thumb|King Bhumibol Adulyadej in a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama, 18 November 2012 Siam's and Thailand's way of conducting foreign relations has long been described as "bamboo bending with the wind", of policies that are "always solidly rooted, but flexible enough to bend whichever way the wind blows in order to survive," or adaptable and pragmatic. In order to secure independence, it sought to pit one great power against the others so that it would be dominated by none.
thumb|King Bhumibol Adulyadej in a meeting with U.S. President Barack Obama, 18 November 2012 Siam's and Thailand's way of conducting foreign relations has long been described as "bamboo bending with the wind", of policies that are "always solidly rooted but flexible enough to bend whichever way the wind blows in order to survive," or adaptable and pragmatic. In order to secure independence, it sought to pit one great power against the others so that it would be dominated by none.