Thai-US military ties strengthened

BANGKOK, July 20 (TNA) - Military ties between the United States and Thailand have apparently become strengthened, following a meeting in Bangkok today between Thai Army Commander-in-Chief General Prayuth Cha-ocha and visiting US Army Chief of Staff General Raymond T. Odiemo. General Odiemo, who is paying an official visit to Thailand from July 19-20 at the invitation of the Royal Thai Army, discussed issues on maintaining long-time partnership between the Thai and the US armies and on even expanding bilateral cooperation between US and the Thai militaries in the future in areas of mutual interests, namely trainings, medicine, defense technologies and diplomatic exchanges. During the talks, General Prayuth also informed the US Army Chief of Staff of Thailand's foreign and defense policies toward neighboring countries, insisting that the insurgency problem in the Thai deep South is internal affairs without any interference by any external terrorist group. General Odiemo then lauded Thailand’s border security strategic vision and measures used to handle the insurgency in the country's southernmost region, promising that Washington will continue providing technical support for Thailand. (TNA)