Updated September 11, 2019
Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations
Thailand is a long-time military ally and economic partner
Background on Thailand’s Political Landscape
of the United States. These ties endure, but more than a
As demonstrated in the close election outcome, Thailand
decade of political turmoil in Thailand, including two
remains deeply politically divided, with the potential for
military coups in 2006 and 2014, have complicated U.S.-
more conflicts ahead. Thailand’s political
Thai relations. The Thai government’s efforts to manipulate
turmoil has
involved a broad clash between the nation’s political
political processes and suppress critics has raised questions
about Thailand’s prospects for returning to fu
establishment (a mix of the military, royalists who are
ll democratic
staunch supporters of the monarchy, senior bureaucrats, and
governance including the peaceful transfer of power and
many urban and middle class citizens) and democracy
protection for civil liberties, and eventually recognizing
activists and backers of former Prime Minister Thaksin
civilian authority over the military. After holding elections
Shinawatra, who was deposed in the 2006 coup and now
in early 2019 that many regarded as flawed, Thailand has
resides overseas. Thaksin was popular, particularly with the
indicated it wants to reset its relationship with the United
rural poor, because of his populist policies, challenges to
States after five years of coup-triggered constraints.
the traditional elites, and political empowerment of
As one of Southeast Asia’s most developed nations and a
traditionally marginalized communities.
long-time U.S. partner on a range of issues, Thailand has
Between 2001 and 2011, Thaksin and his supporters won
the potential to support U.S. initiatives, such as broadening
six consecutive national elections, but their leaders were
regional defense cooperation. Thailand is the 2019 chair of
repeatedly removed from office, by either military or
the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), and
is to convene and lead the region’s key multilateral forums
judicial coup. During this period of instability, Thailand
saw numerous large-scale demonstrations, several of which
this year. However, U.S. policymakers face challenges in
resulted in violent confrontations between factions, or with
rekindling the bilateral relationship with Thailand, which
the military and police. In 2010, clashes between the
was frustrated by U.S. criticism of the coup, while also
military and pro-Thaksin demonstrators over several weeks
encouraging it to fully return to democratic norms.
killed 80 civilians in Bangkok.
March 2019 Elections
Thailand
Thailand conducted nationwide elections in March 2019—
its first since 2011—and in June seated a new government
Capital: Bangkok
led by Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, the former
Size: Slightly more than twice the size of Wyoming
Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army who led the
Population: 68.6 mil ion (July 2018 est.)
2014 coup. The polls were conducted under new rules
drafted by the junta that provided structural advantages for
Infant Mortality: 9 deaths/1,000 live births
military-backed parties, raising questions about the new
Fertility Rate: 1.52 children born/woman (U.S.=1.72)
government’s popular legitimacy. Voting overall ran
GDP (official exchange rate): $455.4 bil ion (2017 est.)
smoothly, but the Election Commission of Thailand was
GDP per capita (PPP): $17,900 (2017 est.)
widely criticized for releasing inconsistent and delayed
results, raising skepticism about the credibility of the
Source: CIA World Factbook, 2018
tallying process. Official results showed that the main
opposition party had won the highest number of elected
The 2014 coup was Thailand’s 12th successful coup since
seats. Prayuth’s party, however, was able to form a
1932. The junta drafted a new constitution that created a
coalition government with the full support of the military-
military-appointed Senate and limited the power of political
appointed Senate.
parties.
On July 19, 2019, the U.S. State Department notified
The monarchy is one of Thailand’s most powerful political
Congress of its certification that a democratically elected
institutions. The former king, Bhumibol Adulyadej, passed
government had taken office in Thailand. (Under the
away in 2016, ending a 70-year reign that had made him the
Foreign Assistance Act of 1961 [P.L. 87-195; 22 U.S.C.
world’s longest serving monarch. The palace has few
2151 et seq.], certain categories of military assistance may
formal authorities, but Bhumibol enjoyed tremendous
not be used to “finance directly any assistance to any
popular support and, in turn, political influence. After his
country whose duly elected head of government is deposed
accession to the throne, Bhumiphol’s son Maha
by military coup or decree.”) With this certification, the
Vajiralongkorn, now officially known as King Rama X, has
United States can resume the provision of military
been more politically active than his father was in his last
assistance that was suspended after the 2014 coup, which
years, opposing some parts of the 2016 Constitution and
includes Foreign Military Sales (FMS) and International
taking control of the bureau managing the throne’s vast
Military Education Training (IMET).
fortune in July 2017.
