Thailand's modern political history was marked by complex dynamics between military, monarchical, and democratic forces. The most recent military coup in 2014 led to Prayuth Chan-ocha becoming prime minister. • Prayuth's administration has tried to strengthen its authority by adopting hyper-royalist ideologies and constitutional amendments despite lacking complete legitimacy. This has harmed relations with traditional allies like the U.S. • The article argues that Prayuth's domestic issues and lack of legitimacy have significantly impacted foreign policy, leaving less room for strong U.S. security ties. However, collaboration is still necessary due to shared economic interests and regional security challenges. • Balance of threat theory and omnibalancing theory provides a framework for understanding Thailand's foreign policy complexities under Prayuth, explaining how external threats and internal political imperatives shape Thailand's foreign relations.