Thailand and Uncle Sam: the special relationship

By Phatarawadee Phataranawik 
The Nation

 

Thailand’s Foreign Ministry invited the American descendants of Siamese twins Chang and Eng to make their first official visit to Samut Songkram – the twins’ homeland – as part of the celebrations marking the 207th birthday of the Siamese Twins.

 

The connection between Thailand and the US has been strong for more than two centuries – indeed Siam, as it was then, was the first Asian country to forge formal diplomatic relations with the United States.
 

European countries like France, Portugal, Britain and the Netherlands arrived in Siam in the Ayutthaya era long before the first known American to visit – a ship captain – came ashore in 1818. Yet in diplomatic terms, Siam appears to have placed more confidence in the US than in other countries, appointing a former US diplomat to represent the Kingdom of Siam at the International Peace Court to conclude treaty negotiations with the West.

 

Relationships were further cemented after World War II and in the early 1960s Thailand became the military base for American troops fighting the Vietnam War. Indeed Thailand even committed troops to assist the war effort in Indochina.

 

The American influence further spread during this years, with Thailand becoming deeply immersed in American pop culture including film, music, art and education. 

 

But with the East Asia economic boom and tighter relationships within Asean, the deep roots of American pop culture in Thai society are now showing signs of wear and Thailand is increasingly engaging with her neighbours, Thai scholars observe. 

 

“The 1970s saw many changes. It was a decade that was pivotal in world history, especially the economic upheavals following the end of the post-war economic boom. Since 1970s the world’s capitals have shifted from America to Japan, China and Europe, so the American influence started to decline, but it still has deep roots in Thai society,” says Asst Professor Yukti Mukdawijitra, a lecturer at Thammasat University’s Faculty of Sociology and Anthropology. 

 

“The economic boom in the late 20th century and early this century has seen Japan and South Korea exporting their soft power – J-Pop and K-Pop to Thailand. More recently we have seen a boom in Chinese tourists. East Asian cultures are forming exchanges among themselves and the Chinese language has become popular among Thais,” says Yukti who earned her master’s degree from University of Wisconsin-Madison in the US.

 

So have Thailand and the US maintained the close relationship of the past?

 

Two centuries ago this year, American naval captain Stephen Williams docked his ship in the port of Bangkok in the hope of launching trade between his country and Siam. The mission was a success, and Williams returned home with a letter addressed to President James Monroe from Dit Bunnag, Siam’s foreign minister, conveying the approval of King Rama II.

 

Since then the two nations have maintained an amicable relationship that counterbalances to a large extent the powerful influences of China. To further strength the relationship, the American Embassy hosted the major exhibition “Good and Great Friends” in March. His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn presided over the opening of exhibition at the Queen Sirikit Textile Museum, which features nearly 80 gifts exchanged between the country’s heads of state and delegations over the past two centuries of bilateral relations.

 

Meanwhile Thailand’s Foreign Ministry invited the American descendants of Siamese twins Chang and Eng to make their first official visit to Samut Songkram – the twins’ homeland – as part of the celebrations marking the 207th birthday of the Siamese Twins in May. It was a significant symbol of the longstanding cordial and close relations between this country and the United States at the people-to-people level.

 

“The Siamese twins Chang and Eng travelled to the US even before the establishment of our relations. They are the first known Thais to have set foot in the US. Moreover, they realised the ‘American Dream’. They were not only very successful in business, they also were the first Siamese to connect people between the two countries,” says Sarun Charoensuwan, director general of the American and South Pacific Affairs Department.

 

Scholars also note that the most important foundations Americans laid down in Thai society are modern education, technology and the liberal attitude that lead to democracy society.

 

“American missionary Dan Beach Bradley, who moved to Siam in 1835, was among the key figures to lay key foundations here. He introduced American education, modern medicine, science and technology in Thailand through the Kingdom’s first press printing and English newspaper, the Bangkok Recorder, as well as the first English-Thai dictionary,” respected history professor of Thammasat University Thanet Apornsuwan tells The Nation.

 

“As American knowledge is practical, it greatly influenced the elite and middle classes of that generation and that sentiment has been passed down through the generations,” adds Thanet.

 

Yukti agrees. “Despite the current craze for K-pop and the close interaction with our Asian neighbours, American films, music and fashion are still easy to engage with so they remain popular,” he says.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/breakingnews/30350906

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-07-27

14 minutes ago, webfact said:

Scholars also note that the most important foundations Americans laid down in Thai society are modern education, technology and the liberal attitude that lead to democracy society.

??

It is true that Thailand and the US have had a long and rewarding relationship, and it has been beneficial to both parties; Thailand has had a strong security ally to help maintain its independence and the US has had a regional friend to promote its interests here.