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Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations
U.S.-Thailand Relations
with Thailand, ranking Thailand as the country with the 13th
The United States and Thailand have longstanding bilateral
largest bilateral surplus with the United States.
relations, including a treaty alliance that derives from the
1954 Southeast Asian Treaty Organization, which the U.S.
Thailand did not join negotiations for the proposed regional
and Thailand reinforced in a bilateral 1962 agreement, the
Trans-Pacific Partnership (TPP) agreement, and trade
Thanat-Rusk Communique. The United States operates
discussions between the United States have focused more
numerous regional offices from the Bangkok Embassy, one
recently on Thailand’s poor intellectual property rights
of the largest diplomatic missions in the world. Bilateral
protections and its protection and subsidization of its large
cooperation includes security initiatives and operations,
agriculture industry. Thailand has remained on the USTR’s
regional health and education, and others.
Section 301 Watch List since 2018.
Security Relations
Thailand’s Regional Relations
Security cooperation, which dates back to cooperation in
Thailand’s importance for U.S. interests in Southeast Asia
the Korean and Vietnam Wars, has long been the highest
stems from its large economy and its good relations with its
profile pillar of the U.S.-Thai relationship. In addition to
neighbors. Thailand is chair of ASEAN for 2019, and
hosting military exercises, Thailand has provided the U.S.
Thailand helped broker consensus on an ASEAN position
military with access to important facilities, particularly the
on the Free and Open Indo-Pacific, a strategic concept
strategically located Utapao airbase and Sattahip naval
adopted by the Trump Administration. Thailand has
base. The U.S. military used Utapao for refueling
extensive trade and investment relations across the region.
operations during its campaigns in Iraq and Afghanistan in
Japan is its largest source of foreign direct investment and
the 2000s, as well as for multinational relief efforts,
its second largest trading partner, after China.
including after the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami and 2015
Nepal earthquake. For U.S. officials, intelligence and law
Historically, Sino-Thai ties have been close, and trade has
enforcement cooperation with Thai counterparts remains a
burgeoned under the 2010 China-ASEAN Free Trade
priority, particularly as the United States confronts
Agreement. Unlike several of its Southeast Asian
international criminal and drug networks.
neighbors, Thailand has no territorial disputes with China in
the South China Sea and has been generally loathe to take
Before the 2014 coup, U.S. military leaders touted the
an assertive stance against China’s actions there. As a
alliance as apolitical and praised the Thai armed forces for
member of the China-led Belt and Road Initiative (BRI),
exhibiting restraint amidst the competing protests and
Thailand is involved in a high speed railway project that
political turmoil. Following the coup, the United States
would connect southern China with several Southeast Asian
suspended military aid to Thailand as required by law,
nations to its south. The project, which has been backed by
including $3.5 million in FMF and $85,000 in IMET funds.
the Prayuth government, has raised concerns in Thailand by
The United States did not suspended non-military aid or
some who question whether it can be operated profitably.
cooperation, and capacity building assistance to the country
was largely uninterrupted. The large-scale annual Cobra
Human Rights and Democracy Concerns
Gold military exercises continued.
International organizations have criticized Thailand’s
alleged human rights abuses, including the military
Several analysts have suggested that limits on U.S.
government’s curtailment of freedoms of speech and
engagement allowed U.S.-Thai security ties to weaken, and
assembly; harassment of government critics; use of lese
that Sino-Thai ties—which already were strong and
majeste laws to muzzle dissent; arbitrary arrests; and the
growing—expanded to fill the vacuum. China’s state-
lack of protections for human trafficking victims, laborers,
owned arms industries provided an appealing and less-
and refugees. International groups have also identified
expensive alternative for Thailand, particularly in light of
human rights violations in the Muslim-majority southern
U.S. restrictions on arms sales following the 2014 coup. In
provinces where an ongoing insurgency has killed over
2015, Thailand acquired three diesel-electric submarines
7,000 people since 2004.
from China, Thailand’s most expensive defense
procurement to date. In 2017, the Thai government
In its 2018 Trafficking in Persons report, the State
announced it would buy 34 Chinese armored personnel
Department ranked Thailand as a Tier 2 country, an
carriers, perhaps in an attempt to reduce its reliance on
improvement over recent years. Thailand argues that human
U.S.-made weapons, and also purchased a $530 million
smuggling, not trafficking, is the main cross-border issue.
submarine from China.
Thailand is not a signatory to the 1951 Refugee Convention
nor its 1967 Protocol and does not have a formal national
Trade and Economic Relations
asylum framework. In 2019, the United Nations High
Thailand is an upper middle-income country, and trade and
Commissioner for Refugees reported that Thailand hosted
foreign investment play a large role in its economy. In
over 95,000 refugees and stateless people.
2018, Thailand’s GDP grew 3.7%, continuing a period of
slow growth compared to previous years. The United States
Emma Chanlett-Avery, Specialist in Asian Affairs
is Thailand’s third largest trading partner, behind Japan and
Ben Dolven, Specialist in Asian Affairs
China. In 2018, Thailand was the United States’ 20th largest
Kirt Smith, Research Assistant
goods trading partner; its 26th largest goods export market;
and a source of $44.5 billion in total two-way goods trade.
IF10253
In 2018, the United States ran a $19.31 billion trade deficit
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Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations
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