Economic Policy Cooperation of the United States and Thailand in the era of Lyndon B. Johnson and Field Marshall Thanom Kittikajron (in the 1960s)

Abstract

This article aims to study economic policy cooperation of the United States and Thailand in the 1960s in the era of President of the United States; Lyndon B. Johnson (1963-1969) and Prime Minister of Thailand; Field Marshall Thanom Kittikajron. At that time, the economic policy called the great society program was implemented while Thailand was under infrastructure development of which budget was supported by the United States in order to develop Thailand economic and infrastructure. Therefore, United States economic policy was based on Liberal Consensus and Development. Despite in the 1960s, Thailand was ruled by military dictatorship and the United States represented liberal democracy, the United States ignored the form of government under Thanom administration. If they could facilitate the United States to participate in economic and infrastructure development, including to alliance in containment policy to prevent the spread of communism. the United States would willingly support budgets for economic development and national security. This is a strategy for the United States to alliance in developing countries that do not necessarily have democratic forms of government. But if there is an economic liberalization policy and containment policy to prevent the spread of communism, then it can be an alliance with the United States. However, the U.S. and Thailand’s implementation of economic policy faced difficulties due to withdrawal of U.S. troops from Vietnam and inflation. Thailand was affected economically as the U.S. deducted economic development budget and was forced to transition to democracy by holding election in 1969 after long-term of a military regime.