On the day before officially taking office, Thailand's new Prime Minister Anutin, who is walking on thin ice, appeared at the Chinese embassy to celebrate National Day with China. A "Long Live" statement has won him a crucial card for his possible four-month term.

Anutin and his cabinet

According to Thai media reports, Thailand's new Prime Minister Anutin and the new cabinet government took an oath of office to the King on September 24. This is the third government in two years in Thailand, reflecting the instability of Thai politics. Anutin's government has not changed the status quo, and they will face a general election in four months.

The ideal situation is that Anutin continues to govern, and the government members can remain basically stable. However, Anutin's political foundation is relatively fragile; his party, the Palang Pracharat Party, does not hold a majority in the Parliament, but only relies on the support of the People's Party to be elected. This means that every step Anutin takes is like walking on thin ice, and it is highly likely that he will be ousted in four months.

Anutin swearing in to the King

Notably, just 24 hours before Anutin's official swearing-in, he suddenly appeared at the Chinese Embassy to attend the National Day event hosted by the Chinese Embassy. Anutin not only attended the speech but also shouted "Long Live China" in Chinese. This carefully arranged diplomatic move demonstrates his high regard for Sino-Thai relations and highlights his strategic choice when facing domestic political challenges.

Anutin's government is essentially a "transitional government." In such a short and challenging term, Anutin chose China as the first diplomatic gesture, highlighting China's special position in his foreign strategy. However, more importantly, he needs strong support from China.

The biggest challenge currently faced by Anutin's government is Thailand's increasingly severe economic challenges. According to professional assessments by international institutions, due to internal political turmoil in Thailand, ongoing conflicts between Thailand and Cambodia, and increased U.S. tariffs, among other factors, Thailand's economy has shown signs of sluggish development.

Anutin welcoming Chinese tourists at the airport

This is something Anutin is well aware of. If he can come up with effective methods to deal with the economic challenges within these four months, it will win him a crucial card for his "re-election," and China is a key player in this. In his speech, Anutin emphasized one thing: welcoming Chinese tourists to visit Thailand and encouraging Chinese enterprises to invest in Thailand.

As is well known, tourism is an important pillar of Thailand's economy. In the first eight months of this year, Chinese tourists visiting Thailand ranked first among the sources of inbound tourists to Thailand. By attending the Chinese National Day reception, Anutin demonstrated his diplomatic capabilities as a national leader and showed his emphasis on Sino-Thai relations.

Anutin speaking

In addition to the regional challenges such as the border dispute with Cambodia, strengthening coordination and cooperation with China helps Anutin address complex regional situations, enhance Thailand's influence in ASEAN, and stabilize the potentially volatile Thai-Cambodian relationship. The main political parties in Thailand maintain a friendly policy towards China, and with the domestic situation being surrounded by tigers, Anutin's move can reduce many hostile forces.

Although Anutin's friendly gestures towards China have many positive implications, they also face certain challenges and risks. Due to the need to dissolve the Parliament and hold a new general election in a short time, Anutin may find it difficult to substantially advance major cooperative projects. With Thailand about to hold a new round of general elections, whether Anutin can leverage Sino-Thai cooperation to boost domestic support will depend on how he converts diplomatic achievements into actual economic development benefits.

Original article: https://www.toutiao.com/article/7553896097958150696/

Statement: This article represents the views of the author. Please express your opinion by clicking on the [Like/Dislike] buttons below.