Thailand tougher on maritime<\/p>\n
Kavi Chongkittavorn, The Nation, Asia News Network, Bangkok<\/p>\n
By nature, Thailand does not want to get involved with
\nsecurity issues it deems a waste of effort, or pluang tua -- the
\nmind-set that dictates the country's security planning.<\/p>\n
However, recent developments related to maritime security, or
\nthe lack thereof, in the Straits of Malacca has rattled Thai
\npolicy-makers, who realize something needs to be done but don't
\nknow what.<\/p>\n
Thailand is blessed with an excellent geographical location, a
\nnarrow peninsula stretching out of mainland Southeast Asia and
\ndividing the Indian and Pacific oceans. The Isthmus of Kra, the
\nnarrowest part, is considered one the world's most strategic
\nspots.<\/p>\n
It is also a curse, because Thailand's maritime-security
\npolicy lacks focus and long-term strategic planning. Historical
\nbaggage and a dearth of both resources and personnel are often
\nmentioned as reasons why the country has failed to build up naval
\nforces capable of protecting its maritime territory.<\/p>\n
The 133 vessels that the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) has including
\nfrigates and off-shore patrol vessels are insufficient to oversee
\n3,219 kilometers of coastline and 75,876 square kilometers of
\nterritorial sea.<\/p>\n
For decades, the RTN has been trying unsuccessfully to
\novercome this weakness. Two-thirds of defense budgets have always
\ngone to the Army, with the rest shared between the Air Force and
\nRTN.<\/p>\n
Thanks to the end of the Cold War, serious questions were
\nraised about Thailand's security needs.<\/p>\n
Previously, the country's biggest perceived threat was land-
\nbased, due to fears of communism. From the 1960s to the 1980s,
\nThailand was extremely concerned that it too could fall victim to
\nthe \"domino theory\", becoming a communist country like those in
\nneighboring Indochina.<\/p>\n
The communist victory in Vietnam spilled over into Cambodia
\nand Laos. Doubtless, Thailand poured all of its defense resources
\ninto developing land deterrence.<\/p>\n
The end of the Cold War and the Sept. 11 terrorist attack
\nshould have served as a catalyst for new security strategies
\nfocusing more on maritime security.<\/p>\n
But political instability during the 1990s and the economic
\ncrisis of 1997 unfortunately hampered the whole effort. All the
\narmed forces had to cut back on budgets and ambitions.<\/p>\n
The procurement of the mammoth aircraft carrier Chakri
\nNaruebet in 1999 was an exceptional case and supposed to boost
\nthe RTN's capacity to protect its territorial waters.<\/p>\n
As only the second Asian nation after India to posses such a
\nhuge floating machine, Thailand should have felt confident and
\nsecure. But harsh reality set in soon, because it was too costly
\nto operate.<\/p>\n
For the past four years, it has been reduced to a tourist
\nattraction, a huge toy.<\/p>\n
With Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia set to meet today (Aug.
\n1) and tomorrow at Batam Island to discuss maritime security,
\nThai policy makers are pondering what an appropriate role and
\nresponse for the Kingdom should be.<\/p>\n
Malaysia has invited Thai representatives to participate
\ninformally, since it uses the straits. But questions have been
\nraised about whether Thailand should attend as a littoral state.<\/p>\n
Thailand shares common maritime boundaries with Indonesia,
\nMalaysia, India and Burma. As such, Thailand should be as
\nconcerned as the other three when it comes to safe navigation of
\nthe straits.<\/p>\n
The sea-lane of communications is considered a choke point,
\nvital to the energy lifeline of both China and Japan.<\/p>\n
For the United States, the ability to fight two wars in two
\ndifferent parts of the world -- say, in the Middle East and
\nNortheast Asia -- can only be maintained if the straits are kept
\nopen and clear all the time.<\/p>\n
Actually, Thailand has already done so, through the Kuala
\nLumpur-based Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Counter-
\nTerrorism, which opened in 2003.<\/p>\n
For the time being, Thailand has relied on cooperation with
\nthe United States, which itself could be improved. Thailand has
\nsigned the Container Security Initiative, but due to domestic
\nconstraints the government has recently turned down accession to
\nthe Proliferation Security Initiative proposed by the United
\nStates.<\/p>\n
The Thai-U.S. cooperation has suffered a serious setback
\nafter the tsunami wrecked Phuket and Phang Nga.<\/p>\n
The latter is the home of RTN's southern base builted in
\n1983. It is supposed to house the Maritime Operational
\nIntelligence Information Centre. But that the Thai-U.S. plan was
\nshelved after the base was damaged by the Dec. 26 tsunami.<\/p>\n
Obviously, it will not be long before Thailand gets serious
\nwith the regional maritime security.<\/p>",
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