Pavin Chachavalpongpun

Reinventing Thailand: Thaksin and His Foreign Policy
Singapore: Institute of Southeast Asian Studies, 2010.

From 2001-2006, Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra transformed Thailand’s international role from one of obscurity into a kind of regional hegemon. Thaksin’s diplomatic ambitions were reflected in his grandiose foreign policy initiatives, designed to locate Thailand at the forefront of regional politics and reinstall the Thai sphere of influence over weaker neighbouring states. But in this process, Thaksin was accused of exploiting foreign policy to enrich his businesses. Thaksin’s reinvention of Thailand as an up-and-coming regional power was therefore tainted by conflicts of interest and the absence of ethical principles in the country’s foreign policy.