Thailand, a major non-NATO ally of the United States, is busy helping the Burmese junta. And it is abusing America's call to restore democracy in Myanmar

A day ago, I heard that the ethnic Karens, a Christian minority living in the Southeast bordering Thailand, had fled into the Thai border trying to get refuge in Thailand. Then, only a few hours later, a new report surged that the Thai government had instructed its soldiers to expel any kind of refugees fleeing to Thailand under the pretext that "the border is safe". And this came after the Karen National Union addressed its support for anti-coup protesters in Myanmar and its assault on a military outpost that killed 10 Tatmadaw soldiers. The Tatmadaw, or Burmese Armed Forces, has been retaliating violently and dispatching over 4,000 troops trying to crush the Karens, like how they're doing to its own citizens.

Thus, Thailand's reaction has been very much appalling and is harmful to the Karens. For the wider international community, this move is condemned and it shows that Thailand is complicity in helping the Burmese junta in killing Burmese citizens; only weeks ago, Thailand has been accused of trying to supply ammunition to the Tatmadaw.

For the United States and its allies, the action by the Thai government is an unexpected problem. This is not without something to mention. Why?

The bitter romantic relationship

The relationship between Thailand and the United States is as old as America's infant history. The two countries officially established ties in 1818, making Thailand the first country in Asia to form relations with the U.S., and for nearly 200 years of official relations, despite several up-and-down, Thailand remains the U.S.' oldest ally in Asia. Thailand's romantic association with the United States bolstered by series of cooperation and joint-conflict. Thai ambassador rejected war against the United States during World War II and never handed the declaration of war. Thailand supported the United States in anti-communist wars in Korea and Vietnam, sending troops both. This partnership was sweetly paid in 2003, in recognition of Thailand's participation in the war against global Islamic terrorism and historic alliance, Thailand was awarded as a major non-NATO ally, thus could get access to many modern American and European arms. Thailand also provided to the United States a secret detention centre known as "Black's Eye" or "Cat's Eye", and a military airbase that provided crucially logistical operations.

Despite this long-standing alliance, Thailand can be very frustrating for any American lawmakers. This bitterness is, in particular, an effect on the frequency of Thailand's instability. Although having converted into a constitutional monarchy in 1933, Thailand has experienced numerous coup d'etats and various military juntas. Thailand has also failed to honour the extradition treaty, notably Jamshid Ghassemi, an Iranian who smuggled weapons to the U.S.; or Russian arms dealer Viktor Bout. Thai government has also been questioned of transparency owning to widespread corruption in both military and police force, as well as their involvements in the drug trade. Incredibly, though Thailand has difficulties embracing democracy, it sustains the alliance with the U.S. without question. This is due to the geopolitical rivalry emerging between China and the U.S., as well as Thailand's importance as a strategic economic hub.

In the end, no matter which governments ruling Thailand, alienation is out of question for the U.S., and Thailand is always exonerated.

Thailand, United States and the Tatmadaw

Myanmar's Generals in 2000s.

Still, the edgy nature of Thai-American relations is not just only about the issues between the two countries. The matter also lies in foreign relations, when Thailand and the United States do not always share a similar stance. Nothing examined better than Myanmar.

Thailand has a complex relationship with Myanmar. In history, two nations had fought a number of wars and occupying each other several times. In contemporary history, Thailand had backed a number of ethnic insurgent groups that fought against the Burmese Armed Forces like the Karens, Mons and Shans. When it appeared that the junta, which took power in 1962, would have consolidated enough power and nothing could bear the fruits from supporting the same insurgents, Thai government abandoned them and signed a juicy economic agreement with the Tatmadaw and set up Thai businesses in Myanmar, one of the only few nations to do so before 2011.

