Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations

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Updated August 26, 2024

Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations

Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations

Updated January 28, 2026 (IF10253)

Thailand is a long-time militarytreaty ally and economic partner of the United States. The United States operatesU.S. government agencies operate numerous regional offices from the Bangkok EmbassyEmbassy in Bangkok, one of the largest U.S. diplomatic missions in the world. Cooperation includeshas included security initiatives and military operations, intelligence and law enforcement efforts, and regional health and education programs. Nearly twoTwo decades of political turmoil in Thailand, including military coups in 2006 and 2014, have nonetheless hampered policymaking in Bangkok and complicated relations. National elections held in May 2023 have prolonged that instability, as conservative stakeholders blocked the reformist party that earned the largest vote total from forming a government.

Thailand was once the most democratic country in Southeast Asia;and complicated relations with the United States. Although elections in 2019 nominally ended military rule, efforts by successive Thai governments and the military to manipulate political processes and suppress critics over the past two decades have raised questions about its prospects for returning to democratic governance, including peaceful transfer of power and protection for civil liberties. The U.S.. The State Department and human rights organizations reporthave reported numerous issues, including curtailment of freedoms of speech and assembly, harassment and prosecution of government critics, use of lese majestelèse majesté (offenses against the monarchy) laws to muzzle dissent, arbitrary arrests, and a lack of protections for human trafficking victims, laborers, and refugees.

As U.S.-China Thailand has long maintained extensive and cordial relations with the People's Republic of China (PRC or China). As U.S.-PRC tensions shape regional decisionmaking, Thailand remains an arena of competition and an important component of the U.S. Indo-Pacific strategy. Congress may wish to consider whether and how it might respond to Thailand’s democratic backsliding as it considers appropriations to support bilateral programs's political uncertainty as it weighs defense and foreign relations authorization and appropriations measures and conducts oversight of the executive branch’'s stewardship of a military alliance with one of the region’s largest economies that also is home to key strategic military facilities.

2023 Elections

Thailand held national elections in May 2023, the first since 2019. In heavy turnout, two reformist parties earned over 58% of seats in the Lower House of Parliament: the Move Forward Party, led by U.S.-educated Pita Limjaroenrat, which advocated for lessening privileges enjoyed by the military and monarchy; and Pheu Thai, associated with former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who had been in self-imposed exile since being deposed in the 2006 coup.

Under electoral rules in place at the time, the Prime Minister was selected in a vote of the 500-member elected Lower House and a 250-seat Upper House, whose members were appointed by the military. After an initial vote for a Pita-led coalition government failed, Parliament voided Pita’s nomination as Prime Minister and a constitutional court suspended him from Parliament for failing to disclose his holdings in a defunct media firm before running for office. Many observers considered the suspension politically motivated. Pheu Thai formed an 11-party

coalition and Parliament approved Srettha Thavasin, a media tycoon, as Prime Minister in August 2023, but the constitutional court removed him in August 2024 for alleged ethical violations. Parliament then chose the 37- year-old political newcomer Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thaksin’s youngest daughter, as Prime Minister.

Thaksin himself returned from 15 years in exile in August 2023; many observers assessed that he had reached an agreement with the military and monarchy to serve a short prison term and limit his political activities in exchange for being allowed to return. He was immediately arrested on corruption charges and held in a military hospital. After his sentence was shortened from eight years to one year, he was released early in March 2024. In May 2024 Thaksin was charged under lese majeste laws for comments he made in 2015, suggesting Pheu Thai’s partnership with the military is fragile. Many analysts say Paetongtarn’s ascension as Prime Minister will not mollify Thailand’s conservatives or quell popular demand for political and economic reform. The reformist People’s Party, the successor to the disbanded Move Forward Party, has called for amending the Constitution to limit the constitutional court’s power to overrule electoral processes, an idea that local media reports has gained support in Pheu Thai but will face stiff opposition from the military and monarchy.

Figure 1. Thailand at a Glance

Source: CIA World Factbook, 2024, World Bank. Map, CRS.

