THAI – US SECURITY RELATIONS IN THE PERIOD OF THE COLD WAR – A CONCEPTION

Abstract

Among all the alliances of the US in the Cold War, Thailand played an essential role being considered an entrenched fortification and outpost in Southeast Asia to prevent the expansion of Communism. Therefore, Thai-US security relations observed from outside resembles a sort of ideological alliance. Thailand would be regarded as an Asian nation “following the tail of the US” and serving for American strategic security aims in Southeast Asia, and benefiting itself on it. However, the cognitive situation would be not that simple if Thai-US security relations in the cold war were thoroughly researched into. The paper offers a historical overview on Thai-US security relations, especially in the Cold War to evaluate or discuss the nature of these relations; to understand if they are patron-client relationship between a superpower and a humble nation, ideological alliance or any other kind of international relation. The paper is divided into four main sections reflecting the author’s particular point of view.