NAY PYI TAW, September 3
The regular meetings between the high-ranking officials of Myanmar and Thai armed forces, regional-level and township-level border committees will strengthen trust and friendship between the two countries and the two armies and promote cooperation and mutual understanding, said Commander-in-Chief of Defence Services Senior General Min Aung Hlaing in his opening address to the 7th Thailand-Myanmar High Level Committee Meeting this morning at Sakuntala Hall in the Peninsula Hotel in Bangkok,Thailand.
Also present at the meeting were Chief of the General Staff(Army, Navy and Air) General Mya Tun Oo, Lt-Gen Moe Myint Tun, Lt-Gen Aung Soe, Lt-Gen Myo Zaw Thein, Lt-Gen Soe Htut of the Office of the Commander-in-Chief (Army) and senior military officers, and Chief of the Defence Forces Gen. Ponpipaat Benyasri, his deputy Gen. Bundit Boonyapan and senior military officers of Royal Thai Armed Forces.
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing and Gen. Ponpipaat Benyasri delivered opening addresses.
Gen. Ponpipaat Benyasri expressed sympathy for Myanmar people for the losses they suffered from flooding in early August.Both historically and geographically,the two countries are friendly neighbors, he said. The Thailand-Myanmar High Level Committee Meeting is crucial for the two countries and the two armed forces,he said, adding that he believes the meeting will contribute to increase cooperation in regional security and development.
Senior General Min Aung Hlaing said Myanmar and Thailand are not only good neighbors to each other, but have also built strong,amicable relations since time immemorial. Apart from regionaland township-level meetings, high level committee meeting was commenced in Thailand in 2013 to increase cooperation between the two armed forces.
The meeting is annually held with the aim of increasing cooperation between the two armed forces, adopting directives on military cooperation in addressing border security issues and promoting social security, peace and stability of those living in border area. He then expressed his belief that the 7th Thailand-Myanmar High Level Committee Meeting could further strengthen trust, understanding and amity between the two armed forces.
Commander of No.3 Military Area Lt-Gen. Chalongchai Chaiyakam explained the results of the 33rd meeting of the Regional Border Committee and HLC Secretary Lt-Gen. Kumron Kearwichyajane cooperation between the two armed forces.
The Senior General and the Chief of Defence Forces of Royal Thai Armed Forces, who are chairmen of the 7th Thailand-Myanmar High Level Committee Meeting, approved and decided on the matters discussed in the meeting.
They then made closing remarks,signed the agreements related to the 7th Thailand-Myanmar High Level Committee Meeting and exchanged the documents. Later,they exchanged emblems and posed for a documentary photo together with those present.
The meeting of the joint secretariat of the 7th Thailand-Myanmar High Level Committee Meeting took place in Bangkok from 31 August to 2 September. Discussion was held on cooperation between the two armed forces in education, training and military medicine, exchange of goodwill visits, holding of sport events, exchange of visits of military cultural troupes, disaster relief and rescue work, drug prevention, antismuggling of arms and ammunition,anti-terrorism and border security.Myanmar will host the 8th Thailand-Myanmar High Level Committee Meeting in 2020.
