The visit by Thai Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra to the United States in mid-June will come under careful scrutiny here for indicators - even symbolic o­nes - to see if all is well between the two countries.

Thai Foreign Minister Surakiart Sathirathai feels there is little to worry, saying that the relationship between Washington and Bangkok is as cordial as ever. ''There is no truth at all that there has been a sense of dissatisfaction of the United States towards Thailand.''

That will be reflected when Thaksin meets US President George W Bush o­n June 10, he said.

Thaksin's visit to the United States o­n Jun. 10-11 will also include a lecture he is expected to deliver to a business council that promotes ties between the United States and the 10 countries belonging to the Association of South-east Asian Nations (Asean).

No public support

The scrutiny of Thaksin's forthcoming visit to the United States stems from the debate that has surfaced here in the wake of the government's stance during the US-led invasion of Iraq.

Rather than join the ranks of fellow Asean members like Singapore and the Philippines, who lined up with the United States and Britain in their invasion of Iraq, the Thaksin administration did not publicly support the war.

The message that the government conveyed was a ''marked departure from (Thai governments of) the past,'' says Panitan Wattanayagorn, an international relations specialist at Bangkok's Chulalongkorn University. ''It presented new complications to the relationship between the two

countries.''

For Asda Jayanama, a former Thai diplomat, Bangkok's interpretation of its actions of the Iraqi invasion - that it was inoffensive because it was non-committal - was wrong. ''We were not neutral o­n that issue, because our position went against US policy. It is nonsense to say otherwise,'' he

argues. ''The foreign minister is wrong in his interpretation.''

What is more, some observers point out that Thaksin's visit to Washington may be judged by another yardstick - how he will rank against the praises the Bush administration reserved for the leaders of Singapore and the Philippines during their first visits to the United States after Iraq was conquered.

Pro-Washington line

This week, for instance, in a show of gratitude for the pro-US line that Manila displayed, the US government pledged arms to the Philippines and announced that it was now ranked as a full military ally of the United States.

In fact, the current doubts being raised through newspaper articles about where Thailand stands in relation to the United States is a shift from the picture that prevailed before.

Governments that preceded the Thaksin administration had, in the main, stuck to a very pro-Washington line, in keeping with the close ties the two countries had developed since Thailand and the United States signed a treaty in the 1800s.

''The Thai-US relationship was very intimate due to the long tradition of friendship. Thailand was o­ne of the five countries in a military alliance the US has in the Asian region,'' says Kavi Chongkittavorn, a columnist o­n regional affairs at The Nation an English-language daily.

The extensive power wielded by the Thai military in the country's politics prior to Thailand's adoption of its new constitution in 1997 also ensured that the bonds between Bangkok and Washington were strong.

''In the past, the military had a bigger voice in US policy,'' says Pantian, ''but not now, after the Thaksin government was elected''.

Thaksin's Thai Rak Thai (Thais Love Thai) party was elected to power in January 2001 by a thumping majority. This ensured that for the first time since the country embarked o­n the road towards democracy in 1932, the parliament would have the largest voice in shaping national policy.

''When Thaksin came to power, he started using a different approach. o­ne of them is standing up to the United States,'' says Kavi. ''He is the first prime minister to have such a relationship with the United States.''

Strategic partners

At the same time, Thaksin has tried to cultivate new ''strategic partners'' rather than being completely dependent o­n Washington's whims. China has figured prominently in the premier's vision, which aims to be more Asian-oriented.

''Thailand's foreign policy is going through a period of change; from relying o­n o­ne strategic partner to have more strategic partners,'' says Panitan. ''The government is also sensitive to the mood of the public, for Thailand not to get too close to the US during the Iraq war.''

Nevertheless, an annual military exercise launched here last week involving troops from the United States, Singapore and Thailand reflects the bonds that still unite Washington and Bangkok.

Under the 'Cobra Gold' exercise, which runs from May 16-29, the more than 14,600 troops involved will train to counter terrorism and to man peacekeeping operations.

According to Kavi, 'Cobra Gold', which has been conducted by Thai and US forces since 1982, serves as ''the template for the military alliance between the two countries''.