SSU Forum/Tobunken Seminar “Thai Perceptions of the International Order since the Pre-Modern Era: Shaping and Shifting Its Relations with China, Japan, and the US into the 21st Century”

On July 15, a seminar titled “Thai Perceptions of the International Order since the Pre-Modern Era: Shaping and Shifting Its Relations with China, Japan, and the US into the 21st Century” was held, featuring Professor Kitti Prasirtsuk of Thammasat University as the speaker.

The seminar attracted a significant turnout, with approximately 30 participants attending in person and around 70 attending online.

Professor Kitti Prasirtsuk delivered a comprehensive analysis of Thailand’s diplomatic evolution across four historical periods. His presentation identified three recurring patterns in Thai diplomacy: pragmatism and flexibility (“bamboo diplomacy”), adaptability to changing circumstances, and openness to international engagement.

The analysis traced Thailand’s relationships with major powers through distinct phases. During the pre-modern era (1351-1855), Thailand participated in the Chinese tributary system while engaging with foreign traders, embracing ties with Western powers, and integrating diverse international personnel into high governmental positions. The modernization period (1855-1945) saw strategic adaptation to Western-led international order through Western reforms and diversification of foreign ties. The Cold War era (1945-1991) marked Thailand’s embrace of the US-led alliance system, while the contemporary period (1991-present) has presented challenges of navigating US-China competition amid domestic political divisions, particularly in the past two decades.

Professor Prasirtsuk emphasized Japan’s recurring role as a “wild card” throughout Thai diplomatic history, from Yamada Nagamasa’s military leadership in Ayutthaya, the imperial Japan’s support over the Thai-French Indochina conflicts prior to World War II,to contemporary cooperation and Japan’s economic leadership following the 1997 Asian Financial Crisis.

The first commentator, Professor Pattajit Tangsinmunkong challenged the “bamboo diplomacy” narrative as potentially an “invented tradition” rather than empirically grounded strategy. She argued that this framework selectively highlights diplomatic successes while ignoring contradictions, miscalculations, and violence.

The second commentator, Professor Sahashi Ryo, focused on tensions between normative considerations and pragmatic interests in Thai foreign policy, questioning whether democratic principles influence Thai diplomacy or are overshadowed by geopolitical hedging strategies.

Professor Prasirtsuk acknowledged presenting a “standard narrative,” which somehow explained the Thai survival from Western colonization, the defeated status after World War II, and communist revolution, while recognizing the value of critical examination. He emphasized that historical diplomatic decisions were made by small elite groups, making national identity questions complex. He noted Thailand’s fine performance in managing major power relationships, compared to its relations with neighboring countries.

Regarding normative considerations, Professor Prasirtsuk explained that democratic values emerged during the 1990s democratization period, citing Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan’s “enhanced flexible engagement” policy toward Myanmar. However, Thailand’s democratic regression over the past two decades has weakened its ability to champion normative issues regionally.

The Q&A session generated significant discussions about pre-modern Southeast Asia’s international system beyond the Sinocentric tributary framework. Professor Prasirtsuk explained the existence of a “Mandala state” subsystem where regional powers sought subregional leadership while participating in the broader Chinese tributary framework.

Regarding the question about how Thailand’s internal political divisions affect foreign policy orientation, Professor Prasirtsuk elaborated that conservatives tend toward pro-China positions, appreciating strong leadership and economic benefits, while progressives favor democratic values and advanced democracies both in the West and in Asia.

When asked about Thailand’s position between Global North and South, Professor Prasirtsuk expressed concern about Thailand’s lack of a clear grand strategy and foreign policy positions despite having potential leadership capabilities in areas such as agricultural expertise, medical services, and global health, particularly on tropical diseases.
The seminar successfully demonstrated both continuity and evolution of Thai diplomatic practices while highlighting contemporary practical and analytical challenges.

*The event was co-organized by the Security Studies Unit of the Institute for Future Initiatives and the Institute for Advanced Studies on Asia, the University of Tokyo. It was part of the JSPS-funded research project “The Historical Process of Development of the East Asian International Order: The Connection of Non-Western International Relations Theory and Area Studies.”