Mekong–Russia Cooperation: Russia’s Unprecedented Move in the Mekong Sub-Region

Click to increase image sizeClick to decrease image size Disclosure statementNo potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).Notes1. International Institute for Strategic Studies, Myanmar (MMR), Military Balance+ (Online subscription database), 29 June 2022, at https://milbalplus.iiss.org/ (Accessed 20 July 2022)2. Akhil Kadidal, ‘Myanmar receives two Su-30 fighter jets’, Janes, 11 July 2022, at https://www.janes.com/defence-news/news-detail/myanmar-receives-two-su-30-fighter-jets (Accessed 20 July 2022)3. Kridsana Chotisut, Poowin Bunyavejchewin, and Nattaraporn Promprasit, ‘The recent violation of Thai airspace by a Myanmar MiG-29 fighter jet: Understanding Thailand’s unusual response’, Asian Journal of Comparative Politics, 8(1), 2023, pp. 476–484.4. International Institute for Strategic Studies, EQUIPMENT—Suhkoi Superjet, Military Balance+ (Online subscription database), 1 November 2022, at https://milbalplus.iiss.org/ (Accessed 20 July 2022)5. ‘Lavrov to have talks with visiting Thai counterpart on September 5–6–foreign ministry’, TASS, 5 September 2022, at https://tass.com/politics/1502919 (Accessed 20 July 2022)6. David Hutt, ‘Thailand: Russia-Ukraine tensions spill over to APEC’, Deutsche Welle, 18 November 2022, at https://www.dw.com/en/thailand-russia-ukraine-tensions-spill-over-to-apec/a-63807806 (Accessed 20 July 2022)7. Thana Boonlert, ‘Russia to boost relations’, Bangkok Post, 31 July 2019, at https://www.bangkokpost.com/thailand/general/1721679/russia-to-boost-relations (Accessed 20 July 2022)8. ‘Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Thailand paid a visit to the Russian Federation’, Press Release, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, 11 February 2019, at https://www.mfa.go.th/en/content/5d5bd21315e39c3060027c38 (Accessed 20 July 2022)9. Ibid.10. Pongphisoot Busbarat, ‘Grabbing the Forgotten: China’s Leadership Consolidation in Mainland Southeast Asia through the Mekong-Lancang Cooperation’, ISEAS Perspective, 7, 6 February 2018, at https://www.iseas.edu.sg/images/pdf/ISEAS_Perspective_2018_7@50.pdf (Accessed 20 July 2022)11. Susanne Birgerson, ‘The Evolution of Soviet Foreign Policy in Southeast Asia: Implications for Russian Foreign Policy’, Asian Affairs: An American Review, 23(4), 1996, pp. 212–234.12. Kavi Chongkittavorn, ‘Russia injects new enthusiasm in ties with ASEAN’, Reporting ASEAN, 27 May 2016, at https://www.reportingasean.net/russia-injects-new-enthusiasm-ties-asean/ (Accessed 20 July 2022)13. Susanne Birgerson, no. 11, p. 231.14. The abbreviation MRC is not an official acronym mentioned in the draft of the Concept Paper. Here, the full name is abbreviated to ease readability.15. Name withheld, Ratsia sanoe chattang krop khwamruammue lumnam khong ratsia [Russia proposed the formation of the Mekong-Russia Cooperation] (Unpublished internal document), [date withheld], Bangkok, June 2023.16. Ibid.17. Ibid., p. 1.18. Ibid.19. Ibid.20. Ibid.21. Ibid. 1–2.22. Ibid.23. Ibid., p. 1.24. Ibid., p. 2.25. Ibid., p. 2.26. Ibid.27. Kornphanat Tungkeunkunt and Poowin Bunyavejchewin, ‘(Re-)Narrating the Evolution of the Lancang-Mekong Cooperation: China’s Diplomacy Behind the Scenes’, Strategic Analysis, 46(5), 2022, pp. 494–509.28. Ibid.29. Richard Weitz, ‘Nervous Neighbors: China Finds a Sphere of Influence’, World Affairs, 173 (6), 2011, pp. 6–14.30. Kavi Chongkittavorn, ‘Russia is back and it’s a little bit better’, Bangkok Post, 13 July 2021, at https://www.bangkokpost.com/opinion/opinion/2147743/russia-is-back-and-its-a-little-bit-better (Accessed 20 July 2022)31. Sovinda Po and Christopher B. Primiano, ‘Explaining China’s Lancang-Mekong Cooperation as an Institutional Balancing Strategy: Dragon Guarding the Water’, Australian Journal of International Affairs, 75(3), 2021, pp. 323–340.Additional informationFundingThe work was supported by the Thammasat University Research Unit in History and International Politics [4/2566].Notes on contributorsPoowin BunyavejchewinPoowin Bunyavejchewin is Senior Researcher at the Institute of East Asian Studies, Thammasat University, Pathum Thani, Thailand. Since June 2023, he has also been a Research Fellow at the Department of Political Science, University of Religions and Denominations, Qom, Iran.Kornphanat TungkeunkuntKornphanat Tungkeunkunt is Assistant Professor in History in the Faculty of Liberal Arts at Thammasat University, Thailand. She is also a member of the University’s Research Unit in History and International Politics.