Houston, We Have a Problem: U-tapao’s Impact on US-Thai Relations

Thermal image of flood waters approaching Bangkok on October 23, 2011, taken by NASA's Terra spacecraft. Recent controversies over NASA’s request to use a base have thrown a kink in the efforts to revitalize the US-Thai alliance.

Jul 11th, 2012
By Kate Bissonnette
Center for Strategic & International Studies

The summer started off well for US-Thai relations, with a high profile visit by Joint Chiefs Chairman Gen. Martin Dempsey in Bangkok June 5, in which he called Thailand a “very credible, welcoming military partner,” followed by meetings between Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul and Secretary Clinton in Washington, DC on June 13, and the fourth Strategic Dialogue the following day. For both the United States and Thailand, there has been a considerable effort to reinvigorate the relationship, which migrated to the backburner of Asia Pacific in recent years. Then, the Thai government’s decision on NASA’s use of U-tapao, or lack thereof, seemed to put a damper on the forward momentum of the relationship.

During General Dempsey’s visit, NASA requested use of the U-tapao Airbase for a climate study, which would be run jointly between the civilian U.S. space agency and Geo-Informatics and Space Technology Development Agency, or Gistda, Thailand’s equivalent. The goal of the study was to examine cloud composition and climate change in Southeast Asia, and would be beneficial toward predicting and preventing major disasters like the devastating 2011 floods.

The request quickly became muddled with several other issues and controversies, including a request by the US military to use the base for humanitarian search and rescue operations, and the United States granting a visa to fugitive former prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, which was granted irrespective of the U-tapao issue July 6, in exchange for use of the base. The opposition Democrat Party railed against the request, saying it could have military objectives, calling it a threat to national sovereignty, and expressing concern over how the move would be perceived by China. All this, despite the fact that the initial discussions and arrangement of the study occurred prior to the Yingluck administration.

US rebuked for involvement in Thai politics

10/05/2010
Achara Ashayagachat
Bangkok Post

The US ambassador received a rebuke this afternoon from Foreign Minister Kasit Piromya for Washington's perceived intervention in Thai domestic politics, diplomatic sources said.

Ambassador Eric John was summoned by Mr Kasit at 4.30 pm.

It followed a Sunday working breakfast involving US Assistant Secretary of State Kurt M. Campbell and former Thaksin cabinet members Jaturon Chaisaeng, a red-shirt leader, and Noppadon Pattama, a former foreign minister and legal adviser to former PM Thaksin Shinawatra .

The Foreign Ministry considered the present political stand-off between the government and the red-shirted demonstrators led by the United Front for Democracy against Dictatorship (UDD) to be a domestic affair. It needed no mediation from foreign partners, sources said.

Mr John was quoted as relaying a message from Mr Campbell, before flying on to Burma over the weekend, that the ``US was here not to mediate a solution or to offer support for any particular outcome, but to underscore US support for Thailand, the oldest treaty ally in Asia, and for the Thai people in this challenging period''.

The public highest level-yet US contact with the pro-Thaksin camp was seen as underpinning the red-shirted movement's proclaimed justifications, at a time the Abhisit government was trying desperately to disperse the demonstration and the ministry, in particular, was trying to nail down the fugitive Thaksin, who was believed to be behind the prolonged protest in the heart of the capital, the government source said.

The US embassy said the Sunday working breakfast was meant to hear views on the Abhisit's roadmap from all parties concerned. The invited government representative, the PM's deputy secretary general and acting spokesman Panitan Wattanayagorn, had called on Saturday night to cancel his attendance.

The US ambassador had been hosting a few rounds of discussions in the past two months with various people including former PM Abhisit's secretary general Niphon Phromphan, former Thaksin administration's deputy prime minister Chaturon Chaisaeng, and appointed senator Gen Lertrat Rattanawanit to see how Thailand would come out of the predicaments, sources said.

``We are neither anti-red or pro-red. We support principles (non violence, peaceful resolution), talk to all sides, and want to promote relations between our two countries and peoples, and not to take sides in a partisan political debate that is not ours to mediate or to resolve the conflict,'' an American diplomat said.

Mr Campbell publicly said Sunday that ``We strongly welcome the Prime Minister's roadmap for national reconciliation and commitment for new elections. We are also encouraged by the UDD's positive response to the roadmap. Restraint and foresight are critical for both sides at this time.''

The US, he said, remained cautious about progress as those who don't want peace or political progress continue to employ violence as a means to undermine resolution of political differences.

"Like the unfortunate shootings Friday night that resulted in the loss of lives. In addition to those injured directly, political violence damages the nation, undermines democratic institutions and legal mechanisms for dispute resolution.''

Military sources said the US has trid to assess what camp will govern Thai politics in futureand would like to balance its investment away from Democrat backing.

``Washington has been closely attracted to Thai politics all along. The US was one of the six countries that was concerned about terrorist action during the airport occupation in November 2008 and has issued a statement of concern over political developments since then,'' the military sources said.

In fact, the Abhisit coalition government has relied very much on intelligence information from the US as Deputy Prime Minister Suthep Thaugsuban and Mr Panitan said before the protests began in mid-March that the government had received intelligence from the US warning of possible sabotage at the protests.

