Thailand joins 4-nation joint patrol of straits of Malacca

BANGKOK, Sept 18 (TNA) - Thailand on Thursday signed an agreement with three partners in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) -- Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore – to conduct joint sea and air patrols of the Straits of Malacca starting from 2009.

Thai Supreme Commander Gen. Boonsang Niempradit and his counterparts from
the three ASEAN nations signed two accords in the Thai capital, the Terms
of Reference (TOR) and the Standard Operation Procedures (SOP) agreements.

Gen. Boonsang said after signing the agreements that the combined
cooperation would ensure safety for international shipping in and around
the Straits, a vital conduit of much of the world trade, particularly of
oil bound for Japan and Korea.

He said Thailand would begin its air patrols in January while sea
surveillance would start in October 2009.

Hailing the coordinated patrol agreement, Malaysian military chief Tan Sri
Abdul Aziz said coordination would be carried out in a centre in Kuala
Lumpur, the Malaysian capital.

Since joint patrols began in the Straits of Malacca and their approaches
by Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia in April 2006, the number of piracy
incidents in the area had declined sharply, he said. In 2007, only one
incident was reported.

Thursday's signing by Thailand followed cabinet approval on August 19
authorising the Royal Thai Navy to be responsible, with the government
providing some Bt110 million annually to conduct the programme. (TNA)