Narut Charoensri
Deputy Dean of Research and International Relations at the Faculty of Political Science and Public Administration and Assistant Professor in International Relations, Chiang Mai University
China, the Global South, and the ‘Interregnum’: Rethinking Thailand’s and the Mekong Subregion’s Strategic Options in an Emerging Multipolar Order
The impacts precipitated by the geopolitical rivalry between the United States and China are reshaping the international order. We have observed the articulation of notions regarding an 'alternative international order' not only from China and Russia but also from the BRICS grouping, which advances proposals for alternative frameworks of international trade. Amidst these competitive dynamics, each Southeast Asian nation, as well as ASEAN as a regional organisation, is compelled to articulate its interests in a manner that aligns with its respective national priorities, whilst simultaneously maintaining a careful balance in its relations with other major powers.
I contend that Thailand, alongside other small and medium-sized states, now faces a predicament. On one hand, their economic interdependence with the U.S.-led international economic order and regime has dictated their foreign policy orientation for decades; on the other, the contested 'emerging' international order, as advocated by BRICS, is presenting the international community with additional 'options.' It could be argued that the proliferation of such options is characteristic of a transformation in the international order, as the global structure transitions from bipolarity to multipolarity. Yet, whilst this transformation is underway, an interregnum period has emerged. There exists considerable debate regarding the nature of this interregnum and its ramifications for international politics.
The pertinent question, then, concerns the manner in which this interregnum affects great powers seeking to offer alternatives or to construct new international orders, and how middle and small powers must adapt in response. In seeking to address this, as a scholar of international relations in Thailand, I propose to analyse three key questions: First, what are the characteristics of the current transitional period in the international system—the interregnum—and what are its effects on international politics? Second, how does Thailand perceive the international order, and in what ways does this perception influence its foreign relations? Finally, to elucidate the broader context in which Thailand operates, the third question is: how has the ‘Mekong Subregion’—comprising Myanmar, Thailand, Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam—responded to the emerging international order?
Speaker Bio
Narut Charoensr is an Assistant Professor in International Relations at Chiang Mai University, Thailand.
He earned his BA in International Affairs from Thammasat University, an MA in International Relations from Chulalongkorn University, and a PhD in Japanese and Southeast Asian Studies from the University of Leeds, UK. His research focuses on the geopolitics of East Asia, with a particular emphasis on the Mekong Subregion, including economic corridors and Southeast Asian regionalism. Narut teaches courses such as Mekong Subregion Studies, International Relations Theory, Comparative Regionalism, Politics and Government of Japan, Security Studies, East Asian Studies, and Cities in Global Politics.
His recent publications include: Narut Charoensri, and Seksan Anantasirikiat. (2024). ASEAN in the Eye of Japan; (2023). Scenarios for Statecraft: Strategic Thinking for Communication and Negotiation in the International Arena; (2022). Cities in International Connectivity; (2024). The Clashes Within: How Do the Thai Government Agencies and NGOs View China’s Rise?. He delivers lectures at Chiang Mai University (CMU), Thammasat University (TU), Silpakorn University (SU), and Srinakharinwirot University (SWU), Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the Office of National Security, the National Intelligence Agency, the Command and General Staff College, and the Royal Thai Army War College.
