Bilateral Relations between Myanmar and Thailand

Introduction

Both Myanmar and Thailand are situated in Southeast Asia. Thailand is the only country in Southeast Asia which never to have been taken over by a European power unlike Myanmar. In both countries, the military has been involved in politics. After the overthrow of a democratically elected government in recent years, Thailand has had several coups since the 1930s. Historically, coups in Thailand and Myanmar / Burma are different, in Thailand the army always gave back the power, while in Burma the coup of 1962 meant decades of tyranny.[1] The relations between Thailand and Myanmar have been distinguished by mutual criticism, border troubles and suspicion. The long complex history remained between Myanmar and Thailand because both countries are neighbours with each other. With the fall of Ayudhya, Myanmar was seemed as a devilish nation by Thaialnd. In 1569, Burmese troops invaded Ayudhya and occupied it for 34 years before the Siamese King Naresuan won the decisive battle in Nong Sarai and retook the capital city from Burma.[2] However, the Burmese King Bayinnaung scoured Ayudhya in 1767 again. The city fell again down to Burma after a protracted fight. This event has been etched in the memory of Thai and became the bitter history. In this essay, I would like to focus on “Whether the relations between Myanmar and Thailand is stable or not?” by examining the government to government relations after Myanmar gained her independence. Then, I will move on to the relations of both countries within ASEAN because of both countries are members of ASEAN.

Government to Government Relations

            While Thailand followed a policy of pro-US during the Cold War, Myanmar stayed a neutral country after it gained independence. Ethnic minorities continued to use the Thai-Burmese border as strongholds to stage wars of attrition against Burma and China.[3] The leaders of Myanmar believed that the Thai government was supporting the Kuomingtang (KMT) in the north along the border. It took much dialogue between Myanmar and Thailand to resolve the matter. The main reason for the deteriorating relationship between the two countries was the lack of mutual trust throughout the 1950s. However, Prime Ministers of the two countries, U Nu and Pleak Bhibunsonggram, who visited mutually during the year 1955. These visits became to sign a treaty of peace and friendship a year later. The King and Queen of Thailand visited Myanmar in 1960 for the first time. Thai-Burmese relations, right after World War II, were very cordial because of the growing number of exchange visits among senior officials.[4]

After the coup 1962 by General Ne Win, relations between the two countries became gradually deteriorated. With the proclamation of the Burmese Way to Socialism by Ne Win, anti-communist Thai leaders were alarmed and concerned that Burma would export socialism to Thailand.[5] Due to the two countries did not trust mutually, bilateral contacts  including top level dialogue which almost stopped. The government of Myanmar exercised a long period of isolation. After nearly two decades of socialism and cheerless economic action, the ties between the two countries also improved. Because General Prem Tinsulanonda government (1979–1988) stated that Thailand sought to be friend all countries, especially those that share a common border.

The Chatichai government of Thailand initially followed the attitude of international arena that the regime of Myanmar must be isolated and sanctioned as a punishment for their actions, violation of human rights, after the military crackdown 1988 in Myanmar. However,  Chatichai government changed his mind and followed the policy of maintaining ties and dialogue with Myanmar through the opposite actions to worldwide sanctions. The government of Thailand also assumed that  Myanmar’s crackdown situation  is the internal affair and Thailand made a decision to avoid the desire of pressure on Myanmar.  Until early 1992, the relationship between Myanmar and Thailand was based on a constructive engagement policy, and was fairly stable and consistent though some problems remained, such as overlapping territorial claims.[6] The government of Myanmar continued to exercise non-aligned policy and maintained friendly relations with her neighbours in 1992. Then, a new “friendship bridge” was also opened across the Sai River between Chiang Rai in Thailand and Tachilek in Myanmar in January 2006. Under Thai Prime Minister Thaksin, who made an engagement strategy with Myanmar. In the early 2000s, the position of Thailand towards Myanmar softened. Moreover, Thaksin made a surprise visit to Myanmar in August 2006. Thaksin kept silent on oppression in Myanmar and supported the military regime there, giving them soft loans so they could buy satellite services from Thaksin communications company.[7] Thaksin restored full trade relations with Burma in exchange for anti-narcotic cooperation and border security. The tension and armed conflicts were finally resolved through diplomatic means by late 2001 only after Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra firmly established his authority over the policy-making process and transferred some senior military officers from key positions responsible for Myanmar policy.[8]

