US-Thai defence treaty looks to cement alliance in 21st century

[webfact]

US-Thai defence treaty looks to cement alliance in 21st century

By The Nation

 

Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prayut Chan-o-cha and US Secretary of Defence Mark Esper with the new defence alliance treaty on Sunday (November 17) in Bangkok.

 

Thailand and the United States have signed a defence treaty to enable stability, prosperity and sustainability in the Indo-Pacific region “in support of an inclusive and rules-based international order”.

 

The US-Thailand Joint Vision Statement 2020 advances the 2018 US National Defence Strategy and Thailand’s 20-Year National Strategy objectives “by reaffirming our shared commitment to the long-standing defence alliance”, according to a statement issued by the US embassy in Bangkok on Sunday.

 

“It strengthens the special relationship with a focus on the long-term advancement of mutual interests and shared values while also promoting security cooperation capable of deterring or acting decisively to meet the shared challenges of the future”, the statement added.

 

Academics said the move reaffirmed US policy of putting defence, economic and other cooperation above democracy and human rights.

 

Titipol Phakdeewanich, dean of the Faculty of Political Science at Ubonratchathani University, said the defence alliance demonstrated that the US government does not give priority to democracy and human rights.

 

“It shows that the US-Thai relationship is based on mutual interests related to defence, economic and other areas of cooperation rather than promoting democracy,” he said.

 

Both the European Union and the US have compromised on democracy since Thailand held its general election in March even though the military still exerts considerable influence on Thai politics, he noted.

 

Before the election, the West did not fully engage with the former junta-backed government following the 2014 coup.

 

Asked if the US aimed to counter China’s influence over Thailand and Asean, Titipol said that was unlikely to be the main objective because Thailand and the US have long cooperated on defence.

 

The US Embassy statement said the interoperable and compatible arrangement between the US Department of Defence and the Thai Ministry of Defence would participate actively with other allies and like-minded partners to address security challenges in the Indo-Pacific region. “As demonstrated by a 65-year defence alliance, the United States and Thailand are stronger together,” the US embassy statement said.

 

“The defence treaty alliance, founded on the 1954 Southeast Asia Collective Defence Treaty, and later expanded under the Thanat-Rusk Communiqué of 1962, supports regional and global security by enhancing readiness, flexibility and resilience.

 

The special relationship between the United States and Thailand, based on mutual respect and shared interests, facilitates a stable, prosperous, free, open, inclusive and sustainable Indo-Pacific region through enhanced reciprocal access and security cooperation,” the statement said.

 

As a major non-Nato ally of the US, the two sides “recognise the importance of sustained security cooperation, including education and training, capacity-building, interoperability, and modernisation of defence and security institutions to strengthen the US-Thai defence alliance”, the statement said.

 

The alliance supports Thailand’s leadership role within Asean and other international security fora to advance mutual interests and reinforce the rules-based international order, the US embassy statement added.

 

The US and Thailand recognise and seek to maintain Asean Centrality and the important role of the Asean-led regional security architecture, including the Asean Regional Forum and the Asean Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus, “in promoting mutual trust and confidence-building for regional peace and stability”.

 

The statement said that the two sides reaffirmed the importance of a defence treaty alliance for the 21st century. “We note that defence ties complement all elements of our much broader relationship, including strong diplomatic, economic and cultural ties. We are committed to strengthening all of these important partnerships in order to achieve greater peace in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond,” the US embassy statement said.

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30378426?utm_source=homepage_hilight&utm_medium=internal_referral

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2019-11-18

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[Oziex1]

Other stories in today's news feed seem to contradict this.  

Prawits thumbs up to Chinese claims in the South China Sea and Prayuths interest in more military interaction.

[colinneil]

Laughable just laughable, Prayut brown nosing the Yanks, while his fat pal is brown nosing the Chinese.

[Grumpy John]

"while his fat pal is brown nosing the Chinese"  I've always thought of the fat pal as Chinese masquerading as a Thai!

[30la]

The PM with America, the DPM with China. It'll be fine?
Perhaps neither of them understood it, the two nations are in an economic war in which no one else should meddle!
Dear general, you have already lost a lot with America, be careful, with China you can lose much more!

The same day this news, and the news of a military Thailand / China cooperation.

INCREDIBLE!

[zydeco]

There is a statement on the US Embassy's website, but it doesn't match up with what the OP has in quotes.  Are they making this up???  Here's a hint: US Embassy statements refer to "defense," not "defence." /

[heybuz]

1 hour ago, zydeco said:

There is a statement on the US Embassy's website, but it doesn't match up with what the OP has in quotes.  Are they making this up???  Here's a hint: US Embassy statements refer to "defense," not "defence." /

But what side of De Fence

 

[Isaan sailor]

Chiland: the next Chinese colony.  

[zydeco]

37 minutes ago, heybuz said:

But what side of De Fence

 

Doomsday

[Krataiboy]

News China, Thailand agree to enhance military cooperation

Must read US-Thai defence treaty looks to cement alliance in 21st century

 

Or how to put yourself between the devil and the deep blue sea.

[OneZero]

Play up to both sides or play one side off against the other.  That is why Thailand was not colonized by Brits or French & that has made Thailand so proud it has continued it as a theme in foreign policy.  Witness WWII, declare war on US, but have an underground movement against the Japs.  Continuation of same theme.

