Международная научная конференция ЮВА в СПбГУ-65

Международная научная конференция, посвященная 65-й годовщине начала изучения языков ЮВА в нашей стране Circumventing the ColdWar divisions:Thailand and India in the South-to-South Diplomatic Space 351 representatives of the Phibun Government, met up with the Chinese ambassador to Burma Yao Zhongming [Tan 2018: 91–2; Phathanothai 1994: 51–3. Sang, Luean, and Yao signed the memorandum which affirmed the ‘deep historical friendship between China and Thailand’ and agreed to ‘increase mutual exchanges and establish contacts in trade and culture aiming to normalize their relations in the long run’ [Tan 2018: 92; Phathanothai 2011: 34]. This memorandum and its reference to Panchsheel was indeed a mark of success for Nehru in drawing Thailand into his ‘positive engagement with China’. This was the first time Panchsheel , which Nehru and Zhou came up with in 1954, was used as a framework for diplomatic relations in Asia outside of the non-aligned circle. This achievement of Nehru was not just symbolic, but more importantly it demonstrated that such a pro-western state as Thailand came to accept Nehru’s vision of postcolonial Asia and was willing to become part of it. Perhaps the strongest bond in this rapprochement was Sirin and Wanwai Phathanothai, children of Sang, who were sent to live with Zhou Enlai in 1955 as a token of Thai friendship. Initially, Wanwai was chosen because his name would remind Zhou of Prince Wan and their encounter. But it was Sirin who stayed longer until the beginning of the Cultural Revolution when Zhou suggested she leave for England with an English academic. All of these demonstrate Phibun’s attempts to balance Thailand’s relationship with the United States with another powerful nation — the PRC, which followed the footsteps of Nehru in his policy of ‘positive engagement with China’. Conclusion In conclusion, by placing Thailand in the historiography of the Third World in the ColdWar, this paper has demonstrated the shift in the foreign policy of Thailand from a pro-western stance to accepting the policy of positive engagement withChina and non-alignment championed byNehru. The Bandung Conferencemarked the point whereThailand began to place greater importance on other Asian neighbours and explored alternative foreign policy opportunities. Thanks to Nehru’s involvement at Bandung,