Jakarta: Academics have highlighted eight significant implications of Thai Prime Minister Anutin Charnvirakul's visit to Indonesia, viewing it as a strategic effort to enhance Thailand's role in ASEAN, particularly in the economic and security sectors. According to Thai News Agency, Associate Professor Dr. Dulyapak Precharatch, President of the Regional Studies Association and a lecturer in Southeast Asian Studies at Thammasat University, analyzed Anutin's official visit, identifying key areas of impact on foreign policy, economics, security, and Thailand's active participation in ASEAN.
Associate Professor Dr. Dulyapak emphasized that Thailand has elevated its relationship with Indonesia to a "strategic partnership," mirroring a similar upgrade with Vietnam. This move is part of Thailand's diplomatic strategy to create a network of key allies across mainland and maritime ASEAN, aiming to safeguard its long-term interests.
A focal point of the visit is the enhancement of economic, trade, and investment cooperation through the Indonesia-Thailand Business Forum. The goal is to transition from being mere "trading partners" to "co-creation partners," linking production, investment, technology, and innovation. The Business Forum serves as a mechanism for expanding economic cooperation with countries like Myanmar, which will host a similar forum soon.
Both Thailand and Indonesia are positioning themselves to play roles within the BRICS and OECD frameworks, with plans to coordinate their cooperation to advance in these international forums. In terms of security, Thailand is considering expanding cooperation with Indonesia in the peace process for its southern border provinces. Given Indonesia's experience in resolving conflicts, such as in Aceh, it offers another avenue of support alongside Malaysia.
Additionally, the visit serves multiple strategic purposes, including developing bilateral relations with Indonesia and elevating Thailand's role in the regional arena. This includes clarifying Thailand's stance on issues in Myanmar and discussing Thai-Cambodian relations, aimed at maintaining good relations with Indonesia as a key ASEAN country.
Cooperation in maritime security is another area of focus, with both countries sharing maritime areas in the Andaman Sea. Opportunities exist for joint efforts in naval exercises, combating piracy, and maintaining maritime security. However, these efforts must consider the strategic competition between the United States and China in the Indo-Pacific region.
Moreover, Thai scholars suggest studying Indonesia's "Global Maritime Fulcrum" concept to better define Thailand's geopolitical vision. The sequence of visits to Indonesia by Thai leaders, including former prime ministers from the Pheu Thai Party, reflects the evolving levels of diplomatic and political relations between the two nations.
Associate Professor Dr. Dulyapak concludes that the visit underscores Thailand's proactive role in ASEAN and its efforts to build networks of cooperation in economics, security, and diplomacy, addressing future regional and global challenges.