ASEAN and Thailand's regional security cooperation
By: Saisak Kanpachai
Contributors: Naval Postgraduate School (U.S.) 
Publisher: Naval Postgraduate School; Available from National Technical Information Service
Published: 1997
Place of publication: Monterey, Calif; Springfield, Va
Language: eng
Number of pages: 141
Description: The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) was established in 1967 by the integration of the Southeast      Asian non communist states. Common security concerns in the region made the cooperation possible among them      in the first place. Established mainly because of security reasons, ASEAN at present has only loose regional      security cooperation. On the other hand, it provides close regional economic cooperation. Distrust among ASEAN      members caused by regional conflicts in the past and diversity of the countries is the reason that ASEAN still      avoids anything but loose security cooperation. The closer regional cooperation provides direct improvement to      Thailand's economic national security, but creates only indirect improvement on political component. Therefore,      Thailand cannot rely on ASEAN for its security but has to protect itself even if that means doing something against      the interests of its ASEAN partners. However, AETA provides the first chance for ASEAN members to      cooperate in a long term institutionalized manner. This may help to alleviate distrust and lead to greater trust among      them. Greater trust may in turn lead to closer cooperation in the security sphere in the future.
Notes: "December 1997."

Thesis advisor(s): Mary P. Callahan.

Thesis (M.A. in National Security Affairs) Naval Postgraduate School, December 1997.

Includes bibliographical references (p. 137-139)

Approved for public release; distribution unlimited.

Also available online.

Mode of access: World Wide Web.

System requirements: Adobe Acrobat reader.

Royal Thai Air Force author.

dk/dk cc:9116 05/21/98.