Joint Vision Statement 2020 for the U.S. – Thai Defense Alliance
The 21st century U.S. Department of Defense – Ministry of Defence of the Kingdom of Thailand defense treaty alliance enables stability, prosperity and sustainability in the Indo-Pacific region in support of an inclusive and rules-based international order
Joint Vision Statement 2020 advances the 2018 U.S. National Defense Strategy and Thailand’s 20-Year National Strategy objectives by reaffirming our shared commitment to the long-standing defense alliance. It strengthens the special relationship with a focus on the long-term advancement of mutual interests and shared values while also promoting security cooperation capable of deterring or acting decisively to meet the shared challenges of the future.
PARTNERSHIP: Increasingly interoperable and compatible, the U.S. Department of Defense and Ministry of Defence of the Kingdom of Thailand participate actively with other allies and like-minded partners to address complex security challenges across the Indo-Pacific region. As demonstrated by a 65-year defense alliance, the United States and Thailand are stronger together.
ENDURING PRESENCE: The defense treaty alliance, founded on the 1954 Southeast Asia Collective Defense Treaty, and later expanded under the Thanat-Rusk Communiqué of 1962, supports regional and global security by enhancing readiness, flexibility, and resilience. The special relationship between the United States and Thailand, based on mutual respect and shared interests, facilitates a stable, prosperous, free, open, inclusive and sustainable Indo-Pacific region through enhanced reciprocal access and security cooperation.
SUSTAINABLE SECURITY COOPERATION: Thailand is a Major Non-NATO Ally (MNNA). The U.S. Department of Defense and the Ministry of Defence of the Kingdom of Thailand recognize the importance of sustained security cooperation, including education and training, capacity-building, interoperability, and modernization of defense and security institutions to strengthen the U.S. – Thai defense alliance.
LEADERSHIP: The alliance supports Thailand’s leadership role within the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) and other international security fora to advance mutual interests and reinforce the rules-based international order.
REGIONAL SECURITY ARCHITECTURE: The U.S. Department of Defense and the Ministry of Defence of the Kingdom of Thailand recognize and seek to maintain ASEAN Centrality and the important role of the ASEAN-led regional security architecture, including the ASEAN Regional Forum (ARF) and the ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting-Plus (ADMM-Plus), in promoting mutual trust and confidence-building for regional peace and stability.
The U.S. Department of Defense and the Ministry of Defence of the Kingdom of Thailand reaffirm the importance of the U.S.-Thailand defense treaty alliance for the 21st century. We note that defense ties complement all elements of our much broader relationship, including strong diplomatic, economic, and cultural ties. We are committed to strengthening all of these important partnerships in order to achieve greater peace in the Indo-Pacific region and beyond.
Issued in Bangkok, Thailand, on November 17, 2019 (B.E. 2562)
