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4 - The Dragon in Thailand and Cambodia

Shifting Foreign Policy and the Influence of China

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  24 July 2026

By
Mark Cogan
Edited by
Steve Chan
Steve Chan
Affiliation:
University of Colorado Boulder
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Summary

The start of the Cold War left Thailand and Cambodia in different places, with Bangkok firmly planted in an anticommunist alliance with the US, and Cambodia caught in the confluence of an ideological conflict in its own backyard. As the US entered its “unipolar moment” and China slowly emerged from its imposed isolation, Thailand and Cambodia have altered their respective foreign policies. This chapter, employing a historical perspective, charts the course of Thai and Khmer foreign policy across three distinct periods: the turbulent Cold War era when Phnom Penh and Bangkok struggled amid perceived internal and external threats, the post-Vietnamese occupation era of Cambodia and an era of some democratization in Thailand between 1980 and 2000 and an era of authoritarian political consolidation in both countries during 2000–2014, and the current era, when a still-fragile Thai government with strong linkages to China governs Bangkok and power in Cambodia has been transferred to Hun Manet. Broadly, this chapter argues that the waning influence of the US has strengthened China’s ties to both countries.

Keywords

ChinaThailandCambodiaforeign policybalancingaccommodation

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Chapter
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Gauging China's Influence Abroad
Theory and Practice
 , pp. 101 - 128
Publisher: Cambridge University Press
Print publication year: 2026

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Accessibility standard: WCAG 2.1 AA

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This section outlines the accessibility features of this content - including support for screen readers, full keyboard navigation and high-contrast display options. This may not be relevant for you.

Accessibility Information

The HTML of this chapter complies with version 2.1 of the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG), covering newer accessibility requirements and improved user experiences and achieves the intermediate (AA) level of WCAG compliance, covering a wider range of accessibility requirements.

Content Navigation

Table of contents navigation
Allows you to navigate directly to chapters, sections, or non‐text items through a linked table of contents, reducing the need for extensive scrolling.
Index navigation
Provides an interactive index, letting you go straight to where a term or subject appears in the text without manual searching.

Reading Order & Textual Equivalents

Single logical reading order
You will encounter all content (including footnotes, captions, etc.) in a clear, sequential flow, making it easier to follow with assistive tools like screen readers.
Short alternative textual descriptions
You get concise descriptions (for images, charts, or media clips), ensuring you do not miss crucial information when visual or audio elements are not accessible.
Full alternative textual descriptions
You get more than just short alt text: you have comprehensive text equivalents, transcripts, captions, or audio descriptions for substantial non‐text content, which is especially helpful for complex visuals or multimedia.

Visual Accessibility

Use of colour is not sole means of conveying information
You will still understand key ideas or prompts without relying solely on colour, which is especially helpful if you have colour vision deficiencies.

Structural and Technical Features

ARIA roles provided
You gain clarity from ARIA (Accessible Rich Internet Applications) roles and attributes, as they help assistive technologies interpret how each part of the content functions.

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