To Trust or Not To Trust Thaksin? A Misplaced Question in ASEAN Diplomacy

In the complex corridors of Southeast Asian diplomacy, especially within ASEAN, the question of trust is often overrated and misapplied. The real currency of diplomacy is deliverableswho can get things done, not who can be trusted in some abstract, personalist sense. It is through this lens that we must assess the recent diplomatic overture involving Malaysia's Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim and Thailands former Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra.Let us be clear: the question is not whether Prime Minister Anwar should -trust- Thaksin. The core issue is whether Thaksin delivered on what he promised. And in this particular instance, he did.The context is critical. When Prime Minister Anwar Ibrahim sought to initiate a quiet diplomatic track with Myanmars military leadership, Thaksin played the crucial role of intermediary. He gave his word that he could bring Senior General Min Aung Hlaing to the table, or more precisely, to Bangkok for a face-to-face engagement. True to his word, the Senior General showed up. In diplomacy, where protocols can take months or even years to arrange, the ability to facilitate a high-stakes meeting is half the victory. As the saying goes, -half of life is about showing up-and Thaksin made that happen.ASEAN Chairmanship Requires More Than National CalculationsAs Chair of ASEAN in 2025, Malaysia cannot afford to be parochial or overly cautious. Regional leadership demands taking calculated risks to achieve regional peace. Critics who question Anwars engagement with Thaksin misunderstand the nature of diplomacy. It is not a quest for moral purity or ideological consistencyit is about problem-solving, building bridges, and sometimes working with controversial actors for the greater good.Thaksin, for all his checkered past in Thai politics, represents an extraordinary repository of experience. Since his ousting in 2006, he has lived and traveled extensively across the globe, learning from the governance models of both the East and West. Like it or not, Thaksin understands power and persuasion. Anwar, in his capacity as Chair of ASEAN, would be remiss not to leverage this experienceespecially in navigating delicate issues such as Myanmars political paralysis, ASEAN-GCC relations, and the increasing contestation between China and the West.In fact, Thaksins experience with the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) during his premiershipwhen he cultivated ties with Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAEoffers insight into how ASEAN could build more robust economic and diplomatic relationships with the Middle East. These efforts laid part of the groundwork that would later allow Malaysia, under Anwars chairmanship, to steer the ASEAN-GCC-China Economic Summit toward a substantive and balanced dialogue between civilizations.Trust as a Diplomatic Red HerringIn international relations, trust is rarely the starting point. In fact, it is not even relevant to the larger context of the ASEAN Chair. Anwar has to do what all previous ASEAN Chairs do. Broaden the net to be as inclusive as possible. If Thaksin fits the bill to get to Myanmar's Senior General Myint Aung Hlaing. Then Thaksin is the man of the moment. Period.Invariably due precisely to Thaksin's role as a conduit the Myanmar military ie Tatmadaw is more willing than ever to consider a longer and stronger ceasefire. Process has become progress. No matter how painful. Anwar understands patience granted that he is the only Prime Minister to wait so long before being made one on November 24 2022. After almost twelve years of total imprisonment. Thaksin respected Anwar just as much granted that the former too was briefly jailed for a year before being pardoned. All nationals of ASEAN should understand political achievements are not easy to ace on first or multiple tries.The article is written by Phar Kim Beng, PhDProfessor of ASEAN Studies, International Islamic University Malaysia