Navy chief Adm Choengchai Chomchoengpaet paid an official visit to the Japan Maritime Self-Defense Force (JMSDF) in Tokyo and signed a terms of reference (TOR) with the force to enhance military cooperation between Thailand and Japan, the navy said yesterday.
Adm Choengchai was invited by the JMSDF for the official trip on Feb 12-16, according to the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) in remarks to mark the occasion.
Adm Sakai Ryo, JMSDF chief, led Adm Choengchai and a group of Thai officers to tour the Yokosuka naval base and Funakoshi naval base.
The highlight was visiting a Japanese destroyer, JS Teruzuki (DD-116).
Adm Choengchai also went to Japan’s Ministry of Defence and inspected an honour guard on Tuesday.
At the ministry, he signed a TOR for navy-to-navy talks between the RTN and the JMSDF.
He also met Ino Toshiro, Japan’s vice minister of defence, along with AM Suzuki Yazuhiko, the deputy army chief of Japan.
The visit of the Thai navy chief shows the close ties between the RTN and JMSDF as the two navies have collaborated and shared intelligence in naval work, the navy said in its remarks yesterday.
On May 5-10 last year, JMSDF hosted the 18th Western Pacific Naval Symposium and held a fleet review to celebrate the 70th anniversary of the JMSDF in Sagami Baya, Kanagawa prefecture.
The Thai navy chief attended the event and the RTN sent HTMS Bhumibol Adulyadej to take part in the fleet review.