July 13, 2015
Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations
Overview
Assembly (NLA), widely seen as a “rubber stamp”
legislature, which elected Prayuth as Prime Minister on
Thailand is a long-time military ally and significant trade
August 21, 2014.
and economic partner for the United States. For many
years, Thailand was seen as a model democracy in
The NCPO is drafting a new constitution, and its members
Southeast Asia, although this image, along with
produced a preliminary draft in early 2015. This would
Washington-Bangkok relations, has been complicated by
grant amnesty to those involved in the 2014 coup, and
deep political and economic instability in the wake of two
allow a person to become prime minister without being
military coups in the past nine years. The first, in 2006,
popularly elected. The NCPO announced that national
displaced Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, a popular but
elections will not be held for at least a year; in May 2015,
polarizing figure who remains a source of many divisions
the government further pushed back elections to August-
within Thailand. The second, in 2014, deposed an acting
September 2016.
prime minister after Thaksin’s sister, Yingluck Shinawatra,
was ousted from the premiership by a Constitutional Court
Thailand’s widely revered King Bhumiphol Adulyadej
decision that many saw as politically motivated.
endorsed the provisional constitution installing Prayuth as
head of the government. However, uncertainty about the
As the Obama Administration executes its policy of
kind’s health contributes to anxiety about the succession
rebalancing to Asia, many observers have hoped that
process and further instability if the monarchy is shaken. He
Thailand could provide an anchor for U.S. initiatives in
is 87, and has been hospitalized for much of the past four
Southeast Asia such as broadening regional defense
years.
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.
Political Crisis and 2014 Military Coup
The past several years have seen many large-scale political

demonstrations and some violent clashes, including weeks
of conflict in Bangkok in 2010 during which over 80 were
U.S. Response to the Coup
killed. Through nearly a decade of turmoil, the country’s
political factions have been divided primarily between two
After the 2014 coup, Secretary of State John Kerry released
main groups: “yellow shirts” (a mix of the military,
a statement saying that he was “concerned” about the
royalists, the bureaucracy, and largely urban and middle
“coup” and that Thai military leaders should restore civilian
class citizens) and “red shirts” (mostly Thaksin loyalists
rule. The United States immediately suspended military aid
who supported his populist policies that benefited the poor,
to Thailand, including $3.5 million in Foreign Military
rural regions of Thailand).
Financing (FMF) and $85,000 in International Military
Education and Training (IMET) funds. However, the
Political parties that were either led by or supportive of
Administration has not suspended non-military aid, and
Thaksin have won each of the last six national elections,
humanitarian assistance to Thailand—including
dating back to 2001. However, a series of Prime Ministers
international disaster assistance, migration and refugee aid,
have been removed from office, either via coup or judicial
and global health programs—largely has continued. The
action. In the most recent coup, on May 20, 2014, the Thai
United States also cancelled a series of military exercises
military seized power under the leadership ofArmy
and Thai military officers’ visits. Nevertheless, in February
Commander Prayuth Chan-ocha. The military then
2015, the annual Cobra Gold military exercise—the largest
dissolved Parliament, detained hundreds of political leaders
in Asia—went ahead, although fewer U.S. troops
and academics, imposed a curfew, and restricted media
participated than in previous years. In 2016, the exercises
outlets. Prayuth and a group of senior military leaders,
will take place once again, but U.S. participation will
known as the National Council of Peace and Order
remain limited.
(NCPO), selected members of a new National Legislative
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Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations
After the 2006 coup, the U.S. reaction was similar: U.S.
Thailand’s ability to play a leadership role in regional
funding for development assistance and military financing
initiatives, especially those relating to human trafficking
and training programs was cut off while the military held
and mediating maritime disputes in the South China Sea.
power, but other U.S. assistance continued to flow.
