Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations (CRS Report for Congress)
| Release Date |
Revised Aug. 26, 2024 |
| Report Number |
IF10253 |
| Report Type |
In Focus |
| Authors |
Emma Chanlett-Avery; Ben Dolven |
| Source Agency |
Congressional Research Service |
| Older Revisions |
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Summary:
Thailand is a long-time military ally and significant trade and economic partner for the United States. For many years, Thailand was seen as a model democracy in Southeast Asia, although this image, along with Washington-Bangkok relations, has been complicated by deep political and economic instability in the wake of two military coups in the past nine years. The first, in 2006, displaced Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a popular but polarizing figure who remains a source of many divisions within Thailand. The second, in 2014, deposed an acting prime minister after Thaksin’s sister, Yingluck Shinawatra, was ousted from the premiership by a Constitutional Court decision that many saw as politically motivated.
As the Obama Administration implements its rebalancing to Asia strategy, many had hoped that Thailand could provide an anchor for U.S. initiatives in Southeast Asia such as broadening regional defense cooperation, fostering more liberal trade and investment regimes in Asia, and strengthening the region’s multilateral organizations. However, Bangkok’s domestic problems and the resulting damage to the U.S.-Thai relationship may mean that opportunities for further bilateral coordination are diminishing. U.S. officials face the challenge of expressing disapproval and pressuring the Thais to restore the democratic process while not sacrificing important cooperative aspects of the relationship.
