Role of Thailand and ASEAN in Dealing with China's Strategic Initiative: the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road

Abstract

The research aimed to explore the linkage between China’s policy of Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), and the development of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road, commonly known as Maritime Silk Road (MSR), to investigate its achievements, benefits, and limitations of the cooperative mechanisms under the policy, as well as its effects on Thai economy, society, and culture, and to propose practice of connecting the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road to Thailand and ASEAN. This research was carried out using qualitative methodology through which descriptive analysis was conducted. The research comprised data from both primary and secondary sources. Primary data were obtained from interviews with experts and academics in related fields to discover effects of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road on Thailand and ASEAN. Secondary data were mostly obtained from textbooks, theses, articles collected from magazines, journals, and electronic media either in Thai and foreign languages.

The results, revealed that China’s Belt and Road Initiative (BRI) emphasized the multilateral cooperation which built economic connectivity across Asia, Africa, and Europe. The 21st Century the CLMVT countries (Cambodia, Laos, Myanmar, and Vietnam) with strategic locations. Building connectivity between the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road and Thailand’s Eastern Economic Corridor in the future will be a win-win strategy for China and Thailand, leading to good relationship between the countries as well as opportunity for social, cultural, and economic cooperation. Therefore, Thailand, with its bilateral agreement with China under the BRI, was recommended to enhance its personnel’s knowledge and understanding of strategies that China implements against other countries and learn lessons as well as effects of the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road on other countries. Finally, cooperative strategies should be thoughtfully and carefully planned for the optimal benefits of Thailand on its journey along the 21st Century Maritime Silk Road.