Thai FM Sihasak says US offers no aid amid Iran war
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- Sihasak Phuangketkeow told the Washington Post that the United States has offered no concrete assistance to Thailand for the economic fallout of the US‑Iran war, aside from President Donald Trump’s fuel‑purchase offer.
- Thailand and other Southeast Asian nations have seen fuel and fertilizer prices soar due to shipping disruptions caused by the Middle‑East conflict.
- Agriculture Minister Suriya Jungrungreangkit traveled to Moscow to negotiate fertilizer supplies, and Thailand’s attempts to buy Russian crude are stalled by U.S. sanctions concerns affecting Thai banks.
- Sihasak visited Oman to lobby for safe passage through the Strait of Hormuz and reported that Omani officials are pessimistic about a near‑term ceasefire.
- Sihasak criticised the United States for shifting policy goals—from regime change to ending Iran’s nuclear program—calling its approach unpredictable.
- China was described by Sihasak as a more consistent partner for Asian countries, despite its own superpower interests.
Why it matters: Thailand loses a potential source of relief as the United States withholds aid, while Russia and China stand to gain influence by filling the gap in fuel, fertilizer and crude supplies, reshaping Bangkok’s trade partnerships amid the Middle‑East conflict and increasing Thailand’s reliance on non‑Western partners.