Thai-Myanmar military ties further strengthened

BANGKOK, August 31 (TNA) - Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha says that he believes the existing framework of high-level Thai-Myanmar military meetings is a key for further strengthening ties and cooperation between Thailand and Myanmar. Assistant Government Spokesman Colonel Athisit Chainuwat told a press conference that the Thai premier expressed the confidence during his meeting with Myanmar Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing at Bangkok's Government House on August 30. According to the assistant spokesman, the Thai prime minister also welcomed and lauded the Myanmar armed forces chief for attending the 5th high-level Thai-Myanmar military meeting, held in Khon Kaen Province in the Thai Northeast himself during his three-day visit to Thailand, scheduled for August 28-30, and thanked Myanmar for providing relief supplies to assist flood victims in the Thai South in early this year. On security issues, the assistant spokesman told journalists that the Thai prime minister was pleased with sound and close ties and cooperation between Thailand and Myanmar and insisted on continual support with each other in all dimensions through existing bilateral mechanisms. Besides, the Thai premier affirmed Thailand's full cooperation with Myanmar on border issues to promote and uphold peace and order for people living along the common frontier, proposing that both sides speed up dialogues towards the opening of new permanent border checkpoints and the agreed joint development of border areas in the future. The assistant spokesman stated that the Thai prime minister also stressed on Thailand's respect to the Myanmar government's decisions on domestic affairs. Before ending his three-day trip to Thailand, the Myanmar commander-in-chief of defence services was also scheduled to pay courtesy calls on Thai state man and former prime minister General Prem Tinsulanonda and Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan, who oversees national security. (TNA)