Thai-Pakistani ties destined to strengthen

Thai-Pakistani relations received a big boost this week with the visit of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra to Islamabad. 

Indeed, bilateral ties also brought back the nostalgia of when the two countries were key Asian security partners under the now-defunct Southeast Asia Treaty Organisation (SEATO). Even with this cooperative security framework long gone, judging from the outcome of the two-day visit, the spirit of cooperation still lingers on.

Pakistan has recently emerged from years of domestic turmoil with the recent election of President Nawaz Sharif, who has made foreign policy a top priority. Domestically, he still has a long way to go in terms of bringing the military to accept civilian rule. 

But under his foreign-policy strategy, Nawaz has moved quickly to revitalise the country’s regional and international standing. Under his leadership, Pakistan is on a fast track to bolster bilateral relations with key countries, and Thailand is included as part of the country’s pivot to Asia.

The two countries also signed a memorandum of understanding to increase their annual two-way trade to US$1 billion in five years. With the inaugural meeting of the Joint Trade Commission, trade objectives are also likely to be met as more Thai investors currently take advantage of the favourable economic climate there.

Thailand is also a strong supporter of Pakistan in Asean-led schemes. For years, Thailand has strongly backed Pakistan as a full-dialogue partner. Since 1993, Pakistan has acted as Asean’s dialogue partner in trade, investment and tourism. In view of recent positive developments in Pakistan, Asean is reconsidering upgrading its status in the near future.

In addition, both Yingluck and Sharif, who also serve as defence ministers, quickly agreed to bolster their defence cooperation, including high-level exchanges between all the armed forces; military training; scholarly exchanges; as well as collaboration in the defence industry. The new defence cooperation is an important development because for decades Thailand and Pakistan’s top military leaders have regularly been in touch with one another. Most Thai military leaders have visited Pakistan and held talks. Thai military officials also regularly attend Pakistan’s National Defence College.

From the Thai perspective, the most significant aspect of defence cooperation has to be in the defence industry. Of late, the Thai armed forces have emphasised the importance of arms research and innovation to improve the standards of the Thai arms industry as well as its ability to refurbish and repair. Thailand wants to tap Pakistan’s know-how and technical expertise in helping its nascent arms industry, especially in areas of tank and artillery technology. As a close security partner of the US, Pakistan has benefited from American arms assistance. Pakistan can therefore help Thailand refurbish its US-made heavy arms arsenals at extremely low cost.

Finally, Thailand can also utilise Pakistan as a gateway to West Asia – including Afghanistan and the Middle East. Given the economic slowdown in parts of the developed world, the emerging markets in that region are pivotal to the vitality of the Thai economy.