The content in this page ("Democratic Rhetoric" by Pavin Chachavalpongpun) is not produced by Prachatai staff. Prachatai merely provides a platform, and the opinions stated here do not necessarily reflect those of Prachatai.

Democratic Rhetoric

The presidential candidacy campaigns are heating up in the United States. While the world hears so much about different campaigns to tackle domestic issues, little has been said about the US position in the promotion of democracy on the international stage. In the context of Southeast Asia, the role of the United States in supporting democratization process is crucial; yet it continues to be obscured.

US Ambassador (right) Glyn Davies at the opening ceremony of the Cobra Gold

On 9 February, the United States and Thailand kicked off their annual military exercise under the name code, Cobra Gold. Initiated in 1980, Cobra Gold serves as a platform where now up to 13,000 American and Thai soldiers meet annually and conduct joint military exercises, bringing in both large paychecks and technological transfers to the Thai army.

But Thailand is currently in the custody of a military regime. The Thai army overthrew the elected government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in a coup in May 2014. The military intervention in politics has long been normalized – with the country experiencing 20 coups since the abolition of absolute monarchy in 1932.

After the coup, an army of Western countries voiced their concern about the disappearance of democratic space. Subsequently, they imposed “soft sanctions” against the junta. In the case of the United States, as a treaty ally of Thailand and according to its laws, Washington is obliged to punish the Thai junta for undertaking a coup. This is true with regards to any country receiving military aid from the United States when it experiences a coup.

On the day of the coup, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said in a statement, “I am disappointed by the decision of the Thai military to suspend the constitution and take control of the government after a long period of political turmoil, and there was no justification for this military coup. We are reviewing our military and other assistance and engagements, consistent with US law.” Accordingly, the US government suspended financial assistance to Thailand by $4.7 million halting a number of joint programs between the two sides.

Already, Thailand was excluded from the Rim of the Pacific Exercise (RIMPAC)—the largest international military maritime exercise in the world—held in June 2014 in Hawaii, in response to spiraling human-rights abuses in the wake of the military coup. In her interview, then American Ambassador to Thailand, Kristie Kenney, disclosed, “We take very seriously the whole human-rights aspect to this coup in Thailand. One of the things our government has done is look at our military engagements.”

In addition to sanctions, Washington announced that, owing to the continued allegations of human trafficking especially in the Thai sex and fishing sectors, Thailand was to be relegated to the lowest rank in the US’s Trafficking in Persons Report (TPR), the same category as Syria, Iran, and North Korea, for two consecutive years—2014 and 2015. This announcement was another blow to Thailand’s reputation and this could result in further economic sanctions both at the government and business levels.

It should also be noted that during the U.S. Independence Day party hosted by the US Embassy in Bangkok on 4 July 2015, none of the coup makers were invited; this was meant to send a strong message of the U.S.’s rejection of the coup.

At the opening ceremony of the Cobra Gold this year, US Ambassador to Bangkok Glyn Davies told the media that an improved relationship with Thailand would only be possible when democracy was reinstalled in the kingdom. “As deep and broad as our partnership is today, it will grow stronger still when, as the prime minister has affirmed, Thailand returns to elected governance. With a strengthened, sustainable democratic system, Thailand’s regional leadership role, and our alliance, can reach its full potential”, Davies said.

Although the Cobra Gold military exercise has been downgraded since the coup of 2014, it has continued as usual. Thus, as the American Ambassador reiterated the need for the military government to return power to the Thais, his statement remained rhetorical and raised an issue of whether the United States was really sincere about buttressing political reform in Thailand.

Critics agree that the Cobra Gold should be suspended altogether if the United States is serious about putting pressure on the despotic regime in Bangkok. Because the Cobra Gold has not been suspended, it boosts the confidence and morale of the Thai junta to remain in power. At the end of the day, the Thai military is convinced that the United States will always be on its side; this might be true from the perspective of a broader international political environment.

Washington fears the expansion of influence of Beijing over Southeast Asia. The intensifying level of competition between the United States and China has led the American government to take a softer approach even against authoritarian regimes in the region. It is true that the United States offered its support to a series of authoritarian regimes in Southeast Asia in the past, particularly during the Cold War. But the international landscape has today changed. Nurturing democracy in Southeast Asia should be a long-term interest for the United States, especially as an important strategy to contain the rise of China.

But what is happening in the Thai-American relations suggests that the United States is unwilling to punish the junta for the sake of democracy. The anxiety of losing Thailand to China seems to produce an ambivalent attitude on the part of the United States regarding its democratic agenda. And sadly, none of the presidential candidates is interested in raising and speaking on this important issue.

 

Pavin Chachavalpongpun is associate professor at Kyoto Universitys Center for Southeast Asian Studies.

Since 2007, Prachatai English has been covering underreported issues in Thailand, especially about democratization and human rights, despite the risk and pressure from the law and the authorities. However, with only 2 full-time reporters and increasing annual operating costs, keeping our work going is a challenge. Your support will ensure we stay a professional media source and be able to expand our team to meet the challenges and deliver timely and in-depth reporting.

• Simple steps to support Prachatai English

1. Bank transfer to account “โครงการหนังสือพิมพ์อินเทอร์เน็ต ประชาไท” or “Prachatai Online Newspaper” 091-0-21689-4, Krungthai Bank

2. Or, Transfer money via Paypal, to e-mail address: [email protected], please leave a comment on the transaction as “For Prachatai English”