Philippine Navy Chief officially visits Thailand July 26-28

BANGKOK, July 27 (TNA) - Philippine Navy Chief Vice Admiral Caesar C. Taccad is paying a three-day official to Thailand, scheduled for July 26-28, as the guest of the Royal Thai Navy. On behalf of Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, Deputy Defence Minsiter General Udomdej Sitabutr received the Philippine navy chief at the Ministry of Defence in Bangkok on Wednesday. While welcoming the visiting Philippine navy chief, General Udomdej lauded sound and longstanding ties between Manila and Bangkok, including those between the Philippine and the Thai armed forces through the exchange of visits between military leaders and operational officers of both countries and cooperation on military drills and training. On the occasion, General Udomdej invited the Philippine Navy to send a delegation to join the 11th ASEAN Navy Chiefs Meeting and an international fleet review, hosted by the Royal Thai Navy in Bangkok in November 2017, marking the 50th anniversary of the establishment of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN). During the meeting, both sides also realized the importance of the two countries' anti-terrorism cooperation and agreed on their information exchanges to counter terrorism. On July 28, the visiting Philippine navy chief and his entourage will visit HTMS Chakri Naruebet, the Royal Thai Navy’s aircraft carrier, in Sattahip of seaside Chon Buri Province in the Thai East, where they will also lay a wreath at the Royal Thai Marine Monument. (TNA)