A history of Cambodia-Thailand Diplomatic Relations 1950-2020 (PDF)

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This book aims to provide an analysis of Cambodia-Thailand diplomatic relations over the past seven decades, specifically from 1950 to 2020. While other academic publications have focused on particular aspects of Cambodian-Thai relations (e.g. border conflicts or cultural ties), this book is the first to cover a comprehensive history of diplomatic relations between the two countries starting from the establishment of official diplomatic ties in 1950 to the present. In addition to empirical discussion, it seeks to explain why Cambodian-Thai relationships have fluctuated and what primary factors caused the shifts during the period discussed. In doing so, it employs the “social conflict” analysis, which views states not as unitary actors, but within which are comprised of different societal forces competing with one another and pursues foreign policies in accordance with their own ideology, interest, and strategy. As such, it is postulated that Cambodia-Thailand diplomatic relations should not be seen simply as relations between two unitary states cooperating with or securitizing against one another, but rather as a matrix of intertwining relationships between various social and political groups in both states harboring competing ideologies and/or interests to advance their power positions at home.

Book data

Author

Title

ISBN

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Publication Date

July 2020

No. of Pages

256

Author information

Sok Udom Deth is an Associate Professor of International Relations and the Rector of Paragon International University (formerly Zaman University). Dr. Deth received his Bachelor’s degree with High Honors in Sociology from Boĝaziçi University (Turkey), a Master’s degree in Southeast Asian Studies from Ohio University (USA), and a Ph.D. in Southeast Asian Studies from Humboldt University of Berlin (Germany). He is a member of the Board of Academic Advisors of Future Forum and a Senior Fellow at the Cambodian Institute for Cooperation and Peace (CICP).

Table of Contents

01.  INTRODUCTION                                                                                               1
Historiography on Khmer-Thai relations …………………………………………………… 3
Why this book? ……………………………………………………………………………………10
Theoretical framework …………………………………………………………………………10
Structure of the book ……………………………………………………………………………….14

02. SANGKUM REASTR NIYUM PERIOD (1955–1970)                                     17
Cambodia–Thailand relations leading up to World War II ……………………….18
Cambodia and Thailand after World War II …………………………………………….. 20
The Royal Crusade of Independence of Norodom Sihanouk …………………….22
Cambodia’s independence and Sihanouk’s grip of power (1955–1963) …….. 24
The case of Preah Vihear temple ………………………………………………………….25
Prince Sihanouk’s “neutrality” and relations with Thailand ………………….29
The “Bangkok Plot” …………………………………………………………………………….. 33
Post-1962: the prince “turned left” ……………………………………………………………38
Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 43

03. KHMER REPUBLIC PERIOD (1970–1975)                                                     45
The March 1970 coup and the civil war in Cambodia ……………………………….46
The Khmer Republic’s foreign policy outlook …………………………………………..52
Relations with Thailand (May 1970–October 1973) ………………………………….55
Relations with Thailand (October 1973–April 1975) ………………………………..59
The turmoil in the Khmer Republic ……………………………………………………..60
Discontent in Thailand during the early 1970s …………………………………….63
The collapse of the Khmer Republic …………………………………………………….67
Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 68

04 DEMOCRATIC KAMPUCHEA PERIOD (1975–1979)                                     73
Democratic Kampuchea’s foreign policy outlook ……………………………………..75
Relations from April 1975 to October 1976: neutral ties ………………………….. 77
The Mayaguez affair (May 1975) …………………………………………………………. 79
Thailand-China détente ………………………………………………………………………. 81
DK–Thailand’s shared interests (1975–1976) ………………………………………. 83
Khmer refugees and armed resistance forces (1975–1976) ………………….. 84
Hostile relations between October 1976 and October 1977 ……………………… 87
Rapprochement between October 1977 and December 1978 …………………… 91
Normalization with Kriangsak’s government ……………………………………….91
DK-Vietnam tensions ………………………………………………………………………….95
Conclusion ………………………………………………………………………………………………. 99

05 THE PEOPLE’S REPUBLIC OF KAMPUCHEA PERIOD
(1979–1991)                                                                                                                                  103
The Third Indochina War ……………………………………………………………………….104
Thailand as the “frontline state” ………………………………………………………………106
The PRK and its limited choices in foreign policy making ………………………110
Refugees and border politics …………………………………………………………………..114
The Coalition Government of Democratic Kampuchea (CGDK) ……………122
The “K5 Plan” …………………………………………………………………………………………126
Hun Sen and perestroika …………………………………………………………………………130
Changes in Thai domestic politics …………………………………………………………..131
Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………………………………..136

06. RELATIONS IN THE POST-COLD WAR ERA
(1991–2020)                                                                                                                                   141
Election and the establishment of the Royal Government of Cambodia ….142
Thailand’s dual-track diplomacy with Cambodia (1993–1998) ……………….144
The Khmer Rouge factor ……………………………………………………………………144
Cambodian–Thailand economic relations (1992–2003) ……………………..149
The Cambodian political fallout (July 1997) ……………………………………………152
The rise of Thaksin and Thai foreign policy toward Cambodia ……………….155
The politics of the 2003 anti-Thai riots ……………………………………………………159
Restoring good-neighbors’ relations (2003–2008) …………………………………..164
The hostage of Thai domestic politics (2008–2014) …………………………………166
Relations since the 2014 coup …………………………………………………………………173
Conclusion ……………………………………………………………………………………………..177