Under President of Thein Sein and Prime Minister Yingluck, who signed the Memorandam Of Understanding in several issues of cooperation; comprehensive development of the Dawei Economic Zone and deep-sea port, Myanmar’s human resources  development, capacity-building for Myanmar ‘s ASEAN chairmanship in 2014 and also covering to develop infrastructure inside the country an d further cooperation relating to energy forum establishing , including opening a number of checkpoints along borders such as Chiang Mai, Mae Hong Son, Kanchanaburi, and Ratchaburi.[9] The joint-development between Dawei Seaport and Leam Chabang project is the priority of both countries. Thailand has progressed the relations with Myanmar in economic side. Furthermore, Thein Sein is looking forward to bridging the relations with Thai government; no matter military or civilian government, under several joint-economic cooperation.[10]

            General Prayut Chan-oCha,after the coup d’etat emerged in May 2014,become Prime Minister and head of the National Council for Peace and Order. Therefore Thailand turns to military government, ruled by junta.[11] Due to the military junta ruled in Thailand like Myanmar does, the relations between the two countries became stronger. In October 2014, General Prayut Chan-oCha visited to Myanmar as an official. The good neighboring policy might be used to apply for adjusting the situation with neighboring countries as priority and the best way to solve conflicts is to negotiate between two opponents with a sense of compromise.[12] Moreover, Commander-in-chief Senior General Min Aung Hlaing of Myanmar visited to Bangkok who is the first leader from ASEAN to meet the Thai junta after the coup. He held a cozy discussion with Prayuth, purportedly to strengthen ties between Thailand and Myanmar.[13]

 Myanmar and Thailand within ASEAN

Due to the settlement of territorial issues between the two countries through multilateral and regional forums, the government of Thailand wants to enter Myanmar into ASEAN. Naval forces of Myanmar and Thailand fought in the Andaman Sea over fishing disputes after Myanmar was admitted into ASEAN. Deputy Foreign Minister Sukhumbhand Paribatra said that Thailand and Burma are the only ASEAN members still doing battle, which is against the ASEAN tenet of the non-use of force to settle disputes.[14] After Myanmar became a member of ASEAN, she faced the problem of attempting to change the ASEAN Way by some ASEAN members. Among the ASEAN countries, only Thailand mentioned the constructive engagement policy as its official stance. At the time, ASEAN countries did not have any common or coordinated stand on Burma and agreed to adopt their own position.  In 1998, Thai Foreign Minister Surin Pitsuwan called on ASEAN members to change their traditional non-interventionist approach in respect of each other’s internal affairs to what he called “constructive intervention”.[15] However, the Foreign Minister of Thailand altered his position from constructive intervention to flexible engagement. The government of Myanmar also opposed that the changing of non-interference policy in the internal affairs of other countries. The joint communiqué issued at the 36^th ASEAN Ministerial Meeting clearly demonstrated the flexible interpretation or modification of ASEAN’s non-interference principle and a move slightly away from constructive engagement to enhanced interaction.[16] Instead of supporting the junta of Thailand to immediately reinstate democracy, Myanmar praised the coup in Thailand in recent years. The reverse of the political trend, from democracy back to authoritarianism, could tremendously undermine ASEAN’s Political and Security Community, whose key principle is upholding democratic values.[17]  In reality, the new alliance action between the two countries could not affect peace and stability of the Southeast Asian region. Moreover, Thailand was a supporter for Myanmar to become a member of ASEAN in 1997 and a chairmanship in 2014. In recent years, Myanmar-Thailand relations have experienced a surge of positive bilateralism due to their common membership in Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).[18]

Conclusion

The government to government relations between Myanmar and Thailand stands a position of fluctuation. It cannot be denied that bilateral relations is fluctuation which depend on individual level. In individual level, the perceptions of leaders are not the same. In line with the leader’s perceptions, the relations between the two countries are changing. Although there are different views in ASEAN between Myanmar and Thailand, the two countries maintained friendly relations until this time. Nevertheless, the negative image of “Myanmar as an enemy of the Thai nation” continues to shape the strategic vision and security perception of the Thai political elites.[19] While some of problems between Myanmar and Thailand have been resolved, others have not. Although cross-border invasion and insurgency are diminished, some are continue to be a problem including illegal fishing, illegal immigrants, and refugees. Relations between the two countries were mostly driven by personal friendship before the political reform in Thailand in 1997. The relations between the two countries become closer after Thai government turns to Junta as same as Burmese military government.[20]

