A Genealogy of Bamboo Diplomacy : The Politics of Thai Détente with Russia and China

In 1975, M.R. Kurkrit Pramoj met Mao Zedong, marking the eventual establishment of diplomatic relations and a discursive rupture with the previous narrative of Communist powers as an existential threat. This book critically interrogates the birth of bamboo (bending with the wind) diplomacy and the politics of Thai détente with Russia and China in the long 1970s (1968–80). By 1968, Thailand was encountering discursive anxiety amid the prospect of American retrenchment from the Indo-Pacific region. As such, Thailand developed a new discourse of détente to make sense of the rapidly changing world politics and replace the hegemonic discourse of anticommunism. By doing so, it created a political struggle between the old and new discourses. Jittipat Poonkham also argues that bamboo diplomacy – previously seen as a classic and continual ‘tradition’ of Thai-style diplomacy – had its origins in Thai détente and has become the metanarrative of Thai diplomacy since then. Based on a genealogical approach and multi‑archival research, this book examines three key episodes of Thai détente: Thanat Khoman (1968–71), M.R. Kukrit Pramoj (1975–76), and General Kriangsak Chomanan (1977–80). This transformation was represented in numerous diplomatic/discursive practices, such as ping‑pong diplomacy, petro‑diplomacy, trade and cultural diplomacy, and normal visits. Preface 8 1. Introduction 12 2. Cold War Discursive Hegemony: Anticommunism, Americanism and Antagonism 44 3. Bending Before the Wind: The Emergence of ‘Flexible Diplomacy’ (1968–1969) 66 4. Flexible Diplomacy: Thanat and the First Détente (1969–1971) 96 5. Interregnum – 1971: A Coup against Diplomacy? 138 6. A Diplomatic Transformation: Chatichai, Kukrit and the Second Détente (1975–1976) 184 7. Equidistance: Kriangsak and the Third Détente (1977–1980) 244 8. Conclusion: The End of ‘Bamboo’ Diplomacy? Back to the Future 302 Bibliography 318 Thai détente,Thailand,China,bamboo diplomacy,Thai diplomacy,Thanat Khoman,M.R. Kukrit Pramoj,General Kriangsak Chomanan,diplomatic relations

In 1975, M.R. Kurkrit Pramoj met Mao Zedong, marking theeventual establishment of diplomatic relations and a discursiverupture with the previous narrative of Communist powers as anexistential threat. This book critically interrogates the birth ofbamboo (bending with the wind) diplomacy and the politics of Thaidétente with Russia and China in the long 1970s (1968-80).

By 1968, Thailand was encountering discursive anxiety amid theprospect of American retrenchment from the Indo-Pacific region. Assuch, Thailand developed a new discourse of détente to make senseof the rapidly changing world politics and replace the hegemonicdiscourse of anticommunism. By doing so, it created a politicalstruggle between the old and new discourses.

Jittipat Poonkham also argues that bamboo diplomacy - previouslyseen as a classic and continual 'tradition' of Thai-style diplomacy- had its origins in Thai détente and has become the metanarrativeof Thai diplomacy since then. Based on a genealogical approach andmulti‐archival research, this book examines three key episodes ofThai détente: Thanat Khoman (1968-71), M.R. Kukrit Pramoj(1975-76), and General Kriangsak Chomanan (1977-80). Thistransformation was represented in numerous diplomatic/discursivepractices, such as ping‐pong diplomacy, petro‐diplomacy, trade andcultural diplomacy, and normal visits.

In 1975, M.R. Kurkrit Pramoj met Mao Zedong, marking the eventual establishment of diplomatic relations and a discursive rupture with the previous narrative of Communist powers as an existential threat. This book critically interrogates the birth of bamboo (bending with the wind) diplomacy and the politics of Thai dâetente with Russia and China in the long 1970s (1968-80)