When non-interference becomes policy

What US President Donald Trump said in Saudi Arabia on May 14 resonates very well in Thailand.

- Kavi Chongkittavorn

Last week in Riyadh, Mr Trump reiterated that the Middle East had changed because “local people did it” and not because “Western countries interfered and told you how to live or run your countries”.

Essentially, he promised the Middle East that the US would not lecture them. In addition, Mr Trump reiterated that he does not believe in forcing countries to become democracies or interfering in their internal affairs. It was unexpected that Mr Trump would go this far in describing the outlook of the new US foreign policy.

For the past seven decades, the US has seen itself as the world's model of righteousness. Washington has pushed hard on democracy, human rights, and freedom everywhere. If his words are to be taken seriously, it will mean America, at least under the Trump administration, will no longer pursue the so-called "liberal values-based diplomacy". Instead, it will focus on what is best for the "America First" mantra.

Closer to home, Mr Trump's doctrine towards the Middle East, zeroing in on Saudi Arabia and the Gulf, could serve as a good example of the emerging trends in US engagement with other regions.

In Southeast Asia, a myriad of political systems exist and are in play, from communist rule to one-party politics, from absolute monarchy to democracy, among others.

Mr Trump described his approach as "being realistic but sticking to our principles". What is interesting is that his succinct diplomatic commitment came at a time when midsize states, including developing countries, are conducting some soul-searching in their relations with the US. Thailand and Saudi Arabia are no exception.

It must be said that during the same week in Bangkok, the two countries, namely their leading think-tanks, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs’ International Studies Centre and Saudi Arabia's Prince Saud Al Faisal Institute for Diplomatic Studies, held a closed-door discussion on how to strengthen Thai-Saudi relations further.