Historically, Sino-Thai ties have been quite close,
U.S.-Thailand Security Relations
particularly when compared to China’s relations with most
other Southeast Asian states. Thailand has no territorial
Security cooperation arguably is the strongest pillar of the
disputes with China in the South China Sea, and trade with
U.S.-Thai relationship. In addition to hosting Cobra Gold
China has boomed under the China-ASEAN Free Trade
and other military exercises, Thailand has provided access
Agreement, which came into effect in January 2010.
for the U.S. military to important facilities, particularly the
strategically located and well-equipped Utapao airbase. The
Human Rights and Democracy Concerns
U.S. military used Utapao for refueling efforts during
operations in Iraq and Afghanistan in the 2000s, as well as
Some observers, including those in Congress, have long
for multinational relief efforts after the 2004 Indian Ocean
criticized Thailand’s record on human rights. Alleged
tsunami and April 2015 Nepal earthquake. Intelligence
abuses include extra-judicial killings, curtailment of the
sharing and law enforcement cooperation remain valuable
press and non-governmental groups, restriction of freedom
as the United States confronts international criminal
of expression under strict lèse-majesté laws, and the bloody
networks and the transnational nature of the ISIS threat.
suppression of demonstrations in 2010. Since the 2014
coup, observers increasingly are concerned about
Before the most recent coup, U.S. military leaders touted
Thailand’s human rights record. Prime Minister Prayuth
the alliance as apolitical and praised the Thai armed forces
lifted martial law in April 2015, but afterwards invoked
for exhibiting restraint amidst the competing protests and
Article 44 of the interim constitution, granting him the
political turmoil. However, the coup put the Thai army at
authority to issue any order to “strengthen public unity and
the center of politics, repudiating years of U.S. training
harmony” in Thailand. Human rights groups immediately
about the importance of civilian control of the military.
criticized the move as overreaching and claimed it
Prior to the 2014 coup, military funding had just returned to
increased the likelihood of future human rights abuses.
pre-2006 coup levels. With the United States suspending
military assistance and cancelling exercises, security ties
Thailand’s security forces also have been accused of
between the United States and Thailand could weaken.
human rights abuses, particularly in the southern Muslim-
Some analysts express concern that this provides China
majority provinces where a separatist insurgency has
with an opportunity to expand its influence in the Thai
existed for decades. Since 2004, violence in the region has
defense establishment.
intensified, resulting in the deaths of around 6,000 people.
U.S.-Thailand Trade and Economic
Thailand is surrounded by considerably poorer countries,
Relations
and many economic migrants and refugees illegally cross
into Thailand. Once they arrive, they are vulnerable to
Thailand is a middle-income economy, and trade and
sexual exploitation and forced labor. Many observers say
foreign investment play a large role in its economy. In
Thailand largely has overlooked these concerns; Thai
2014, Thailand’s GDP grew 0.7%—the slowest rate in three
officials argue that the influx is due to consensual human
years. In 2013, Thailand was the United States’ 24th largest
smuggling. In 2014, the State Department downgraded
goods trading partner, with $38 billion in total two-way
Thailand to Tier 3 status—the worst ranking—in its annual
goods trade. Thailand is not a participant in the Trans-
Trafficking in Persons report, finding that the Thai
Pacific Partnership (TPP) negotiations, the Obama
government was not fully in compliance with the minimum
Administration’s signature economic initiative in Asia.
standards for the elimination of trafficking. In one widely
reported case from 2013, Thai immigration and military
According to the U.S. Trade Representative, some of the
officers were accused of trafficking Rohingya Muslims, a
largest barriers to trade in Thailand are high tariff rates in
persecuted minority from neighboring Myanmar. In mid-
selected industries, particularly in agriculture; a lack of
2015, Thai authorities were loath to help Rohingya refugees
transparency in customs policy where Customs Department
stranded in smugglers’ boats in the Andaman Sea, despite
officials have “significant discretionary authority”; and the
pressure from Western countries.
use of price controls or import licenses in some industries.
Poor intellectual property rights protection also placed
For more information, see CRS Report RL32593, Thailand:
Thailand on the USTR’s Priority Watch List in 2013.
Background and U.S. Relations, and CRS Insight IN10072,
Military Coup in Thailand.
Thailand’s Regional Relations
Emma Chanlett-Avery, echanlettavery@crs.loc.gov, 7-
Thailand’s importance for U.S. interests in Southeast Asia
7748
stems from its large economy, its good relationships with
Ben Dolven, bdolven@crs.loc.gov, 7-7626
numerous neighbors, including Burma and China, and, until
Wil Mackey, wmackey@crs.loc.gov, 7-5050
the coups, its relatively long-standing democratic rule.

However, because of Thailand’s ongoing political paralysis,
the country’s neighbors increasingly are concerned about
IF10253
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