Thailand, a linchpin position between MLC/LMC and BRI, and her ample spaces for cross border cooperation in a multi-dimensional areas by Wararak CHALERMPUNTUSAK, PhD. Centre for ASEAN and International Studies (CAIS) School of Political Science Sukhothat Thammathirat Open University (STOU) Presented at Forum on the Human Resources Cooperation The 6th Yunnan Conference on International Exchange of Professionals hosted by Yunnan Provincial Committee of Communist Party of China The People's Government of Yunnan Province

1. Thailand, a linchpin position between
MLC/LMC and BRI, and her ample
spaces for cross border cooperation in a
multi-dimensional areas
Wararak CHALERMPUNTUSAK, PhD.
Centre for ASEAN and International Studies (CAIS)
School of Political Science
Sukhothat Thammathirat Open University (STOU)

2. Before MLC/LMC
• Late 1980s – we were still not
understand each other well (?)
• Economic hardships within
throughout the regions
• ASEAN showed signs of being an
attractive area in multi-
dimensional aspects
• Economic development within
the region as a united, or at least
connected plan was emerged

3. Thailand’s outward-looking policy and GMS
• Thailand’s economic moving
upwards since 1985 Plaza Accord
an influxes of Japanese Yen
• The changing wind of the Cold
War – breaking down of the
Berlin Wall
• ‘Changing battle fields into trade
fields’ and spill-over effects of
the Thai financial flows

4. • 1990s changed milieus
• Thailand’s ambition as a regional
hub – an initial stage
• 1992 Greater Mekong Sub-region
• 1994 ASEAN Regional Forum
• 1996 Asia-Europe Meeting
• Brushing up an anthropological
aspect for tourism and business
activities
• ‘5 ancient-networking of the Tai’
Thailand’s outward-looking policy and GMS

5. • Thailand’s economic burst 1997 de-
mythified ‘Asian Miracle’ (?)
• Asian Development Bank reshaped
GMS’s development plans
• More networking infrastructures
were approved and accepted as a
new driving growth engines
• Various ‘Economic Corridors’ were
drafted
• Bangkok regarded her selves as a
regional hub in terms of
transportation
Thailand’s outward-looking policy and GMS

6. Thailand meets ASEAN’s need for the region (?)
• The 30th Anniversary of ASEAN
• Inception of ASEAN+3 (APT)
• Closer cooperation between ASEAN
and China leading to FTA, the 1st
ASEAN+1
• Questions on whether there has
been disparity between the
founding and the new members of
ASEAN
• Networking activities within GMS
were accentuates, e.g business and
academic exchanges
• Cross-border trades on the rise

7. 2008 financial crisis changed the contour
• Economic dire situation
encouraged closer co-operation
with neighboring countries with
concerns regarding water recourses
– the Mekong, electricities, and
manpower (illegal migration)
• Waning influence of the West,
waxing (perhaps not yet, but about
to) of the East
• MLC/LMC consolidating mainland
ASEAN with China (?)
• Emergence of G20 seemed to
overlook aforementioned area

8. • MLC/LMC emerged as a focal point to
strengthen closer cooperation (or common
destiny, if you prefer) along the Mekong in
2012
• Thailand turns to be a donor, albeit a
small scale
• BRI (formerly One Belt, One Road) was
inaugurated in 2013, viewed as driving
forces for shared and/or common growth
for the region from Beijing
• Mega ideas, mega projects, and mega
money (?)
• MLC/LMC should not ignore the legacies of
GMS
2008 financial crisis changed the contour

9. Thailand as a linchpin for MLC/LMC and BRI
• Superb geographical location of
Thailand, and Thai people’s
enthusiasm to do more cross-
border activities – businesses
and traveling
• Shorten passages to connect
regional inner lands with two
great ocean
• Shortest provided ‘Klong Thai’,
preferred here as ‘Suvanabhumi
Corridor’ is take into account

10. Multidimensional areas for co-operation
• Providing academic backgrounds
and/or business prospect data based
on fieldwork researches (doing more
cross-border research)
• Conducting joint-field work
researched and workshops not only to
supply data for business activities but
also to help people learn more about
each other
• Facilitating more cross activities not
just a short traveling for pleasure but
for longer stay in order to learn more
of each other daily life in-depth in
order to support the discursive
mobility of the younger generation

11. • Arranging joint Caravans to
cover newly established routes
might ignite the local people
interest to know and learn more
about each other within the
region
• Conducting a-long-term research
projects to cover changing milieus
along these routes might help
constructing big data to change
our hinterland for brighter
projects
Multidimensional areas for co-operation