BANGKOK, July 20 — The United States is ready to provide technical assistance including training for Thai army personnel, according to a top US Army officer.
US Army Chief of Staff Gen Raymond T. Odierno made the offer while meeting with Thai Army Chief Gen Prayuth Chan-ocha. He also praised the Thai military’s vision for closely monitoring border security and tackling the unrest in the country’s southern border region.
Gen Odierno offered to provide technical assistance by sending a team to train Thai military personnel on analytical skill improvement and approach in handling security threat in particular circumstances.
Meanwhile, Gen Prayuth clarified to the US officer Thailand’s foreign policy and stance on relations between Thailand and its neighbours, according to Col Weerachon Sukhonthapatipak, deputy army spokesman for foreign affairs.
Gen Prayuth pointed out that the ongoing disturbances in the Thailand’s three southernmost provinces of Yala, Pattani and Narathiwat were domestic problems and not linked to any groups of foreign terrorists. He stood firm that Thailand was able to deal with the problems by itself.
Apart from the border and southern region issues, Gen Prayuth and Gen Odierno also discussed the longstanding relations between the Royal Thai Army and the US Army as well as further bilateral co-operation and exchanges including training on education, medicine and defence technology development.
Gen Odierno, as a guest of the Royal Thai Army, inspected a guard of honour on Friday morning during a reception at the Royal Thai Army Headquarters in the capital and laid a wreath at the King Rama V monument to pay homage to the late monarch.
