Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon has flown to Bagan, Myanmar, to attend the Asean Defence Ministers Meeting on Tuesday and Wednesday, and for direct talks with his Japanese, Lao, Singaporean and Vietnamese counterparts.
Gen Prawit Wongsuwon
Defence spokesman Khongcheep Tantrawanit said on Tuesday that in bilateral talks with the Japanese defence minister, Gen Prawit would discuss issues assigned by Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha, who will visit Japan in mid-December.
Japan is about to amend its defence laws to allow it to take a more active military role. Discussion with Thailand woud over cooperation on security and military affairs, research and development and the national defence industry, the spokesman said.
Gen Prawit would invite Japan to invest in five border economic zones - in Tak, Sa Kaeo, Trat, Songkhla and Nong Khai provinces.
In his talks with the Lao defence minister, Gen Prawit would discuss Thai-Lao roles in disaster prevention and mitigation in Asean. At the meeting with the Singaporean defence minister he would urge Singapore to buy Thai ammunition for use during military drills in Thailand.
At the meeting with the Vietnamese defence minister, Gen Prawit would seek to expand bilateral military cooperation by proposing a bilateral committee for military cooperation and exchanges of visits by middle-ranking officers.