September 24, 2024

The establishment of diplomatic relations between Singapore and Thailand began on 20 September 1965. As a small country with limited natural resources, Singapore has always promoted strong ties with other countries through careful diplomacy and fruitful economic cooperation. Especially within the Association for Southeast Asian nations (ASEAN), Singapore has cultivated strong diplomatic ties with its regional neighbours, having sent ambassadors to represent the country since the early days of Singapore’s independence.

In ‘Traversing the Migrant Corridor: Singapore’s First Ambassadors to Thailand, 1965–1990’ (Asian Perspective, 2020), Assistant Professor Ying-kit Chan (NUS Chinese Studies) discusses the history of Singapore’s ambassadors to Thailand and evaluates how the background of the ambassadors, being Chinese migrants turned Singaporean citizens, positively influenced the development of relations between Thailand and Singapore. Chan references a range of materials in this historical analysis, from autobiographies to reflection pieces penned by the ambassadors, reflecting their perceptions towards the newly-independent Singapore and its burgeoning government. By tapping on these reflections, the article fills a gap in the literature of migrants and diplomacy in Singapore.

Chan conducts his analysis using Philip A. Kuhn’s concept of the “migrant’s corridor” as a framework, a concept that refers to the metaphorical space that migrants have to navigate, being in between their native lands and their newly adopted countries. Using this framework, Chan evaluates how the ambassadors leveraged their migrant background and Chinese heritage to their advantage, using it to retain their connection to their homeland while also connecting with other members of the diaspora, such as those in Thailand. Through this strategy, the ambassadors cultivated strong diplomatic ties that allowed them to navigate key events, such as the decolonisation of Southeast Asia and the Vietnam War.

Read the article here.