Additional Strategy for Thailand’s Foreign Policy to Counterbalance Influences of The U.S. and China
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Abstract
In this new era of U.S.-China competition, Thailand needs to establish a more nuanced or nimble
foreign policy for an effective hedging strategy that can protect and advance its interests as well as
avoid being dictated to by the U.S. and China. Through documentary research, this article investigates
how the existing engagement with other major powers helps Thailand to counterbalance the influence
of China and the U.S., and also explores if there would be future potential for developing more
effective policy through greater engagement with other major powers, middle powers, and multilateral
mechanisms. This study finds that the future regional competitions among the major powers will likely
intensify and Thailand will retain its geopolitical importance so that Thailand needs to diversify its
foreign relations by strengthening relations with other major and middle powers, while also deepening
its engagement with multilateral institutions, with first priority placed on greater economic engagement
and second priority on greater security cooperation.
Article Details
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