Reinventing Thailand : Thaksin and his foreign policy

From 2001 to 2006, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra transformed Thailand's international role from one of obscurity into a kind of regional hegemon. Thaksin's diplomatic ambitions were reflected in his myriad of grandiose foreign policy initiatives, designed to locate Thailand at the forefront of regional politics and reinstall the Thai sphere of influence over weaker neighbouring states. He abolished the traditional bending-with-the-wind foreign policy, revamped the Thai Foreign Ministry, and empowered Thai envoys through the CEO Ambassadors programme. But in this process, Thaksin was accused of exploiting foreign policy to enrich his business empire. Thaksin's reinvention of Thailand as an up-and-coming regional power was therefore tainted by conflicts of interest and the absence of ethical principles in the country's foreign policy. Chachavalpongpun provides an in-depth study of Thailand's foreign policy from 2001; illustrating the country's overall foreign relations based mainly on politics and political economy in the beginning of the 21st century. He centers on Thaksin Shinawatra's national and personal goals for the country during his time as prime minister. Explanations are provided as to the confusion that doomed Thaksin's efforts to develop a much-needed post-Cold War foreign policy for his country. Insights are provided into the historic basis for ongoing foreign relations, during as well as post Thaksin, where the country needs to reevaluate its traditional "ability to bend with the direction of the wind" notion in order to accomplish a national mission CONTENTS LIST OF TABLES FOREWORD PREFACE LIST OF KEY CHARACTERS ABBREVIATIONS Map of Thailand and Southeast Asia 1. Introduction: Reinventing Thailand 2. Bamboo in the Wind: A Traditional Thai Diplomacy 3. Major Foreign Policy Initiatives: The Making of a Hegemonic Power? 4. Bilateral Relations: Tailoring of a Thaksinized Diplomacy 5. A Moot Foreign Policy: Shortcomings and Oversights 6. Conclusion: A Rickety Reinvention 7. Epilogue: The Post-Thaksin Foreign Policy Bibliography Index About the Author