Organizer: Foreign Correspondents' Club of Thailand - FCCT

Description:

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine on February 24 has seen mixed reactions from political leaders and groups in Thailand and Southeast Asia.

At the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) on March 2, eight ASEAN states voted to condemn Russia’s aggression. Laos and Vietnam, on the other hand, abstained from the vote. The two countries have traditionally had close ties with Moscow. 

Regardless of the UN vote, the majority of political leaders and diplomats in Southeast Asia have been reluctant to be drawn into the pro and anti-Russian camps as seen elsewhere in Europe and North America.  

While Thailand formally voted to condemn Russia’s aggression at the UNGA, domestic views are mixed. Some prominent ultra-conservatives have expressed sympathy for Putin, while progressives have outrightly condemned the invasion. Some anti-Russia activists have even volunteered to fight in Ukraine. Western positions over the invasion have also received a mixed a reception from prominent figures on the far left and right of Thai politics.

What does the invasion mean for Thailand and Southeast Asia? What will the political repercussions be on international relations and domestic politics for countries in the region?  How will economic sanctions placed on Russia affect Southeast Asia in the medium and long term? Will refusals to condemn Russia’s actions from Asian powerhouses like China and India have effects on the region and its already existent security issues?

Speakers:

Nigel Gould-Davies, senior fellow for Russia and Eurasia at International Institute for Strategic Studies (IISS) and editor of IISS Strategic Survey, former UK ambassador to Belarus (joining via Zoom).

Thitinan Pongsudhirak, director of the Institute of Security and International Studies at Chulalongkorn University. 

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