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Under military rule, Thailand pivots towards China

BANGKOK — Chinese fighter jets thunder through blue skies above an air force base in north-east Thailand, a symbol of the blossoming military and political ties between the junta-run country and its authoritarian northern neighbour.

BANGKOK — Chinese fighter jets thunder through blue skies above an air force base in north-east Thailand, a symbol of the blossoming military and political ties between the junta-run country and its authoritarian northern neighbour.

For the past two weeks, Thai and Chinese planes have been taking part in the inaugural joint air force drill, an exercise culminating later this week with a performance by Beijing’s acrobatic air team.

For Group Captain Chanon Mungthanya, a Royal Thai Air Force spokesman involved in the drill at the city of Korat, it is a valuable opportunity to interact with his Chinese counterparts.

“Our relationship will go up a level during this exercise,” he told AFP.

Historically, Thailand has been one of Washington’s staunchest military allies in South-east Asia and could have expected to see that relationship blossom under United States President Barack Obama’s “pivot” to Asia.

But the May 2014 coup, the second in the last decade, and the junta’s subsequent rights crackdown have strained those ties.

Meanwhile, Thailand is doing a pivot of its own.

“The junta is obviously much more comfortable with China because they speak the same language and commit the same practices: Authoritarianism,” said Associate Professor Puangthong Pawakapan, a Thai politics expert at Chulalongkorn University.

Beijing swiftly recognised junta chief General Prayuth Chan-o-Cha and is pushing plans for a multibillion dollar Chinese-built rail network through the kingdom.

Thailand is also considering whether to spend US$1 billion (S$1.4 billion) on Chinese submarines.

But rights groups say this closeness has unpleasant consequences inside Thailand, with the junta seemingly happy to do Beijing’s dirty work.

In July, more than 100 Uighur refugees were deported to China, despite warnings from the United Nations (UN) that the Muslim minority faced the risk of persecution.

Thai authorities insist the August Bangkok shrine blast was not a revenge attack, even though the majority of victims were ethnic Chinese and two Uighurs were charged.

Earlier this month, two Chinese dissidents who had been granted refugee status by the UN, one of whom had been living in Thailand for years, were abruptly arrested and sent to Beijing. A third has gone missing in Thailand.

“Thailand is no longer a safe place for anyone with anti-CPC (Communist Party of China) views,” said Assoc Prof Puangthong.

Professor Paul Chambers, director of the Institute of South East Asian Affairs, said the junta is “playing the realist ... juggling connections with China, Japan and the US to obtain the highest dividend for the Thai state”.

But Prof Chambers believes the deportations are something new.

“It does show the Chinese that the Thai military is willing to take enormous flak to help Beijing out,” he said.

For the US, events in Thailand create a quandary. Washington cancelled some military aid after the Thai coup and continues to call for a return to democracy. But it is also wary about pushing away a regional ally.

Earlier this year, it pressed ahead with the Cobra Gold exercise, Asia’s largest military drill, conducted annually in Thailand.

“Thailand has pivoted toward China but Bangkok’s edging toward Beijing is not at all a total plunge,” said Prof Chambers.

Washington still holds significant influence, especially if the Trans-Pacific Partnership becomes a reality and Thailand chooses to join. AFP

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