泰國軍事政權與國防發展及其區域角色

Thailand Military Regime and Defense Developments as well as Its Regional Role

泰國地緣戰略位置位處東南亞大陸的中心，自1932年實施君主立憲制度以來，軍事政變屢見不鮮，文人主政時較重視處理非傳統威脅，軍人主政時則偏向藉武力解決傳統威脅，並藉此鞏固政治權力。泰國的國防指揮體制由最高行政首長指揮管制武裝部隊的運用，但是軍人主政時，文人統制的精神徒具形式。在兵力結構方面，海、空軍兵力比例小，且編制大、裝備少，未來要配合經濟發展維護海上交通線和空中支援的國防需求，實屬不易。另一方面，泰國地緣戰略位置的重要性成為當前美國與中國在南中國海地區競逐的關鍵角色，雖然泰國有意在美、中之間採取平衡戰略，但是當美國主導的印太戰略架構「以利益取代價值觀」時，泰國的軍事政權仍會與美國和民主陣營國家合作，且扮演東南亞地區和東南亞國家協會的領航者角色。

"Thailand's geo-strategic location is located in the heart of the Southeast Asian continent. Since the implementation of the constitutional monarchy in 1932, military coups are common, the civilian administration is more focused on dealing with non-traditional threats, and military administration is inclined to use force to solve traditional threats, and thereby consolidate political power. Thailand's national defense command system is under the command of the supreme executive head to control the use of armed forces, but when the military is in power, the spirit of civilian control takes the form. In terms of force structure, the proportion of Navy and Air Force is small, and the formation is large, but less equipment, the future to meet economic development to protect SLOCs and air support of national defense needs, it is not easy. In addition, the importance of Thailand's geo-strategic position has become a key player in the current U.S.-China competition in the South China Sea. While Thailand intends to adopt a balanced strategy between the U.S. and China, Thailand's military regime will continue to cooperate with the U.S. and democratic countries and act as a navigator for Southeast Asian and ASEAN when the U.S. intends ''interests supersede values'' in the Indo-Pacific strategic framework."