Political Divisions and Protests

Thailand is deeply politically divided between the political establishment (a mix of the military, royalists, and senior bureaucrats) and those seeking more popular democracy— including young Thais seeking a democratic voice as well as less-affluent, traditionally disenfranchised rural citizens who tend to be Thaksin’s base of support. Pita and the Move Forward Party garnered the support of Thailand’s young, urban voters protesting the denial of their democratic choice, and their status as the primary opposition raises the possibility of future street protests and civil disobedience. Similarly, Pheu Thai’s ruling coalition, which includes parties with very different political agendas, may struggle to govern effectively.

Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations

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Move Forward called for the removal of some of the monarchy’s privileges; a controversial move in a country where criticizing the monarch is illegal, and the definition of lèse majesté has expanded over the past two decades to include even subtle criticisms of the king, palace, military, or government. King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who succeeded his widely revered father in 2019, is reportedly deeply unpopular with the public for his profligate lifestyle and history of capricious and sometimes violent behavior. Since 2020, pro-democracy protests have broken the taboo against overtly criticizing the monarchy and garnered support from students from across the political spectrum.

Security Relations

U.S.-Thai security relations, which date back to the Korean and Vietnam Wars, have long been the highest-profile pillar of the relationship. In addition to hosting military exercises, Thailand provides the U.S. military with access to key facilities, particularly the strategically located U-Tapao airbase and Sattahip naval base. The U.S. military has used U-Tapao for refueling operations during its campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan in the 2000s as well as for humanitarian relief efforts in Asia. U.S. officials say intelligence and law enforcement cooperation remains a priority, particularly as the United States confronts international criminal and drug networks in the region.

Despite the imposition of foreign aid restrictions under §7008 of annual appropriations measures following the 2014 coup, the United States continued most non-military aid and cooperation, including the large-scale annual Cobra Gold military exercises. The Trump Administration’s certification of the March 2019 elections as democratic allowed the resumption of State Department-administered military assistance, including Foreign Military Financing (FMF) and International Military Education and Training (IMET). The Biden Administration has continued IMET and FMF assistance for Thailand, allocating $2.0 million in IMET funding in FY2021, $1.3 million in FY2022, and $2.3 million in FY2023. Thailand also was allocated $14 million in FY2021 FMF through the Southeast Asia Maritime Security Initiative (SAMSI) and the Advanced Targeting Development Initiative (ATDI) for maritime security and other projects.

Trade and Economic Relations

Thailand is an upper middle-income country, and trade and foreign investment play a large role in its economy. The economy, heavily dependent on tourism, suffered as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and GDP contracted by 6.1% in 2020 before rebounding. GDP expanded by 1.9% in 2023. Thailand is the United States’ 19^th largest trade partner and 24^th largest goods export market. Two-way trade in goods and services in 2022 was valued at $79.1 billion, with $60.5 billion in Thai exports to the United States and $18.6 billion in U.S. exports to Thailand.

The United States is Thailand’s third largest trading partner, behind Japan and China. Thailand is a member of the Biden Administration’s Indo-Pacific Economic Framework (IPEF) initiative, which focuses on trade, supply chains, and clean and fair economic growth. It is a member of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade agreement that includes Asia-Pacific countries. Thai-U.S.

trade discussions have focused on Thailand’s poor intellectual property (IP) rights protections and protection and subsidization of its large agriculture industry.

Thailand’s Regional Relations

Historically, Sino-Thai economic relations have been close, with deep trade and investment ties, and defense ties have been growing. As a member of the China-led Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Thailand is involved in a high-speed railway project that would connect southern China with several Southeast Asian nations to its south.

Thailand was one of five founding members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and has extensive trade and investment relations across the region. Japan is its largest source of foreign direct investment. Thailand has no territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea and has been viewed as loath to voice opposition to China’s assertive behavior in pressing its claims, despite its impact on Thailand’s ASEAN partners.

Thailand shares a 1,500-mile border with Burma (Myanmar), and hosts over 90,000 refugees from Burmese internal conflicts over the past several decades, and thousands more who fled after Burma’s 2021 coup. Thailand relies on natural gas imports from Burma to meet its energy needs, and a Thai company is a leading partner of Burma’s military-run oil and gas firm. The Thai government’s engagement with Burmese governments since that country’s independence in 1948 arguably has been more intensive than that of any other country. Following Burma’s 2021 military coup, the Thai government refrained from strong criticism of the coup, attempted to pursue diplomacy with the Burmese junta, and provided humanitarian assistance to conflict-affected regions in Burma. Thailand’s former Foreign Minister traveled to Burma in April 2023 and met both coup leader Min Aung Hlaing and imprisoned opposition leader Aung San Suu Kyi, seeking to “re-engage” with the parties to seek a peace process.

