On Sunday, Thailand indicated its interest in joining the BRICS alliance. This announcement was made known by Thailand’s Foreign Minister, Maris Sangiampongsa, through an official letter to his Russian counterpart, Sergei Lavrov.
Even though Thailand has major non-NATO ally status with the United States, Mr. Sangiampongsa expressed that Thailand joining the Chinese and Russian dominated group would facilitate more active participation in South-South cooperation.
However, it’s envisaged that the process might not be completed before the forthcoming BRICS summit in October, despite strong indications the bid would succeed.
Should the US be concerned about this development? Far from it. BRICS’ ambition of dethroning the dollar from its prevalent trade position and harmonizing Global South’s political aspirations has largely been unsuccessful. There’s a glaring absence of actions, rhetoric, a permanent secretariat to organize its activities, and a general lack of alignment among its members.
Interestingly, Thailand is not the first US ally to join BRICS. Brazil joined before Thailand and in January, the alliance expanded to include another major non-NATO ally, Egypt, alongside US associates such as Ethiopia, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE.
So, what’s the underlying rationale for Thailand to join BRICS? The impotence of BRICS renders joining a low-risk move with potential benefits. It could improve Thailand’s rapport with China, its top trade ally, and a major military concern. However, if this fails to materialize, Thailand essentially has little to lose.
