North Korea's most public links to Thailand are the string of restaurants the regime has opened in Bangkok. (File photo via Vice TV)

The past few months showed Thailand's pragmatism. Its diplomacy is based on a comfort level rather than on perceived political correctness. With its location and added strategic assets, major countries have now begun to court Thailand at their own pace. Although the country's diplomatic pathway was put under severe stress in the first 15 months after the May 2014 coup, Thailand's regional and international profile has incrementally been gaining traction and leading to new cooperation with those countries that have forged the highest level of comfort.

India, China, Japan and Australia have emerged as countries that have provided much needed rapport with and support to Thailand and its leaders in the past three years. These four countries have made their relationship with Thailand special as their policymakers have established a high level of "comfort".

For the time being, the US, despite its superpower status, is not in the group. Neither is Russia even though the comfort level between Thai and Russian leaders has been better in comparison with the US.

Kavi Chongkittavorn is a veteran journalist on regional affairs.

When US Secretary of State Rex Tillerson made a five-hour trip to Thailand on Aug 8, he was unable to secure Thailand's commitment to downgrade its diplomatic engagement and exchanges with North Korea. Washington asked Bangkok to end commercial ties with North Korea by closing North Korean trade representative offices and cutting the number of its businessmen based here in Bangkok.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha's reply was succinct, saying that Thailand would stick to the relevant UN Security Council resolutions. As early as April, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs circulated a 12-page letter to all Thai companies with trade links to North Korea urging them to follow all the UN resolutions, in particular No.2321 (on strengthening sanctions on North Korea).

In fact, Thailand has already shut down Pyongyang front organisations that operate under various disguises along Sukhumvit Road in Bangkok, including a few restaurants.

That has disappointed Mr Tillerson, who has strongly supported Thailand since assuming the secretary of state position in the Trump administration. Also, Thailand was disappointed with the US State Department's latest Trafficking in Persons report, which keeps it on the Tier 2 Watch List for yet another year.

If this remains unchanged next year, despite the kingdom's all-out effort to prosecute high-level traffickers, Thai-US relations, which are supposed to reach a new normal level, will again slump.

Foreign Minister Don Pramudwinai was quick to tell the press after his meeting with Mr Tillerson that Gen Prayut was scheduled to visit Washington in early October at the personal invitation of US President Donald Trump, who also invited Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte and Singapore's Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong. Mr Duterte has not responded to the invitation.

Despite strong mutual desire, Gen Prayut's planned visit to the US might not materialise due to schedule conflicts. So far, Thai authorities concerned have not yet called for a preparatory meeting for his visit.

However, deep down beyond the diplomatic pleasantries, it reflects Bangkok's growing anxiety about Mr Trump's political future as well as US policy toward this part of the world. Thailand is taking a rather non-committal position regarding North Korea, which in the past several weeks has been a top priority of the US in Southeast Asia.

Any dramatic change in Thailand's policy towards North Korea would disrupt Thai-Chinese relations. Bangkok is not willing to play into Washington's hands on North Korea. Indeed, like the rest of the members of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean), Thailand strongly condemned North Korea's missile tests and other misbehaviour but is still not willing to downgrade ties or kick the country out of the regional security platform, the Asean Regional Forum.

Ironically Asean is intensifying its diplomatic efforts regarding the nuclear crisis to display its diplomatic finesse that an international crisis can be defused and subsequently resolved "the Asean way". Asean's two-decades-long engagement with Myanmar, which helped ended the country's diplomatic isolation and restored it to the international community, is frequently cited as one the group's big accomplishments.

Major powers that have a high comfort level are moving fast to fill the strategic vacuum left by America's botched diplomacy. Obviously, political pundits cite China as the biggest beneficiary of the repercussions from Thailand's three-year-old coup. That is partially true if one assesses Thailand-China relations solely based on defence and security cooperation.

China's Foreign Affairs Minister Wang Yi, left, shakes hands with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha at Government House in July. China is among countries that have provided much needed rapport with Thailand in the past three years. (Photo courtesy Government House)

For years, Thailand has been looking for alternative sources to upgrade its military hardware. As such, the controversial procurement of Chinese submarines was a strategic move by the Royal Thai Navy, which has been on the drawing board for nearly a decade. Other non-security matters which showed the essence of Thailand-China relations still have steep learning curves.

What is remarkable have been the inroads made by Japan, India and Australia. They have increased their diplomatic engagement with Thailand since the referendum on the new charter passed last August. Both Japan and India were very supportive of Gen Prayut from the very beginning. In coming years, they will figure prominently in the country's strategic outlook.

For instance, Thailand and Japan, as fellow US allies, are strengthening their defence cooperation as never before. The two countries will soon sign a memorandum that would allow Japan's defence equipment to be transferred to Thailand, which will reduce costs and shorten delivery times.

Thailand and India view their growing economic connectivity as a new driving force for growth and stability. To realise this goal, the two countries need strong security cooperation and assurances. New Delhi has long wanted to provide military hardware to Bangkok at friendship prices. Additional Japan-India broader cooperation are in the pipeline, which would also impact Thailand as an integrated connectivity hub along the East-West Corridor.

However, Thailand's next strategic partner will be Australia, which has displayed a security commitment and resiliency in engaging Thailand and other Asean members. Australian Foreign Minister Julie Bishop understands the pivotal role Thailand can play in leading and directing the group's future direction. Her speech on the 50th anniversary of Asean tracing the host's historical role at the Thai Foreign Ministry was well received.

Thailand's diplomacy has evolved and been highly adaptive since its first foreign emissary went abroad in 1603. Preserving peace while respecting sovereignty is the country's diplomatic principle, which outsiders often forget.

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Comfort level versus political correctness - Bangkok Post