Progress of cooperation raised at 52nd Thai-Malaysia GBC Meeting

BANGKOK, January 29 (TNA) - The 52nd Thai-Malaysian General Border Committee (GBC) Meeting has reviewed progress of bilateral cooperation in various areas. The latest Thai-Malaysian GBC Meeting, held at the Royal Thai Army Club in Bangkok on Thursday and co-chaired by Thai Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan and visiting Malaysian Defence Minister Dato’ Seri Hishammuddin bin Tun Hussein, acknowledged progress on operations of the two sides' high-level joint military panel regarding issues previously agreed by Thai and Malaysian armed forces chiefs. The meeting also acknowledged results of the latest Thai-Malaysian Regional Border Committee (RBC) and those of joint operations of Thai-Malaysian authorities on security measures and expanded cooperation on economic and social aspects, as well as progress on solutions to common border problems, including human and drug trafficking, transnational crime and international terrorism. The 52nd Thai-Malaysian GBC Meeting was, therefore, a platform for the two sides to create sound and mutual understanding, while also providing an opportunity for both sides to expand cooperation and further strengthen and sustain bilateral relations. Before the 52nd GBC Meeting, the visiting Malaysian defence minister met his Thai counterpart at the Thai Ministry of Defence, during which the former stressed on improving bilateral relations between Kuala Lumpur and Bangkok, cushioned by closer Thai-Malaysian military cooperation. The Malaysian defence minister, who is paying an official visit to Thailand, as the guest of the Thai Ministry of Defence, from January 28-30, also expressed his understanding about Thailand's internal problems, saying that Kuala Lumpur has helped inform the international community of Thailand's need to solve the internal issues based on a roadmap. Besides, the visiting Malaysian defence minister praised Thai leaders' courage on having handled national administration toward positive changes so far, which is beneficial to the majority of the Thai people directly, promising that Malaysia will continue to support the interim Thai government's implementation of its roadmap. (TNA)