Updated January 26, 2022
Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations
Thailand is a long-time military treaty ally and economic
establishment of a range of new parties, but the military’s
partner of the United States. The United States operates
control over the political process remains largely protected.
numerous regional offices from the Bangkok Embassy, one
of the largest American diplomatic missions in the world.
Since February 2020, protesters have taken to the streets in
Bilateral cooperation includes security initiatives and
Bangkok and in other provincial capitals. Students led the
operations, law enforcement efforts, and regional health and
initial wave of protests—which were largely peaceful—
education. These ties endure, but more than a decade of
after a Thai court dissolved an opposition political party.
political turmoil in Thailand, including military coups in
The protesters called for political reform and constitutional
2006 and 2014, have complicated U.S.-Thai relations.
revisions and openly challenged the monarchy. After the
protests peaked in July 2020, the government cracked
The Thai government’s efforts to manipulate political
down, arresting several of the protest leaders, declaring a
processes and suppress critics have raised questions about
state of emergency, and instituting restrictions on
Thailand’s prospects for returning to full democratic
gatherings—ostensibly to curtail the spread of Coronavirus
governance, including the peaceful transfer of power and
Disease 2019 (COVID-19). Smaller but more aggressive
protection for civil liberties. International organizations
protests have continued, calling for a range of economic
have alleged numerous human rights abuses, including the
and social changes as well as criticizing the government’s
government’s curtailment of freedoms of speech and
pandemic response after cases and deaths swelled. As anger
assembly, harassment of government critics, use of lese
has intensified, the Prayuth government has responded with
majeste (offenses against the monarchy) laws to muzzle
more force and further criminalized dissent, drawing
dissent, arbitrary arrests, and a lack of protections for
condemnation from international rights groups.
human trafficking victims, laborers, and refugees.
Figure 1. Thailand at a Glance
2019 Elections
Thailand conducted nationwide elections in March 2019—
its first since 2011—and seated a new government led by
Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha, the former
Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army who led the
junta responsible for the 2014 coup. The polls were
conducted under new rules drafted by the junta that
provided structural advantages for military-backed parties,
raising questions about the new government’s popular
legitimacy. Voting ran smoothly overall, but the Election
Commission of Thailand was widely criticized for releasing
inconsistent and delayed results, raising skepticism about
the credibility of the tallying process. Official results

showed that the main opposition party had won the highest
Source: CIA World Factbook, 2020, World Bank.
number of elected seats. Prayuth’s party, however, was able
to form a coalition government with the support of the
Criticizing the monarch has long been illegal in Thailand,
military-appointed Senate. On July 19, 2019, the U.S. State
and the definition of lese majeste has expanded in recent
Department notified Congress of its certification that a
years to include even subtle criticisms of the king, palace,
democratically-elected government had taken office in
or government. King Maha Vajiralongkorn, who succeeded
Thailand, signaling that it was lifting coup-related aid
his widely revered father in 2019, is reportedly deeply
restrictions that had been in place since the 2014 coup (see
unpopular with the public for his profligate lifestyle and
“Security Relations” below).
history of capricious and often violent behavior. The 2020
Political Divisions and Protests
pro-democracy protests were notable not only for their
overt criticism of the monarchy, but also because they drew
Thailand remains deeply politically divided, with the
support from students from across the political spectrum.
potential for more conflicts ahead. The political turmoil has
involved a broad clash between the political establishment
Thailand and the COVID-19 Pandemic
(a mix of the military, royalists, senior bureaucrats, and
The pandemic has badly damaged Thailand’s economy. The
many urban and middle-class citizens) and democracy
tourism-dependent country has imposed strict and shifting
activists, rural Thai citizens, and backers of former Prime
restrictions on travelers, and many analysts see the
Minister Thaksin Shinawatra, who was deposed in the 2006
industry’s ability to reopen as critical to helping Thailand’s
coup and now resides overseas. The country’s political
economy recover. Infection rates have remained high: as of
opposition has evolved in recent years with the
January 25, 2022, the country had reported nearly 2.4
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Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations
million COVID-19 cases, and over 22,000 deaths.
agreement that evolved from the Trans-Pacific Partnership,
Vaccination rates have risen. Thailand made extensive use
a proposed agreement from which the United States
of a vaccine produced by China’s Sinovac, utilizing over
withdrew in 2017. Thai-U.S. trade discussions have focused
31.5 million doses, but it has shifted to other vaccines,
more recently on Thailand’s poor intellectual property (IP)
including those produced by AstraZeneca and Pfizer.
