Thaksin and the politics of domestic and regional consolidation in Thailand

Thai- Cambodian bilateral tensions in 2003 were not an accurate reflection of Thailand's recent foreign policy initiatives. Thailand has embarked on its most aggressive foreign policy moves thus far to seek regional peace and stability, partly driven by domestic political consolidation and a re...

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Main Author: Ganesan, N.
Format: Book
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Summary:Thai- Cambodian bilateral tensions in 2003 were not an accurate reflection of Thailand's recent foreign policy initiatives. Thailand has embarked on its most aggressive foreign policy moves thus far to seek regional peace and stability, partly driven by domestic political consolidation and a reformist/populist agenda under Thaksin Shinawatra and his Thai Rak Thai party. This article first examines Thai politics and foreign policy from the Chatichai Choonhavan government's Indochina Initiative onwords, then focuses on the Thaksin government have significant implications for domestic politics while foreign policy initiatives are to be understood within the Thai tradition of performing a regional leadership role.