Vietnamese, Thai relations strengthened

BANGKOK, June 3 (TNA) - Vietnam's top military officer has stressed on strengthened relations between Hanoi and Bangkok, covering military cooperation and joint preparations for the formation of the ASEAN Community (AC) by the end of this year. Outgoing Vietnamese Defence Attaché to Thailand Senior Colonel Dang Thanh Tien stressed on the strong and sound longstanding bilateral relations between the two neighbouring countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN), covering joint military exercises and educational exchange programmes, which promote and develop their national stability, and joint preparations for AC while paying a courtesy call on Thai Supreme Commander General Worapong Sa-nganet to bid him farewell. The outgoing Vietnamese defence attaché also introduced his successor, Colonel Nguyen Hong Diep, to the Thai armed forces chief. The Thai armed forces chief welcomed both the outgoing Vietnamese defence attaché and his successor, praising the outgoing Vietnamese defence attaché for his success in his duties during his tenure in Thailand, namely fostering sound bilateral relations between the Vietnamese and Thai armed forces, while also extending his welcome to the new Vietnamese military attaché. (TNA)