Thailand's policies in line with India's policies

BANGKOK, August 28 (TNA) - Thailand has aligned cooperation on security issues between India and Thailand within both bilateral and multilateral frameworks with the Thailand+1 and the Thailand 4.0 Policies, as well as the Eastern Economic Corridor (EEC) Project, all of which are also considered to be in line with India's Act East and Made in India Policies. Deputy Government Spokesman Lieutenant General Werachon Sukondhapatipak quoted Thai Prime Minister General Prayut Chan-ocha as declaring the stance while meeting with Indian Minister of Defence Niramala Sitharaman, who is paying an official visit to Thailand as the guest of the Ministry of Defence during August 26-28, at Bangkok's Government House on August 27. The deputy spokesman also quoted Prime Minister General Prayut as proposing that India, Thailand and other member countries in the ASEAN Community (AC) expand their cooperation to cope with security threats in the Indo-Pacific region. During Monday's meeting, in which Thailand's Deputy Defence Minister General Chaichan Changmongkol and Permanent Secretary for Defence General Theppong Thippayachan also took part, the deputy spokesman told journalists that the Thai premier also extended his congratulations to the visiting Indian minister of defence on being the second female Indian minister of defence, after late Indian minister of defence and prime minister Indira Gandhi in the past. On the occasion, the deputy spokesman stated that the Thai prime minister also expressed his condolences on the recent passing of former Indian prime minister Atal Bihari Vajpayee and to victims of critical floods in six Indian states recently. The deputy spokesman said the Thai prime minister also asked the visiting Indian minister of defence to convey his regards to India's President Ram Nath Kovind and Prime Minister Narendra Modi. According to the deputy spokesman, the visiting Indian minister of defence, in turn, extended her best wishes to Thailand's His Majesty King Maha Vajiralongkorn Bodindradebayavarangkun and Her Majesty Queen Sirikit of the late King Bhumibol Adulyadej, while declaring the Indian government's readiness to welcome Her Royal Highness Princess Maha Chakri Sirindhorn, who is scheduled to visit her South Asian nation late this year. Besides, the visiting Indian minister of defence extended her gratitude to the Thai prime minister for joining other ASEAN leaders in attending activities marking the Republic Day of India as honorary guests earlier this year. The visiting Indian minister of defence took the opportunity to quote the Indian prime minister as praising the leadership and coordination role of the Thai government towards the successful international rescue mission recently of 12 young Thai football players and their coach from a deep and massively-flooded cave in the Thai North. (TNA)