Issues for Congress

Since 2014, Members of Congress have introduced numerous resolutions urging the government of Thailand to protect and uphold democracy and human rights, and conducted oversight of the executive branch’s implementation of coup-related foreign assistance restrictions, as well as military-to-military engagements. Members have also expressed concern about Thailand’s human trafficking record; the State Department’s 2024that is home to strategic military facilities to which the United States has access. Thailand is also one of Southeast Asia's largest economies, but is highly dependent on tourism and exports; the IMF projects that structural issues and tariff impacts will contribute to slowing economic growth in 2026.

Political Turnover

Thailand is scheduled to hold national elections on February 8, 2026. The country is officially a constitutional monarchy with a parliamentary democracy, though Thailand has had nine successful coups since 1932. The pro-establishment Bhumjaithai Party and its leader, Anutin Charnvirakul, have headed the government since September 2025. In order to garner sufficient support in parliament, Anutin entered into agreement with the reform-minded Move Forward Party, promising to begin the process of constitutional reform and hold elections within four months.

The previous government was led by the Pheu Thai Party, associated with former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was deposed in the 2006 coup. After national elections in 2023, the Move Forward Party—which had earned a plurality in parliament—was unable to form a government. Pheu Thai formed an 11-party coalition; after Pheu Thai's first prime minister was removed by the Constitutional Court in August 2024, parliament chose Paetongtarn Shinawatra, Thaksin's daughter, as the new prime minister.

Paetongtarn was removed from office in August 2025, following a reignited border dispute with Cambodia. In a leaked June 15 call between Paetongtarn and former Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen, she referred to Hun Sen as "uncle" (an honorific) and criticized a Thai military commander as being "from the opposite side," prompting many Thai observers to criticize her as inappropriately deferential to Cambodia. Following the leaked call, large protests in Bangkok called for her resignation, Bhumjaithai exited the then-governing coalition, and 36 members of the Senate petitioned the Constitutional Court for Paetongtarn's removal, which was ultimately successful.

Figure 1. Thailand at a Glance

Source: CIA World Factbook, 2026. Map, CRS.

Thailand-Cambodia Border Dispute

Pheu Thai's downfall and Bhumjaithai's political ascent was shaped in part by the revival of a long-standing dispute between Thailand and Cambodia over borders drawn by French colonial powers in 1907. On May 28, 2025, Thai and Cambodian military forces exchanged fire over a section of their shared border, leaving one Cambodian soldier dead and prompting troop build-ups, escalatory rhetoric, and retaliatory economic measures.

In July, following incidents in which Thai soldiers were injured by landmines, Thai and Cambodian forces engaged in five days of cross-border firefights, artillery shelling, and attacks by Thai F-16 fighter jets into Cambodia territory. Thai and Cambodian authorities reported more than 43 combined civilian and military casualties, and more than 330,000 people were reported to have been displaced by the fighting. On July 28, the two sides met in Malaysia and agreed to an "immediate and unconditional ceasefire" in a meeting brokered by Malaysian Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim. Prior to the agreement, President Donald Trump halted U.S. negotiations on tariff rates with both Thailand and Cambodia until the fighting stopped. Some observers and Cambodian officials have credited this pressure as a driver of the ceasefire. During the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) Summit in October 2025, President Trump presided over the signing of the Kuala Lumpur Peace Accords, a peace declaration between Thailand and Cambodia.

Fighting began anew on December 7, 2025, and continued until a new ceasefire agreement was signed on December 27. China reportedly was involved in mediating the truce. Thai and Cambodian officials reported around 100 combined civilian and military casualties, and an estimated one million people were reported displaced by the fighting.

Political Divisions and Protests

Thailand is politically divided between the political establishment (a mix of the military, royalists, and senior bureaucrats) and those seeking more popular democracy—including young, urban Thais supporting the Move Forward Party and less-affluent, traditionally disenfranchised rural citizens who tended to be Thaksin's base of support.

