliance was first consummated, was fully convinced that the main threat to his country's security came from the north and could be met only with the support of Communist China's strongest adversary. The United States was anxious to respond since Thailand was obviously a critical nation for the security of Southeast Asia. In September 1950, an Economic and Technical Cooperation Agreement was signed and it was followed in October of the same year by a Military Assistance Agreement. This was further reinforced in December 1951 by an exchange of notes containing American assurances that Thailand would receive military aid under the Mutual Security Act of 1951. Since then the kingdom has been receiving lavish military and economic aid from its ally. Thailand was not fully satisfied, and continued to press for more substantial American guarantees of its security, particularly after the successive victories of Vietminh forces. When President Eisenhower and Prime Minister Churchill, on the initiative of John Foster Dulles, decided, after the fall of Dien Bien Phu in June 1954, to press forward with a plan for collective defense of Southeast Asia, Thailand readily agreed to play a part. Together with the United States, Britain, France, Australia, New Zealand, the Philippines and Pakistan, Thailand founded on September 8, 1954, the well-known Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO).1 In spite of the fact that SEATO's headquarters are located in Bangkok, that a prominent Thai national, Pote Sarasin, is the Organization's Secretary-General, and that Thailand is the largest beneficiary of SEATO's economic and social activities, the Thais have never been fully satisfied with this organization. The refusal of the powerful members to form a permanent SEATO force has raised doubts in the minds of Thai leaders