rights protections, and protection and subsidization of its
large agriculture industry. Thailand has remained on the
Security Relations
U.S. Office of the Trade Representative’s (USTR) Section
U.S.-Thai security relations, which date back to cooperation
301 IP Watch List since 2018. Historically, Sino-Thai
in the Korean and Vietnam Wars, have long been the
economic ties have been close, with deep trade and
highest-profile pillar of the U.S.-Thailand relationship. In
investment ties. As a member of the China-led Belt and
addition to hosting military exercises, Thailand has
Road Initiative (BRI), Thailand is involved in a high-speed
provided the U.S. military with access to important
railway project that would connect southern China with
facilities, particularly the strategically located Utapao
several Southeast Asian nations to its south. The project,
airbase and Sattahip naval base. The U.S. military used
which the Prayuth government has supported, has raised
Utapao for refueling operations during its campaigns in Iraq
concerns in Thailand about whether it can be operated
and Afghanistan in the 2000s, as well as for humanitarian
profitably and other aspects of its financial and technical
relief efforts in Asia, including after the 2004 Indian Ocean
assistance terms.
tsunami and 2015 Nepal earthquake. U.S. officials state that
intelligence and law enforcement cooperation with Thai
Thailand’s Regional Relations
counterparts remains a priority, particularly as the United
Thailand’s importance for U.S. interests in Southeast Asia
States confronts international criminal and drug networks
stems from its strategic location, its large economy, and its
active in the sub-region.
good relations with its neighbors. Thailand was one of five
founding members of the Association of Southeast Asian
Despite the imposition of coup-related foreign aid
Nations (ASEAN), and it has extensive trade and
restrictions under §7008 of annual appropriations measures
investment relations across the region. Japan is its largest
following the 2014 coup, the United States continued most
source of foreign direct investment. Alongside its treaty
non-military aid and cooperation, including the large-scale
alliance with the United States, Thailand has long had close
annual Cobra Gold military exercises. The Trump
cultural and economic ties with China, and some defense
Administration’s July 2019 certification of the March 2019
linkages have developed. Unlike several of its neighbors,
elections as democratic allowed the resumption of State
Thailand has no territorial disputes with China in the South
Department-administered military assistance, including
China Sea and has been loathe to take an assertive stance
Foreign Military Financing (FMF) and International
against China’s actions there.
Military Education Training (IMET). The Biden
Administration has continued IMET and FMF assistance
Thailand shares a 1,500-mile border with Burma, and its
for Thailand, allocating $2.6 million in IMET funding in
interactions with Burmese governments over the years have
FY2019 and FY2020, and $2.68 million in FY2021.
arguably been more intensive than those of any other
Thailand also was allocated $34.4 million in FY2020 FMF
country. Following Burma’s February 1, 2021, coup d’etat,
through the Southeast Asia Maritime Security Initiative
Thailand has been involved in diplomacy with the Burmese
(SAMSI) and the Advanced Targeting Development
junta, and with efforts to provide humanitarian assistance to
Initiative (ATDI) for maritime security and other projects.
conflict-affected regions in Burma. Thailand hosts over
In 2021, the United States provided Thailand $7 million in
90,000 Burmese refugees who have fled over recent
Countering Chinese Influence Fund (CCIF) aid for English,
decades, and thousands more who have fled since Burma’s
technical, operational, and professional training.
2021 coup. Thailand also relies on substantial natural gas
imports from Burma, and a Thai company is one of the
Trade and Economic Relations
leading partners of Burma’s military-run oil and gas firm.
Thailand is an upper middle-income country, and trade and
foreign investment play a large role in its economy. The
Human Trafficking Record
country’s economy, heavily dependent on tourism, suffered
The U.S. government reports that Thailand continues to
as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, and GDP contracted
face challenges in combating human trafficking, including
by 6.1% in 2020 before rebounding to 1.0% growth in
forced labor and sexual exploitation. The State
2021. Thailand is the 25th largest export destination for the
Department’s 2021 Trafficking in Persons (TIP) Report
United States. Two-way trade of goods in 2020 was valued
downgraded Thailand from a Tier 2 ranking to a Tier 2
at $48.8 billion, with $37.6 billion in Thai exports to the
Watch List ranking, indicating that the government of
United States and $11.2 billion in U.S. exports to Thailand.
Thailand does not fully meet the minimum standards for the
In 2020, compared to 2019, U.S. exports to Thailand
elimination of trafficking as set out by the Trafficking
decreased by 16%, while U.S. imports from Thailand
Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA, P.L. 106-386, as
increased by 12%.
amended), and that while the government is making
significant efforts to do so, it merits enhanced scrutiny.
The United States is Thailand’s third largest trading partner,
behind Japan and China. Thailand is a member of the
Emma Chanlett-Avery, Specialist in Asian Affairs
Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership (RCEP)
Ben Dolven, Specialist in Asian Affairs
trade agreement, but not the Comprehensive and
IF10253
Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific (CPTPP)
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Thailand: Background and U.S. Relations


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