After eight arduous years, Thai diplomacy has come full circle. With 26 days to go before the next general election on May 14, the international community is wondering whether there will be any change in the country's overall diplomatic outlook. Since the dark days leading up to the intervention in May 2014, Thailand has undertaken an extraordinary journey given the state in which the country was caught with its deteriorated standing in the global community. Critics varied in their assessments of Thai foreign policy under deep stress. Indeed, the long winding diplomatic road revealed both the strengths and weaknesses of strenuous efforts to protect national interests amid the competition of the great powers and in tackling the unavoidable ripple effects caused by an increasingly polarised world.
At the outset, it must be noted that in the ongoing political campaign, which is very dynamic albeit packed with constant bickering, mudslinging and populist policy messaging, the Thai democratic zeal is still embedded in the hearts of Thais -- never diminishing, for better or worse. As in previous elections, foreign policy has seldom been an issue in any political party's platform. Currently, there are well over 300 campaign pledges by 67 contesting parties focusing mainly on populist programmes with some political reforms tagging along.
