The Australian navy will continue to work closely with the armed forces of Thailand and other Asean nations to protect maritime security, combat terrorism and piracy and provide relief for natural disasters, an Australian navy commander said.
"Australia has worked closely with Thailand and other partners in the region in combating piracy, threats of terrorism, illegal fishing and illegal exploitation of natural resources to ensure freedom of navigation in this region,'' said the commander of the frigate HMAS Melbourne, Charles Bourne.
"Although the threat of piracy in the Southeast Asian region has decreased significantly in recent years, we still need to keep working together to ensure the continuity of peace and stability," he said.
HMAS Melbourne, an Adelaide-class guided missile frigate with 180 personnel on board, is visiting Pattaya to take part in the International Fleet Review (IFR) 2017 today.
The event is being held to mark the 50th anniversary of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean). Joining are 25 naval vessels from 19 countries and 14 from the Royal Thai Navy.
HMAS Melbourne's involvement in the IFR is a testament to Australia's commitment to working with Asean on maritime security issues and reflects the deep connections between the Royal Australian Navy and the Royal Thai Navy, said Cmr Bourne. The two navies have held joint drills for a number of years.
For instance, Australia and Thailand have trained together in the biannual exercises, AusThai, held in Thailand, and Kakadu in Darwin. Such drills, said Cmr Bourne, have provided opportunities for both naval forces to improve their capacities and learn from one another to help bolster maritime security in Southeast Asia.
In the near future, the two navies plan to launch projects to share information on illegal activities, and work together on rescue operations for humanitarian problems and natural disasters, he said.
"We will continue to work closely with Thailand and other important security partners to ensure we contribute to the continued peace, stability and security of this region," Cmr Bourne said.
Prior to arriving in Thailand, HMAS Melbourne visited South Korea to participate in Exercise Haedoli Wallaby with the South Korean navy. The vessel previously visited Thailand in 2004 and 2008. After joining the IFR, the frigate is scheduled to return to Sydney.
Meanwhile, Australian ambassador to Thailand Paul Robilliard said cooperation between the Australian and Thai militaries has increased over the past few decades.
Apart from the IFR event, one air force and one infantry drill were conducted this year. The latter, Exercise Chapel Gold, was completed on Nov 7.