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An authoritative modern history of the Thai regime´s shifting external alliances and the country´s deepening internal divisions.

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Thailand was a key ally of the United States after WWII, serving as a bulwark against communism in Southeast Asia and as a base for US troops during the Vietnam War. In return, the US provided it with millions of dollars in military and economic aid, and staunchly supported the country´s various despotic regimes. And yet, the twenty-first century has witnessed a striking reversal in Thailand´s foreign relations: China, once a sworn enemy, is becoming a valued ally to the military government.

In this authoritative modern history, Benjamin Zawacki tells the story of Thailand´s changing role in the world order. Featuring major interviews with high ranking sources in Thailand and the US, including deposed prime minister Thaksin Shinawatra, Thailand is a fascinating insight into the inner workings of the Thai elite and their dealings with the US and China.

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Introduction: Points of Departure

Part I

1. The Fog of Peace (1945-1949)
2. Means of Power (1949-1957)
3. War Comes to Thailand (1957-1973)
4. Experiments Interrupted (1973-1980)
5. Policy Drift (1980-1988)
6. The Thai Spring (1989-2001)
Interface
Part II

7. A Thaksin for Turning (Thailand and China, 2001-2006)
8. Another American War (Thailand and the US, 2001-2006)
9. China´s Pivot (2006-2014)
10. Continental Drift

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Benjamin Zawacki was a visiting fellow in the Human Rights Program at Harvard Law School in 2014-15, and a term member on the Council on Foreign Relations through 2016. He was Amnesty International´s Southeast Asia researcher for five years, and served as a policy advisor to President Jimmy Carter and two other "Elders" in Myanmar. A regular contributor to the media in Southeast Asia, he has lived in Thailand for 15 years.

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