Thailand’s Choice in Plurilateralis/Minilateralism: скачать в хорошем качестве

Thailand’s Choice in Plurilateralis/Minilateralism:

In recent years, traditional multilateral cooperation has faced significant challenges, particularly in areas such as slow trade negotiations under the WTO and global climate discussions. In response to this stagnation, many countries have turned to more agile forms of collaboration, such as minilateral or plurilateral initiatives—smaller "sub-groups" of multilateral actors like TTIP, TPP, RCEP, BRICS+, and the OECD. However, these sub-multilateral arrangements can carry significant geopolitical implications, especially in an era of intensified global power competition. For small and medium-sized countries, joining such groupings is often motivated by a desire to balance or diversify the influence of major powers. This trend is especially evident in the Asia-Pacific, where great power rivalry looms large. Countries in the region increasingly participate in multiple arrangements to not only secure economic benefits but also as a hedging strategy to mitigate geopolitical risks. Thailand has been actively engaged in this trend. The country has long diversified its international cooperation, participating in initiatives like RCEP, IPEF, and most recently, the Thailand-EU PCA. Thailand’s recent decisions to seek accession to both BRICS and the OECD have sparked debate, particularly given the ongoing tensions between the US and EU on one side, and China and Russia on the other. This public forum will explore whether the economic and political benefits of Thailand’s participation in various plurilateralism/minilateral initiatives outweigh the costs. Can Thailand’s economic hedging strategy help it navigate the shifting geopolitical landscape between great powers?