Unpacking Thailand's conceptions of and position within the liberal international order

Bibliographic Data

ID3727609
AuthorsChanintira Na Thalang (0000-0002-1760-1182, corresponding author)
Year2023
Volume99
Issue4
Pages1519-1536
Publication date2023-07-03
Open AccessYes
TypeARTICLE
VenueInternational Affairs (JOURNAL)
Journal identifiersISSN: 0020-5850 • E-ISSN: 1468-2346
PublisherOxford University Press (PUBLISHER • GB)
DOI10.1093/ia/iiad168
OpenAlexW4382940207
LanguageEN
Citations received4

Based on statements made by political and military elites and government officials, the article explores how Thailand selectively supports and capitalizes on certain elements of the contemporary world order, namely United States-led security cooperation and economic liberalism, while half-heartedly embracing the ideals of liberal democracy. Although this never caused problems with the West during the Cold War, matters began to change in the 1990s against the backdrop of systemic-level shifts. While these developments have caused sporadic tensions with the West and effectively brought Thailand closer to China, Thailand has pragmatically sought ways to maintain its autonomy from both the United States and China. Based on Thailand's experience, this article reveals how smaller states pursue a variety of strategies to enhance their agency despite their lack of material capabilities. In turn, the discussion exemplifies how smaller states are not always determined by systemic level factors but possess the ability to prioritize and actualize regime security and national ideals while navigating the evolving international and regional orders

Agency (philosophy) · Autonomy · China · Democracy · Economics · Government (linguistics) · Liberalism · Order (exchange) · Political economy · Political science · Politics · Position (finance) · Social science · Sociology · Unpacking · Variety (cybernetics) · Asian Geopolitics and Ethnography · Cambodian History and Society · Law · Southeast Asian Sociopolitical Studies

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