Thailand tougher on maritime

Kavi Chongkittavorn, The Nation, Asia News Network, Bangkok

By nature, Thailand does not want to get involved with security issues it deems a waste of effort, or pluang tua -- the mind-set that dictates the country's security planning.

However, recent developments related to maritime security, or the lack thereof, in the Straits of Malacca has rattled Thai policy-makers, who realize something needs to be done but don't know what.

Thailand is blessed with an excellent geographical location, a narrow peninsula stretching out of mainland Southeast Asia and dividing the Indian and Pacific oceans. The Isthmus of Kra, the narrowest part, is considered one the world's most strategic spots.

It is also a curse, because Thailand's maritime-security policy lacks focus and long-term strategic planning. Historical baggage and a dearth of both resources and personnel are often mentioned as reasons why the country has failed to build up naval forces capable of protecting its maritime territory.

The 133 vessels that the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) has including frigates and off-shore patrol vessels are insufficient to oversee 3,219 kilometers of coastline and 75,876 square kilometers of territorial sea.

For decades, the RTN has been trying unsuccessfully to overcome this weakness. Two-thirds of defense budgets have always gone to the Army, with the rest shared between the Air Force and RTN.

Thanks to the end of the Cold War, serious questions were raised about Thailand's security needs.

Previously, the country's biggest perceived threat was land- based, due to fears of communism. From the 1960s to the 1980s, Thailand was extremely concerned that it too could fall victim to the "domino theory", becoming a communist country like those in neighboring Indochina.

The communist victory in Vietnam spilled over into Cambodia and Laos. Doubtless, Thailand poured all of its defense resources into developing land deterrence.

The end of the Cold War and the Sept. 11 terrorist attack should have served as a catalyst for new security strategies focusing more on maritime security.

But political instability during the 1990s and the economic crisis of 1997 unfortunately hampered the whole effort. All the armed forces had to cut back on budgets and ambitions.

The procurement of the mammoth aircraft carrier Chakri Naruebet in 1999 was an exceptional case and supposed to boost the RTN's capacity to protect its territorial waters.

As only the second Asian nation after India to posses such a huge floating machine, Thailand should have felt confident and secure. But harsh reality set in soon, because it was too costly to operate.

For the past four years, it has been reduced to a tourist attraction, a huge toy.

With Malaysia, Singapore and Indonesia set to meet today (Aug. 1) and tomorrow at Batam Island to discuss maritime security, Thai policy makers are pondering what an appropriate role and response for the Kingdom should be.

Malaysia has invited Thai representatives to participate informally, since it uses the straits. But questions have been raised about whether Thailand should attend as a littoral state.

Thailand shares common maritime boundaries with Indonesia, Malaysia, India and Burma. As such, Thailand should be as concerned as the other three when it comes to safe navigation of the straits.

The sea-lane of communications is considered a choke point, vital to the energy lifeline of both China and Japan.

For the United States, the ability to fight two wars in two different parts of the world -- say, in the Middle East and Northeast Asia -- can only be maintained if the straits are kept open and clear all the time.

Actually, Thailand has already done so, through the Kuala Lumpur-based Southeast Asian Regional Centre for Counter- Terrorism, which opened in 2003.

For the time being, Thailand has relied on cooperation with the United States, which itself could be improved. Thailand has signed the Container Security Initiative, but due to domestic constraints the government has recently turned down accession to the Proliferation Security Initiative proposed by the United States.

The Thai-U.S. cooperation has suffered a serious setback after the tsunami wrecked Phuket and Phang Nga.

The latter is the home of RTN's southern base builted in 1983. It is supposed to house the Maritime Operational Intelligence Information Centre. But that the Thai-U.S. plan was shelved after the base was damaged by the Dec. 26 tsunami.

Obviously, it will not be long before Thailand gets serious with the regional maritime security.