PhD programme:

Graduate studies field: Political Science & International Relations

Crawford School’s programme: Policy & Governance Programme 

Supervisor(s) and panel members:

Supervisory panel:

Professor Andrew J. MacIntyre (Chair, Crawford School)
Professor William T. Tow (Int’l Relations Dept, RSPAS)

Topic title and description:

‘Thailand’s post-Cold War foreign policy: regional aspirations for proactive foreign policy'

This dissertation aims to examine Thai foreign policy (FP) since the end of the Cold War. It focuses on the study of Thailand’s aspirations to become an epicentre of Southeast Asia that arguably reflects in its FP throughout this period of time. This is to argue against the conventional wisdom in the study of Thai FP behaviour in which its central feature is depicted as ‘bamboo bending with the wind’—a policy of conflict avoidance and accommodating external powers in order to protect and preserve its national interests, notably, security and territorial integrity. If this traditional posture holds true for Thai FP, we should expect to see a tendency towards reactive FP in general. Contrary to that belief, this dissertation is attempting to establish a proposition that a central feature of Thailand’s post-Cold War foreign policy is its regional aspiration to obtain a leading position in the region. Regardless of its success or failure to achieve this goal, this feature has been integrated as a core element in Thai foreign policymaking that shapes FP direction and behaviour in the post-Cold War era. Therefore, we can expect to see Thai FP during this time to be more proactive and seeking to set regional agendas that will illuminate Thailand’s position in the region.

Scholarships and Fellowships:

• The Australian Government’s Endeavour International Postgraduate Research Scholarship (present)
• The Crawford School’s stipend scholarship (present)
• Swedish International Development Co-operation Agency (SIDA) Scholarship (2003)
• The Royal Thai Government scholarship (1999-2001)
• Cambridge Overseas Trust/Cambridge Thai Alumni/Riche Monde (Thailand) Scholarship (1997-1998)

Publications:

• ‘East Asian Community building: the role of small powers’, paper presented at the 8th National Political Science and Public Administration Conference, 14 December 2007, Bangkok, Thailand (co‐authored with Dr Thitinan Pongsudhirak, in Thai)
• ‘Challenges to East Asian regional co‐operations and prospects for the role of non‐great powers’, paper presented at the 2nd Korea–ASEAN Cooperation Forum, 7 November 2007, Hanoi, Vietnam (co‐authored with Dr Thitinan Pongsudhirak)
• ASEAN's regional efforts against the proliferation of small arms and light weapons: Thailand’s perspective’, paper presented at the UN Workshop on Small Arms and Light Weapons (SALW), 19-21 April 2005, Beijing, PRC;
• ‘Strategies for Thailand's international economic security interests', Political Science Academy 2001-2002, Thammasat University's Political Science Alumni Association, Bangkok: Nana Printing, pp. 78-89. (in Thai)

Employment history:

• Policy analyst, Bureau of International Security Affairs, Office of the National Security Council of Thailand (2001-2006);
• Research assistant, Faculty of Political Science, Chulalongkorn University (1998-1999);
• Intern research assistant, Institute of Security and International Studies (ISIS – Thailand), Chulalongkorn University (1994-1997)  

Mailing address:

J.G. Crawford Building (BLD 132)
Lennox Crossing,
The Australian National University
Canberra, ACT 0200