At a Glance
The United States and Thailand celebrated 200 years of bilateral relations in 2018. They have been treaty allies since 1954, one of only five American allies in the Indo-Pacific region. Throughout the period of global expansion by European empire builders, Thailand was the only Southeast Asian country to escape European imperialism. This remarkable feat was achieved by executing a careful diplomatic and commercial balancing act among the global powers, playing the Great Game better than them all. Today, Thailand has a key leadership role in Southeast Asia and finds itself playing the Great Game again, this time a balancing act between the United States and China. Join Tony Zola to learn about Thailand -- its political economy, society, commerce, regional integration, and the realm -- from a resident American who has lived and worked in Thailand and Laos for more than 50 years.