 

As I look about in 2018, I see that Thailand is not taking that security relationship seriously enough. To paraphrase Sun Tsu and The Art Of War, 'make alliances with strong partners who are far away'. The inverse of that quotation/equation means that China, the regional competitor, should do everything it can to weaken that alliance in their benefit, and they are doing it. They are doing it well.

 

Thailand should make a VERY serious effort to re-establish the strength of the US-Thai alliance quickly; these things tend to wither if they are not vigorously promoted. And if it withers and dies, who has the ability to assist Thailand as China becomes more and more powerful? No one.

 

But, unfortunately for Thailand, I suspect that the current leadership would be both too proud and too unwise to grasp this...

 

And, it is a terrible loss for the Thai people.

 

Except for that time in 1942 when Thailan declared war on the US.

3 hours ago, kannot said:

??

and a love of money and consumer goods above all else, the American Midas touch.

38 minutes ago, upena said:

Except for that time in 1942 when Thailan declared war on the US.

That war notice was not delivered in Washington, thus a critical difference in the US versus the other Allied belligerents at the end of WW II.

Further cemented after WWII as Thailand sided with Japan and had American happy bombs dropped on it during WWII. 

Then when Japanese defeat was imenanat Thailand did a frenchie and all was forgiven

 

I have just posted in the forsale section a WWII era Thailand infantry rifle never fired has 2 small dints where it was dropped twice once once in 1941 and again in 1945 open to offers. 

Edited July 27, 20187 yr by wow64

2 hours ago, upena said:

Except for that time in 1942 when Thailan declared war on the US.

 

1 hour ago, wow64 said:

Further cemented after WWII as Thailand sided with Japan and had American happy bombs dropped on it during WWII. 

Then when Japanese defeat was imenanat Thailand did a frenchie and all was forgiven

 

Don't know what comic books you read but hey might grab a history book and actually read about it     ; Shock, Gasp, Horror. 
 

"In early 1942 the Thai government officially declared war on the Allied nations. Britain responded by declaring war in return while the American government responded to the news that Thailand had declared war on the United States by basically laughing, saying, “that’s cute” and ignoring them.

 

The Thai ambassador in Washington DC, an aristocrat who disapproved of the Phibun regime’s alliance with Japan, refused to deliver the declaration of war and the United States refused to recognized the actions of the Phibun government as legitimate.Actually, the internal political divisions of Thailand allowed the Allies to respond differently. The Thai ambassador in Washington DC, an aristocrat who disapproved of the Phibun regime’s alliance with Japan, refused to deliver the declaration of war and the United States refused to recognized the actions of the Phibun government as legitimate. The regent for King Ananda Mahidol had not signed the declaration of war and so, lacking royal approval, the American government considered it invalid. A “Free Thai” movement (Seri Thai) was formed to coordinate underground resistance to the Japanese. The Thai embassy in Japan actually supplied information to the American OSS (fore-runner of the CIA)"

Now back to sleep ....................... Yawn

 

Edited July 27, 20187 yr by LomSak27

The Thais are expects at taking the middle ground, smooth as silk, nothing wrong with that.    

Thailand is much more likely to be overrun by Chinese than they are from Americans. Got to wonder how many Thai Chinese would be in a government run by  China?

The relationship is as sweet as a friendship between an anus and a hemorrhoid.

14 minutes ago, Somtamnication said:

The relationship is as sweet as a friendship between an anus and a haemorrhoid.

That sounds like a pile up on a grape vine.

Thailand is clearly pivotal for global prosperity and security.

7 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

t is true that Thailand and the US have had a long and rewarding relationship, and it has been beneficial to both parties; Thailand has had a strong security ally to help maintain its independence and the US has had a regional friend to promote its interests here.

True, they let them operate "torture chambers" here ? 

9 hours ago, wow64 said:

I have just posted in the forsale section a WWII era Thailand infantry rifle never fired has 2 small dints where it was dropped twice once once in 1941 and again in 1945 open to offers. 

I was formerly a gun dealer and that's how we marketed French Rifles.

Or

"Rare specimen. No German capture marks."

No matter

So self respecting American Gun nut ever bought a French rifle.

 

Carry on.

 

13 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

Thailand should make a VERY serious effort to re-establish the strength of the US-Thai alliance quickly; these things tend to wither if they are not vigorously promoted. And if it withers and dies, who has the ability to assist Thailand as China becomes more and more powerful? No one.

The strength is very quietly there. Domestic considerations on both ends make them quiet.

Who do you think trained all those generals? Or the Thai Navy Seals?

 

There are things that go on behind the scenes.......Thailand does have an insurgency you know. 

 

Thinking that Thailand is not an inherent part of the USA family of nation's ignores the cultural and educational background of the Highest level in Thailand.

 

Team USA

Smart Folks Stay Friends With the Big Boy