 

 

[Scot123]

1 hour ago, OneZero said:

Play up to both sides or play one side off against the other.  That is why Thailand was not colonized by Brits or French & that has made Thailand so proud it has continued it as a theme in foreign policy.  Witness WWII, declare war on US, but have an underground movement against the Japs.  Continuation of same theme.

 

 

Wow warped sence of history to say Thailand has never been coloniesed is laughable especially after mentioning Japan and ww2. You need to read Thai history from a non Thai and non American unless pre 1945. Thailand invaded by Japan and surrenders within minutes then sides with Japan and fights in the North alongside the Japanese against the Chinese. Japan building railways etc and infrastructure and taking sesorces ect is basically colonising. Their's and Japan's defeat saved Thailand. America as now wanted a foothold in Asia hence got away with their part in ww2 but if UK/china had got their way Thailand would be far different place and in my opinion far better and most defiantly less coups. 

[Cake Monster]

9 hours ago, Oziex1 said:

Other stories in today's news feed seem to contradict this.  

Prawits thumbs up to Chinese claims in the South China Sea and Prayuths interest in more military interaction.

Trying to run with the Hare and the Hounds.

Gonna end in tears for sure. Thailand is a very small fish in a big Pond

[wwest5829]

3 hours ago, OneZero said:

Play up to both sides or play one side off against the other.  That is why Thailand was not colonized by Brits or French & that has made Thailand so proud it has continued it as a theme in foreign policy.  Witness WWII, declare war on US, but have an underground movement against the Japs.  Continuation of same theme.

 

 

Careful here, the war declaration was not delivered in Washington, unlike the war declaration on Britain. Thus, at the end of WW II, Britain wanted Thailand treated as an enemy combatant while the US supported a more “diplomatic” approach to the treatment of Thailand. If I am not mistaken in my reading of history. If I am, please cite the references so I can continue my education.

[mickey rat]

Who are the defending them from? They got another military deal with China so it must be those evil Russians who are trying to take over the world! ????????

[Andrew65]

14 hours ago, Oziex1 said:

Other stories in today's news feed seem to contradict this.  

Prawits thumbs up to Chinese claims in the South China Sea and Prayuths interest in more military interaction.

Yes I noticed that.

 

Then again, I wonder what our leaders in the West are thinking about having Turkey as a NATO ally?

[OneZero]

19 hours ago, OneZero said:

Play up to both sides or play one side off against the other.  That is why Thailand was not colonized by Brits or French & that has made Thailand so proud it has continued it as a theme in foreign policy.  Witness WWII, declare war on US, but have an underground movement against the Japs.  Continuation of same theme.

 

 

 

16 hours ago, wwest5829 said:

Careful here, the war declaration was not delivered in Washington, unlike the war declaration on Britain. Thus, at the end of WW II, Britain wanted Thailand treated as an enemy combatant while the US supported a more “diplomatic” approach to the treatment of Thailand. If I am not mistaken in my reading of history. If I am, please cite the references so I can continue my education.

Ya,Thanks,  you illustrated the point I was making.  Bangkok declares War on US but it's ambassador in Washington refuses to deliver it. Interesting link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Thai_Movement

 

Background[edit]

In the aftermath of the Japanese invasion of Thailand on 7–8 December 1941, the regime of Plaek Phibunsongkhram (Phibun) declared war on the United Kingdom and the United States on 25 January 1942.^[1] Seni Pramoj, the Thai ambassador in Washington, refused to deliver the declaration to the United States government. Accordingly, the United States refrained from declaring war on Thailand. Seni, a conservative aristocrat whose anti-Japanese credentials were well established, organized the Free Thai Movement with American assistance, recruiting Thai students in the United States to work with the United States Office of Strategic Services (OSS). The OSS trained Thai personnel for underground activities, and units were readied to infiltrate Thailand. By the end of the war, more than 50,000 Thai had been trained and armed to resist the Japanese by Free Thai members who had been parachuted into the country.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Thai_Movement

[Oziex1]

3 hours ago, OneZero said:

 

Ya,Thanks,  you illustrated the point I was making.  Bangkok declares War on US but it's ambassador in Washington refuses to deliver it. Interesting link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Thai_Movement

 

Background[edit]

In the aftermath of the Japanese invasion of Thailand on 7–8 December 1941, the regime of Plaek Phibunsongkhram (Phibun) declared war on the United Kingdom and the United States on 25 January 1942.^[1] Seni Pramoj, the Thai ambassador in Washington, refused to deliver the declaration to the United States government. Accordingly, the United States refrained from declaring war on Thailand. Seni, a conservative aristocrat whose anti-Japanese credentials were well established, organized the Free Thai Movement with American assistance, recruiting Thai students in the United States to work with the United States Office of Strategic Services (OSS). The OSS trained Thai personnel for underground activities, and units were readied to infiltrate Thailand. By the end of the war, more than 50,000 Thai had been trained and armed to resist the Japanese by Free Thai members who had been parachuted into the country.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Free_Thai_Movement

Thanks for that, interesting reading.

They just couldn't shake the military involvement in the running of the country. So sad.