The U.S. takes a completely different approach. In the early 1960s when Tatmadaw seized power in a coup, Ne Win, the first dictator of Burma, was staunchly anti-communist, and the U.S. provided mutual support for him, but not weapons. When the cruel 1988 crackdown occurred, the U.S. condemned and reduced its diplomatic mission to charge d'affaires, imposing harsh sanctions on the country. It failed to sway the Generals, as they became richer whilst the population went impoverished, if not to say the Generals even wrote the 2008 Constitution by themselves. The U.S. was naively believing that Myanmar would become a democracy when the military-appointed President Thein Sein engaged in a quasi-democratic reform that opened Myanmar to the world, by phasing out sanctions. It turned out it was worthless, as the economy, despite growing, did not make the Generals interested in leaving power.

Thailand and America's divergence in term of how to staff into Myanmar only exacerbated when Thailand fell into another coup in 2014. This time, the mastermind, Prayuth Chan-ocha, was not condemned even though the U.S. expressed concerns. The new Thai junta largely honoured the long alliance between the United States and Thailand, keeps up with American lethal toys. Subsequently, however, Thailand started to embrace even more dictatorship and trying to rewrite the constitution and laws so that the military can gain some hand. Then go Donald Trump, the President of the United States from 2017-2021, and Trump showed no interests in protecting or supporting democracy either. Trump's disastrous response to COVID-19 at home further damaged United States' reputation, and his souring relations with many allies put America isolated. It's only now Joe Biden becoming President that the United States starts trying to recover its losses, but the damage was done.

The Prayut junta is averse to anything that belongs to democracy, but it has one thing the Burmese junta doesn't have: American backup. It stands abusive, but unlike the Burmese junta, it is smarter and more manipulative. The Thai junta is not anti-foreigner, as it has shown that it can provide economic opportunities. The Thai junta is also not so secretive, it is a bit hypocritical but entertaining enough. The Burmese junta is very hidden and isolated, not open to the international community and maintains strict order. The Burmese junta is even more violent, something the Thai counterparts would probably abhor.

Why these differences can't prevent the Thai junta to help the Tatmadaw?

Min Aung Hlaing meeting with Thai royal member in 2018.

This is a very amusing fact. But let's say like this for sure.

Unlike the U.S. which has little stakes in Myanmar, Thailand has many. It is the third-largest investor in Myanmar and is also a major economic contributor. Thailand has over three or five million Burmese workers in the country, and these Burmese migrant workers contributed over 5-10% of the economy of Myanmar. Thailand is also the biggest supporter of Myanmar's economic integration program in the ASEAN, as well as refrained from condemning the Tatmadaw over the junta's crackdown of minorities. Only this is enough for the Thai regime to not make any partake.

Simultaneously, the Thai General Prayut is also very fond of Min Aung Hlaing. Since 2013, the two military chiefs met at least seven times. The Burmese General voiced support for the Thai General when protests broke out in Thailand against the junta. The Thai General also paid the favour by remain silent in the aftermath of Myanmar coup. Thai junta's failed attempts to assist the Burmese junta by supplying ammunition was also a part of wider decision to secure the love relationship, despite widespread opposition on Thailand. Thai delegation participated in the annual Armed Forces Day of Myanmar on 27 March further indicated that no matter what's gone, Thailand is always supportive of Myanmar, even though they knew it was an inhuman junta.

For any other reasons, we are not certainly known. It stays absurd, so absurd that Thailand's lack of any democratic credibility is only tainting the country's Generals further. But they did not care less. Again, American backup for the Generals of Thailand was, still an advantage, something the Burmese Generals are aware, too. Having the Thai Generals blackmailed democratic call is enough.

The final alarm

The fact that an American ally is helping an undemocratic regime to suppress citizens signals a warning sign for the United States that, not all Washington's buddies are always fond of America's call. It's specifically important when the Biden Administration is trying to recover back the trust of its allies that was deprived under Trump.

We're not clear what will be Biden's strategy to deal with a very cocky partner like Thailand. Joe Biden, so far, has tried to take some pressure with India, a fellow QUAD member, as well as Japan, South Korea and gaining access to the ASEAN to revitalise American policies and its commitment to democracy. Antagonising Thailand, again, is not a decision because of the murky nature.

In the end, perhaps complicated flexibility of call as well as internal pressure may be the best chance to push the Thai junta from helping the Burmese counterparts.