Can Thailand engage with Trump’s US?

Thailand must be bold and dynamic in recalibrating its diplomatic ties with the United States under President Donald Trump. Asia’s oldest relationship with Washington carries little weight in the era of transactional diplomacy. Although the 1833 Treaty of Amity and Commerce between the US and Siam described their relations “as long as heaven and earth can endure’, the two countries now face formidable challenges in living up to that 192-year-old oath. That treaty was the United States’ first treaty with a country in Asia, making Thailand America’s oldest friend in the region.

- Kavi Chongkittavorn

The historic pledge made when the US was searching for its first trading partner in Asia holds little gravity. It is about time for Thailand to stop romanticising its “oldest and greatest friend” The Trump administration has effectively weaponised economic ties with both allies and partners, and Thailand is no exception.

Strategically located in the heart of the Indo-Pacific, Thailand possesses valuable economic and geopolitical forte. To maintain its relevance in Thai-US relations, the country must practise principled diplomacy — one that is flexible yet firmly rooted in national and mutual interests, as well as the international rule-based order.

These views were derived from a discussion among four retired diplomats who spent parts of their careers engaging with the US as ambassadors or desk officers, spanning more than four decades. They took part in a panel titled “Thai-US Alliance: Reflecting on the Past, Looking Toward the Future’ The event, held as part of a week-long series of programs commemorating the 150th anniversary of Saranrom Palace, aimed to assess one of Thailand’s most consequential bilateral relationships. The panel featured Supavud Saicheua, Virasakdi Futrakul, Pisan Manawapat, and Nongnuch Petcharat. The four agreed on one fundamental point that the US always prioritises its own interests, regardless of who occupies the White House. What changed are merely the methods and rhetoric. During the discussion, each diplomat recounted how Thailand adapted to different US administrations and the issues dominating each era.