• OPINION

  Parnpree to diplomats: 'Don't give up'

  Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 28/11/2023

  » 'Do not take no for an answer" could be the new hashtag for all Thai diplomats from now on. Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahidha-Nukara instructed his lieutenants not to give up or allow themselves to be turned down too easily when they are pursuing a "proactive economic policy".

• OPINION

  Ten ways to sidestep fault lines in Asean

  News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 27/03/2018

  » Given the unsettled international environment, great powers' competition and regional dynamism, the current Asean chair, Singaporean Prime Minister Lee Hsien Loong, urged the regional grouping to "maintain its centrality and relevance" in his recent speech at the Institute of Southeast Asian Studies.

• OPINION

  Thai-EU free trade deal on the horizon

  News, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 17/04/2024

  » If everything goes as planned, Thailand and the EU could sign a free trade agreement by mid-next year, in what is another example of the European Union's increasing engagement in the Indo-Pacific region.

• OPINION

  Thailand's 2043 security outlook

  Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 20/02/2024

  » Under an increasingly polarised world underlined by the strategic competition between global superpowers -- along with their friends and alliances, it is not surprising that Thailand views the global security landscape with trepidation. Such a trend is a litmus test for middle and smaller power nations to navigate their security policies and engagements. They do not have many choices; nevertheless, these small and medium-sized countries can either align themselves with the most prominent powers or lesser ones that can protect their national interests, or they can get together and use their combined strength to deter the hegemonic ambition of outside powers. Staying alone and pursuing one's pathway without supporting partners is not an option.

• OPINION

  The secret new Thai-French relations

  Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 21/11/2023

  » The photos at the Elysee Palace in Paris said it all. French President Emmanuel Macron posing with Somdet Phra Maha Theerajarn -- the abbot of Wat Pho -- their hands firmly clasped, not only manifested the affinity between Thailand and France, but also their leaders and people, as well as their spiritual inspiration.

• OPINION

  Asean, GCC meet amid Mideast crisis

  Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 24/10/2023

  » The summit between the leaders of Asean and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) in Saudi Arabia last Friday was the first time the two regional organisations collaborated in what is developing into a divided and fast-changing global environment.

• OPINION

  First look at new Thai diplomatic tactics

  Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 10/10/2023

  » In deciphering the 1,288-word Thai foreign policy statement announced last week, it is important to start at the very end. The last paragraph of "Thailand's Challenges: How to Thrive in Rising Geopolitical Uncertainty", put forward by Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Parnpree Bahiddha-Nukara, was particularly revealing. He said succinctly that Thai diplomatic platforms must complement the government's domestic policies to improve people's standard of living and create job opportunities in order to get the country back in the global economic and political arena with dignity. In addition, it must enable the Thai business sector to grow and prosper domestically and internationally to increase confidence in Thailand.

• OPINION

  Can Thai passports' power get a lift?

  Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 19/09/2023

  » At the first cabinet meeting last week, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin announced one of the government's priorities -- improving the power of Thai passports. It is a headline goal that will require extraordinary efforts to achieve. Upgrading a national passport to a higher level involves numerous factors -- economic, socio-cultural, and political -- as well as the general optics of the partnership countries. After all, the large number of visitors to a country is not an indicator of how powerful its passport is. A country might be given more visa-free accessibility and be popular for foreign passports, but its own passport's power can still be low.

• OPINION

  New playbook for Thai diplomacy?

  Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 12/09/2023

  » The Srettha government has started outlining its policies in parliament. Regarding diplomacy and internal policies, two paragraphs in the middle of the draft speech encapsulate the guiding principle of Thailand's new diplomatic trajectory.

• OPINION

  Diplomacy a very different ball game

  Oped, Kavi Chongkittavorn, Published on 16/05/2023

  » With the election now over, a new government can be expected to emerge fairly soon. The time is, therefore, right to discuss the trajectory of Thai foreign policy in the coming months, always assuming that there is a need to do so to keep up with the rapidly changing international landscape.

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