Kriengsak Chareonwongsak Thailand’s relationship

Restoring Thai-Burma relations will bring advantages to both parties. Thailand’s relationship with Burma has become increasingly strained in recent times. Tensions between the two nations have increased mostly because of security issues such as amphetamines smuggled into Thailand, illegal Burmese workers, and Burmese minorities camped along the 2,400 kilometers of shared borderline. Poor relations with Burma have resulted in a number of Thai civilian deaths, damage to cities and towns within reach of Burma’s munitions, and other significant losses.

However, border trade worth about 10 billion baht per year would be lost if relations between the two were not restored. When Burma closed the Ta Kee Lek border crossing, over the last 4 months (March-June 2001) it resulted in a loss of more than 2,000 million Baht in revenue and was the cause of many business owners, in Thailand’s adjoining Mae Sai District, incurring huge financial losses. Similarly, closure of other border crossings would result in the loss of valuable tourism income to the merchants in those other areas.

Other industries have likewise been affected also. For example, the fishing industry has been severely affected by the withdrawal, for an indeterminable period of time, of international fishing concessions given to Thai fishing boats. Instead, the Burmese government welcomes Taiwanese, South Korean and Chinese fishing boats into its territorial waters. Consumer product industries are also affected and closure of border crossings cuts off Burma’s access to goods available in Thailand. As a result, Burma is looking increasingly to China, Singapore, India, and Japan for the consumer goods they used to buy from Thailand. This is despite the fact that when relations between the nations were normal, Thailand was a favored trading partner because trade with Thailand put the least amount of strain on Burma’s deficient transportation infrastructure.

Thailand will suffer long-term disadvantage from a continuing poor relationship with Burma. In the past, Burma supplied cheap raw materials and labor supplies to Thailand. If Burma’s internal transportation infrastructures were improved Thailand could use Burma as an industry base for exporting goods to China, India and other parts of the South Asian region. However, while Thailand pays scant attention to Burma, other nations such as Japan, Australia, and Singapore have increased their investments in the country.
Although the Thai government has tried to improve relations with Burma, conflicts have only seemed to increase a fact that could result in long-term drawbacks for both sides.

Burma as a strategic economic partner

Professor Dr Kriengsak Chareonwongsak
Executive Director, Institute of Future Studies for Development (IFD)
 kriengsak@kriengsak.com, http://www.ifd.or.th

Professor Dr. Kriengsak Chareonwongsak Burma as a strategic economic partner

Burma as a strategic economic partner

Professor Dr Kriengsak Chareonwongsak
Executive Director, Institute of Future Studies for Development (IFD)
 kriengsak@kriengsak.com, http://www.ifd.or.th

This article was first published in the Bangkok Post on July 8th 2001 during a period of considerable conflict between Thailand and Myanmar, so much so that the border between the two countries was closed.


The recent decision by the Thai Prime Minister to visit Burma on 19 – 20 June 2001, in the midst of ongoing tense relations between both countries, was highly risky. It was particularly risky in light of the fact that some parts of Burmese history textbooks were amended to negatively accuse the Thai royal institution, thus further igniting anti-Burmese sentiment. Yet, the result of these negotiations will prove that Thailand’s leader has a world-wide vision, looking at the advantages of good, Thai-Burma relations. What is especially significant about this visit to Burma is that it marks a significant step towards the better recovery of the conundrum between the two countries. It builds upon and at the same time, builds up, the intentions of both nations to eliminate drug smuggling and to open border trade both at Tah Kee Lek border crossing and at the border of Mae Sai District of Thailand from 24 June 2001.

Kriengsak Chareonwongsak Thailand’s own internal, tumultuous agenda

Thailand’s own internal, tumultuous agenda

 Despite the fact that Thailand’s foreign policy aims to preserve cordial relations with Burma, in practice, it has been at times ignored. Chartichai Choonhavan’s government emphasized congenial relations with other Indo-Chinese countries but not Burma. Later on, Banharn Silpa-Acha’s government encouraged investment in Burma. However, this policy was short lived when the Silpa-Acha government was overthrown in a vote of non-confidence.
The relationship between the two countries was strained even further during the second Chuan Leekpai’s administration when the government took a particularly tough stance against drug smuggling and border infringements. The Ministry of Foreign Affairs condemned human rights violations in Burma and enforced the repatriation of illegal workers from Burma in both the ASEAN and global arenas – stances that both irked Burma. As a result, during the Chuan Leekpai’s administration, the number of confrontations with Burma increased.

The continued failure to implement a congenial relations policy has fostered a sense of mutual mistrust between the two countries and has therefore  hindered the process of nurturing positive reciprocal relations.
If the tumultuous agendas in either Burma or Thailand are not obliterated, the conventional approach that Thailand has been taking over the past 30 years will fail to create a congenial relationship. Consequently, a radically new approach must be taken.

A sustainable solution: View Burma as a strategic economic partner 
By placing economic issues at the forefront, Thailand could re-vitalize its relationship with Burma. The starting point would be to identify Burma as a “strategic economic partner”. Thailand’s concern over its relationship with Burma should take high precedence, perhaps even over relations with many other nations, because of the shared borders of the two nations.
At present, Burma has begun the process of liberalizing its economy. The Burmese government is also endeavoring to elevate the national image to attract foreign investors. Thus, now could be Thailand’s golden opportunity to forge economic links with Burma.
If Burma responds to Thailand’s economic overtures, it could help to heal the diplomatic gaps between the two nations. Healthy economic relations could help pave the way for negotiations on other issues. For example, tension over illegal drugs could diminish as better economic conditions provide better education and employment opportunities for the people. The furor over illegal Burmese workers in Thailand could abate as more Burmese find jobs in their own country.

At the same time, Thais will benefit from increased sources of industrial raw materials and new investment opportunities in industries with cheap labor.

In the long term, all will benefit. Thailand, Burma and the world community will benefit from increased democracy in Burma. As economic conditions improve, the growth of a middle class and increasing awareness of global issues would automatically enhance democratic values within the society. Thus, by fostering economic relations with Burma, Thailand could be inadvertently helping to gradually nurture democracy within Burmese society.
Promoting economic relations with Burma is a win-win scenario. However, seeing the fruit of this policy may require some patience. The results of such a policy will not only be sustained economic benefit to Thailand, it will help to enhance democracy with one of our valued neighbors.

Professor Dr Kriengsak Chareonwongsak
Executive Director, Institute of Future Studies for Development (IFD)
 kriengsak@kriengsak.com, http://www.ifd.or.th