US-Thailand: Stagnation and missed opportunities

Michael J. Montesano

 

The election of Donald Trump as America's next president has introduced uncertainty into ties between the world's superpower and other countries. Five scholars at the ISEAS -Yusof Ishak Institute evaluate the likely impact on key nations in South-east Asia.

 

SINGAPORE: -- Mr Donald Trump has yet to finalise his choices for senior foreign policy posts. He ran a campaign bereft of a vision for American policy towards Asia. The political, economic and security issues confronting South-east Asia and its constituent countries merited no mention during the presidential campaign.

 

It is, however, possible to identify factors likely to bear on US-Thai relations in the years ahead. On balance, these factors point to likely stagnation in those relations despite the start of a new reign in Bangkok and the opportunity with which the eventual collapse of the political project of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) junta will present Washington.

 

Full story: http://www.straitstimes.com/opinion/us-thailand-stagnation-and-missed-opportunities

 

-- THE STRAITS TIMES 2016-11-23

7 hours ago, webfact said:

the opportunity with which the eventual collapse of the political project of the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO) junta will present Washington

Only if the US is completely ignorant of the fact that the NCPO will not "collapse" but rather dissolve into a permanent fixture within the government that can still exercise complete control over any elected government agenda and political composition. 

And an isolationist self interested USA will wonder why they cannot trade with the World. Trade is just that two way! Trump may scuttle TPP but this only gives more power to the Chinese driven alternative