Move Forward has called for the removal of some of the monarchy's privileges, a controversial position in a country where criticizing the monarch is illegal. The interpretation and usage of lèse majesté has expanded over the past two decades to include even subtle criticisms of the king, palace, military, or government. King Vajiralongkorn, who succeeded his widely revered father in 2019, is reportedly deeply unpopular with the public for his profligate lifestyle and history of capricious and sometimes violent behavior.

U.S. Security Relations

U.S.-Thai security relations, which date back to the Korean and Vietnam Wars, have long been the highest-profile pillar of the relationship. In addition to hosting military exercises, Thailand provides U.S. forces with access to key facilities, particularly U-Tapao airbase and Sattahip naval base. The U.S. military used U-Tapao for refueling operations during its campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan in the 2000s as well as for humanitarian relief efforts in Asia. U.S. officials have said intelligence and law enforcement cooperation remains a priority, particularly as the United States confronts international criminal and drug networks in the region.

The United States imposed restrictions on foreign aid to Thailand's government following the 2014 coup under §7008 of annual appropriations measures, which primarily affected State Department-administered military aid. U.S. agencies continued most non-military aid and cooperation, along with the large-scale annual Cobra Gold military exercises. (Section 7008 is silent on funds appropriated to the U.S. military.) The State Department certified the 2019 elections as democratic and lifted the §7008 restrictions, which allowed the resumption of U.S. Foreign Military Financing (FMF) and International Military Education and Training (IMET) assistance.

Trade and Economic Relations

Thailand is an upper middle-income country, and trade, foreign investment, and tourism are important to the country's economy. The United States was Thailand's second-largest trading partner, behind China, in 2024. Thailand is a member of the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP) trade agreement that includes Asia-Pacific countries (but not the United States).

Following the July 2025 ceasefire agreement, the Trump Administration set tariff rates on imports of Thai goods to the United States at 19% via executive order. Meetings in October 2025 at the ASEAN Summit yielded a U.S.-Thailand memorandum of understanding that aims to strengthen cooperation on developing and diversifying supply chains for critical minerals and rare earths.

Thailand's Regional Relations

Historically, Sino-Thai economic relations have been close, with deep trade and investment ties, and defense ties have been growing. As a member of the China-led Belt and Road Initiative (BRI), Thailand is involved in a high-speed railway project that would connect southern China with several Southeast Asian nations.

Thailand was one of five founding members of ASEAN, and has extensive trade and investment relations across the region. Japan is its largest source of foreign direct investment. Thailand has no territorial disputes with China in the South China Sea and has avoided voicing opposition to China's assertive behavior in pressing its claims.

Thailand shares a 1,500-mile border with Burma (Myanmar), and hosts over 90,000 refugees from Burmese internal conflicts over the past several decades, and thousands more who fled after Burma's 2021 military coup. Thailand relies on natural gas imports from Burma to meet its energy needs, and a Thai company is a leading partner of Burma's military-run oil and gas firm. The Thai government's engagement with Burmese governments since Burma's independence in 1948 arguably has been more intensive than that of any other country. Following Burma's 2021 coup, the Thai government refrained from strong criticism, attempted to pursue diplomacy with the Burmese junta, and funded humanitarian assistance to conflict-affected regions in Burma.

Issues for Congress

Since 2014, some Members of Congress have introduced resolutions urging the government of Thailand to protect and uphold democracy and human rights, and conducted oversight of the executive branch's implementation of coup-related foreign assistance restrictions and military-to-military engagements. Members have expressed concern about Thailand's human trafficking record; the State Department's 2025 Trafficking in Persons Report rated Thailand as a Tier 2 nation, indicating the government does not fully meet the minimum standards for the elimination of trafficking as set out by the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA, P.L. 106-386, as amended) but is striving to do so.

Members of Congress may consider how, and if, to support Thailand's military, including through military-to-military cooperation, the FMF program, the Indo-Pacific Maritime Security Initiative (P.L. 117-81, §1241), and a pilot program to improve the cyber capabilities of the Thai armed forces (P.L. 116-283, as amended).

, as amended). As Thailand’s current political turmoil evolves, Members may consider how the United States might promote respect for democracy and civil rights, and whether the United States should sustain or strengthen bilateral cooperation, and in what areas.

Ben Dolven, Specialist in Asian Affairs

IF10253

Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations

https://crsreports.congress.gov | IF10253 · VERSION 20 · UPDATED

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