![Emergency Services Unit personnel dress in protective gear as they practice their response to a chemical spill in Bangkok in this April 8 file photo. Singapore plans to co-host a regional anti-terrorist exercise while Thailand will organise a drill on disaster mitigation. (Photo by Jiraporn Kuhakan)](https://static.bangkokpost.com/media/content/20160429/c1_952105_160429105847.jpg)
Singapore plans to co-host a regional anti-terrorist exercise while Thailand has agreed to organise a drill on humanitarian assistance and disaster mitigation.
The plans were announced at a meeting between Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon and his Singaporean counterpart, Ng Eng Hen, in Moscow.
Gen Prawit is attending a meeting of Asean and Russian defence ministers in Moscow. The visit to Russia is the second in just over two months for Gen Prawit, who met Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev in February.
The talks are being held alongside the fifth Moscow International Security Conference. Gen Prawit also has scheduled to have talks with the defence ministers of Laos, Myanmar, Russia, and Vietnam.
Singapore plans to co-host the exercise with Brunei, Australia and New Zealand, early next month, while Thailand plans to co-organise the drill with Russia, Japan and Laos in September, the meeting was told.
The Thai and Singaporean defence ministers discussed cooperation in the fight against terrorism and the need to support exercises on terrorist suppression.
In another bilateral agreement which Gen Prawit reached with his Myanmar counterpart, Lt Gen Sein Win, in Moscow earlier, both sides discussed to tighten cooperation on problems including drug trafficking, border security issues and the illegal migration of Rohingya.
They agreed the issue of the Rohingya minority group requires better coordination and cooperation among nations attempting to counter the problem, the meeting was told.
Thailand and Myanmar also agreed to further develop military cooperation, exchange information and intelligence, and conduct more joint drills of their armed forces.
The Myanmar defence minister also said Myanmar was willing to support Thailand's efforts to establish special economic zones that are part of Thai-Myanmar efforts to develop the border areas.
Gen Prawit also met his Lao counterpart, Lt Gen Chansamone Channhalat. Both sides agreed to improve security between the two countries and ramp up exchanges of intelligence.
They also decided to work on suppressing drug trafficking and illegal trade along the Thai-Lao border.
In terms of military cooperation, both sides have vowed to support one another in the form of study exchanges and training programmes in the armed forces.
Visits by Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn to Laos on several occasions have contributed to the cordial relations between Thailand and Laos, Gen Prawit said.
Government House reported earlier that during the trip, Thai and Russian officials would sign an agreement on military cooperation.
The scope of the collaboration would cover training, education, military medicine, military surveying, hydrography, sea search and rescue, and anti-piracy operations.
The Thai delegation that visited Russia in February included Somkid Jatusripitak, the deputy premier for economic affairs, and the talks with Russian officials covered areas from tourism, to trains, tanks and other technology.
Russia expressed interest in setting up a factory to manufacture military equipment and make investments in railways in Thailand.