An Analysis of China’s Soft Power Diplomacy toward Thailand in the 21st Century

Abstract

“Soft power” is an important issue in the field of contemporary international politics. “Soft power” is “the ability to get expected results by letting others do what they want to do”, which is embodied in a country’s “culture and values, social system, development model, lifestyle, and ideology”. In essence, “soft power” belongs to the broad cultural category, so it is an important part of a country’s comprehensive national strength.
The qualitative research was conducted by documentary research method and in-depth interview, aiming to study China’s soft power diplomacy towards Thailand in the 21st century. The documentary research collected the online and offline documents from the reviewing on the reliable data and information, selecting from the theories and related research. This research was also conducted in Bangkok, Thailand, in order to obtain the research results. The six respondents were selected for primary data collection from the in-depth interview: three from china’s diplomatic expertise and three from Thailand’s diplomatic expertise, who have experience in diplomacy for the past 10 years.
Based on the result of this study, the researcher focuses on China’s soft power foreign policy in the 21st century functions and its impact in Thailand. This study analyzed and discussed the research results on the economic, political, educational and social and cultural exchanges between Thailand and China since the establishment of diplomatic relations in 1975. Thailand and China has replaced cultural exchanges as their country’s main diplomatic means of cultural
soft power. The relationship with hard power can consolidate the theoretical basis of soft power diplomacy in order to analyze the basis of China’s soft power diplomacy toward Thailand. Therefore, the soft power is another form of power that people obey without coercion or counter measures. It can inspire others to adjust their behavior consciously and voluntarily. China’s soft power diplomacy with Thailand is based on diplomacy, economic relations, trade, and education. Further analysis of the areas involved in the operation of China’s soft power diplomacy with Thailand is in politics the actual effects and significance achieved in the fields of diplomacy, social-cultural tourism, education and media cooperation.

Keywords: Soft Power Diplomacy, China’s Diplomacy, Thailand, 21st Century

6217812003, Miss Maburuka Hamza, Advisor: ผศ. ดร.สุรพล ศรีวิทยา – Assist. Prof. Dr. Suraphol Srivithaya, สารนิพนธ์ (Independent Study), – An Analysis of China’s Soft Power Diplomacy toward Thailand in the 21st Century, นำเสนอในที่ประชุมวิชาการ (Conference), 2nd National and International Academic Conference on Innovation and Management for Sustainable, ปริญญาโท (Master’s Degree), บัณฑิตวิทยาลัย (Graduate School), Master of Arts in Peace Studies and Diplomacy, Peace Studies and Diplomacy, Siam University, Bangkok, Thailand – มหาวิทยาลัยสยาม กรุงเทพมหานคร ประเทศไทย