Multipolarity and the Rise of a Geopolitical Europe: ASEAN’s Strategic Choices and Thailand’s Path Forward

The Indo-Pacific’s shift toward multipolar competition has increased ASEAN’s strategic relevance and encouraged the EU to act more geopolitically in the region. Thailand sees the EU as a partner that can help balance major-power rivalry while offering opportunities in trade, supply-chain resilience, digital and green transition, and regulatory cooperation. At the same time, the EU’s strong normative and regulatory approach creates both benefits and tensions for ASEAN’s consensus-based model. Thailand must therefore leverage EU engagement for economic and institutional gains while maintaining strategic flexibility and preserving ASEAN centrality.