Po Pyae Shang, 2016, Introduction University of Japan

Bibliography

Chachavalpongpun, Pavin ,The New Thailand-Myanmar Axis,2014, http://thediplomat.com/ 2014/07/the-new-thailand-myanmar-axis/

Chongkittavorn, Kavi ,Thai–Burma relations, http://www.idea.int/asia_pacific/ myanmar/ upload/ chap5.pdf

Myoe, Maung Aung ,Regionalism in Myanmar’s Foreign Policy:Past,Present, and Future, No.73, Asia Research Institute,  National University of Singapore, 2006

Myoe, Maung Aung , Legacy or overHang:Historical Memory in Myanmar–Thai Relations, Institude of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore, 2015

Penrose, Graham, Thailand's coup – a serious threat to stability in Myanmar and Cambodian, 2014, http://tmgcorporateservices.com/blog/2014/10/11/112-tcasttcam.html

Soparat, Oratai ,Thai’s Burma Relations in the Government of Thein Sein (2011-2013),Chulalongkorn University,http://web.isanet.org/ Web/ Conferences/GSCIS%20 Singapore% 202015/Archive/76cd8af9-11ed-4135-816d-f8dd02816d6d.pdf 

THAILAND AND SOUTHEAST ASIA, Myanmar’s Relations with Thailand, 2014, http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/Myanmar/sub5_5f/entry-3113.html#chapter-3

 

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[1] Graham Penrose, Thailand's coup – a serious threat to stability in Myanmar and Cambodiam,2014, http://tmgcorporateservices.com/blog/2014/10/11/112-tcasttcam.html

[2] Kavi Chongkittavorn, Thai–Burma relations, http://www.idea.int/asia_pacific/ myanmar/ upload/ chap5.pdf

[3] Kavi Chongkittavorn, Thai–Burma relations, http://www.idea.int/asia_pacific/ myanmar/ upload/ chap5.pdf  

[4] Ibid

[5] Ibid

[6] Maung Aung myoe, Regionalism in Myanmar’s Foreign Policy:Past,Present, and Future, No.73, Asia Research Institute,  National University of Singapore, 2006

[7] THAILAND AND SOUTHEAST ASIA, Myanmar’s Relations with Thailand, 2014, http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/Myanmar/sub5_5f/entry-3113.html#chapter-3

[8] Maung Aung Myoe, Legacy or overHang:Historical Memory in Myanmar–Thai Relations, Institude of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore, 2015

[9] Oratai Soparat, Thai’s Burma Relations in the Government of Thein Sein (2011-2013),Chulalongkorn University,http://web.isanet.org/ Web/ Conferences/GSCIS%20 Singapore% 202015/Archive/76cd8af9-11ed-4135-816d-f8dd02816d6d.pdf 

[10] Ibid

[11] Ibid

[12] Ibid

[13] Pavin Chachavalpongpun, The New Thailand-Myanmar Axis,2014, http://thediplomat.com/ 2014/07/the-new-thailand-myanmar-axis/

[14] Kavi Chongkittavorn, Thai–Burma relations, http://www.idea.int/asia_pacific/ myanmar/ upload/ chap5.pdf

[15] Maung Aung myoe, Regionalism in Myanmar’s Foreign Policy:Past,Present, and Future,No.73,Asia Research Institute, Working Paper Series, National University of Singapore,  2006

[16] Maung Aung myoe, Regionalism in Myanmar’s Foreign Policy:Past,Present, and Future, No.73,Asia Research Institute, Working Paper Series, , National University of Singapore,  2006

[17]Pavin Chachavalpongpun, The New Thailand-Myanmar Axis, July29, 2014, http://thediplomat.com/2014/07/the-new-thailand-myanmar-axis/

[18] THAILAND AND SOUTHEAST ASIA, Myanmar’s Relations with Thailand,2014, http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/Myanmar/sub5_5f/entry-3113.html#chapter-3

[19] Maung Aung Myoe, Legacy or overHang:Historical Memory in Myanmar–Thai Relations, Institude of Southeast Asian Studies, Singapore, 2015

[20] THAILAND AND SOUTHEAST ASIA, Myanmar’s Relations with Thailand,2014, http://factsanddetails.com/southeast-asia/Myanmar/sub5_5f/entry-3113.html#chapter-3