The chronic political rallies in Thailand have caused concerns for all the Asean countries as well. Cambodia has reportedly lobbied some Asean members to issue a statement of concern right after the 10 April incident, which saw 27 deaths and over 800 injured.

However, thanks to friendly member Indonesia's and indecisive Vietnam chair' reluctance as well as strong protest by Kasit, no statement was issued.

Kasit had also to fly to Jakarta to brief his counterparts and President Susilo Bambang Yudhoyono about the Thai situation and took time to update the information to some 40 ambassadors who were attached to the Asean secretariat in Jakarta as well.

Previously, the International Crisis Group (ICG) has suggested Thailand consider mediation help from other countries to defuse its political crisis and avoid a slide into further violence.

Thai-US [and US-ASEAN] relations should change little under Obama

19/01/2009
By Achara Ashayagachat
Bangkok Post Opinion

With a fresh, young United States administration being sworn in tomorrow, hope is up for closer ties between Bangkok and Washington, and also between the US and Asean.

Yet critics are warning that the deepening economic woes and domestic dynamics within both nations will keep the two allies apart and maintain the status quo on pending free trade negotiations.

John Brandon, director of the Asia Foundation's international relations programme, said Southeast Asia might receive a little more attention than it has under the Bush administration. However, with President-elect Barack Obama inheriting a US$1 trillion budget deficit, an economic crisis that has cost millions of jobs and depleted pension funds, reforms on health care and the education system, the expectations might not be met with realistic priorities.

Mr Obama will not be the only one tending to domestic problems. According to Mr Brandon, Southeast Asia is likely to look inwards as well. In several countries, the political situation remains volatile. Malaysia is getting a new leadership soon. Indonesia is having a presidential election. Thailand, meanwhile, is soldiering on in an attempt to get back to normalcy.

He said the Abhisit government could help Asean by working with the US in reinforcing the Asean charter which is highly recognised by Americans as a hopeful mechanism to lead the regional bloc towards being a rule-based entity.

"If I was an Asean citizen, I would not prepare a laundry list for the new US administration but would rather focus on what Asean should do in such issues as climate change, biodiversity, food and energy security, and easing up political restrictions in Burma," he said.

Harry Harding, Georgetown University professor of international affairs, said Washington has yet to be convinced on how much benefit it will get from institutionalisation within Asean.

In his view, Asean has become lacklustre due to its slow process. Its partners have been more attentive to newer forums such as the Shanghai Dialogue which involves people in direct charge of security affairs such as intelligence and defence officers, unlike the Asean Regional Forum which is more of a venue for those from the ministries of foreign affairs.

Still, Mr Harding believes the Obama administration should be more engaging and involving Asia to fill the gaps due to Washington's previous selective engagements within the region.

The US, said Mr Harding, needs to rebuild its power through both military, economic and soft-power influences, although the Asian region might not want to see any particular domination.

"We need to be less rhetorical and be moderate in such issues as human rights and rebuild our economic competitiveness by being a champion of freer trade, and revive the vibrancy of public diplomacy to regain the US' soft power," the American scholar said.

Thitinan Pongsudhirak, director of Chulalongkorn University's Institute of Security and International Studies, said the US should not only focus on their traditional interests but pay more attention to the dynamism in domestic politics in the region which would in the end affect and formulate each country's policies or attitude towards the US.

Vivat Mungkarndee, a keen US observer, said while the superpower was trying to keep Asian protectionism at bay, the region was also concerned if the US itself will become more protectionist in the face of the recession.

Regarding the economy, Somkiat Tangkitvanich, Thailand Development Research Institute's vice-president, believes internal US challenges will force both the Obama administration and Congress to change its FTA strategy.

The recession, the possibility of growing anti-globalisation sentiment and expiry of the trade promotion authority since 2007 will also impede any move to advance the FTA negotiations with Thailand.

For Thailand, political instability, residual anti-market and globalisation sentiment from the anti-Thaksin squabbling as well as procedural requirements will stall bilateral trade talks between Thailand and the US. The status quo is likely to prevail, according to Mr Somkiat.

A US Congress expert on Asia, Emma Chanlett-Avery, agrees times will be tough for free trade issues. Even the ongoing and finished FTAs with Colombia and Korea might not get a "yes" vote easily or smoothly, she said.

Other thorny issues remaining in the way include the Thailand-US Free Trade Agreement (FTA) negotiations, suspended since 2006, the US Trade Representative's elevation of Thailand to its Priority Watch List in 2007 for intellectual property rights violations, wrangling over the issue of compulsory licensing for some drugs and a discontinuation of GSP privileges to three more export products from Thailand since 2007.

Several analysts therefore see the risk of a drift in bilateral relations, although they generally agree there will be no major shift in overall cooperation. Despite the impeding factors, Thailand-US relations from both the administration and congressional points of view remain important because of Thailand's status as a long-time military ally and a significant trade and economic partner.

The picture will become clearer mid-year when the presence of incoming US Secretary of State Hillary Clinton is required as a dialogue partner of Asean at the annual Asean Regional Forum to be held in Bangkok in July. As chair of Asean until the end of the year, Thailand is working hard to get Mrs Clinton on board.

Only time will tell if the "change" mantra will spread to the international scene.