The EU-Thailand Relations: Tracing the Patterns of New Bilateralism

The EU-Thailand Relations: Tracing the Patterns of New Bilateralism focuses on the so-called new bilateralism, a foreign policy development widespread since the mid-1990s. The main puzzle addressed in the book is why the policy trend of new bilateralism has been pursued in spite of the widely accepted views on political and economic advantages of multilateralism. Methodologically, the book introduces a two-level analytical framework derived from foreign policy theories at the unit level and the mainstream i r theories at the international system level. The case study of e u -Thailand relations shows that in times when multilateralism is in crisis shifts towards a foreign policy pragmatism occur and that the prospects of bilateral engagement, identity formation and rhetorical action facilitate such behavioral change.

Chaiyakorn Kiatpongsan is a former recipient of the Royal Thai Government scholarship and has completed his PhD studies from Albert-Ludwigs-Universität Freiburg (Germany).