PH, Thailand boost defense, security ties

Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte, left, talks to Thailand’s Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha during the agreements signing involving agriculture, education, energy, science and technology at the government house in Bangkok, Thailand, Tuesday, March 21, 2017. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

BANGKOK — President Rodrigo Duterte and Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on Tuesday night agreed to strengthen their defense and security ties to stop the narcotics trade, terrorism and other cross-border crimes in the region.

“We underscored the importance of sustaining the growth and development we have so far achieved. In this regard, we stressed the need to address traditional and emerging threats to our collective security and stability,” Mr. Duterte said, emerging from the Government House with the Thai prime minister after their meeting.

“We stressed the importance of our defense cooperation to achieve these goals and looked forward to the inaugural joint committee on military cooperation this year,” Mr. Duterte said.

Strengthen cooperation

“We vowed to do more, our utmost to strengthen cooperation in bilateral, regional and international levels to effectively address these scourges and menace to our societies,” he added.

Mr. Duterte said he and Prayut agreed “to use our consultative mechanisms to the fullest” to “ensure that issues of common concerns are addressed and that we continue to build on the commitments that we have made.”

The threats include transnational crimes such as terrorism and violent extremism, piracy at sea, as well as the trafficking in persons and illegal drugs.

Both leaders also agreed to “sustain economic advancements”  already achieved by both countries. Mr. Duterte said he and Prayut agreed on the need to expand and intensify two-way trade and investments.

“Economic reforms are being instituted in the Philippines. With our emphasis on combatting corruption, eradicating criminality and dismantling the illegal drug trade apparatus, we are hopeful of more investments coming from Thailand,” Mr. Duterte said.

3 agreements

To further advance economic ties between the Philippines and Thailand, three agreements were signed in the fields of science and technology, tourism and agriculture. Mr. Duterte and Prayut witnessed the signing of the agreements.

Tourism Secretary Wanda Corazon Tulfo-Teo and Thailand’s Minister of Tourism and Sports Kobkarn Wattanavrangkul signed the 2017-2022 implementing program on tourism cooperation.

The two countries agreed “to explore ways to further enhance tourism cooperation, including identifying specific activities to pursue this such as the promotion of joint tourist destinations.”

Teo expressed optimism that the cooperation agreement signed with Thailand would give an added boost to her program to bring in more tourists to the Philippines.

Science and technology

“There is so much we can learn from Thailand in terms of tourism development strategies,” she said, noting that Thailand tops Southeast Asian countries in terms of visitor arrivals.

Science and Technology Secretary Fortunato de la Peña and Thailand’s Science and Technology Minister Atchaka Sibunruang signed the agreement to boost the two countries’ science and technology sector.

The deal hopes to “promote exchanges of joint academic research and development, scientists and specialists, technical documentation and information and the arrangement of bilateral conferences among other activities.”

Philippine Carabao Center Executive Director Arnel del Barrio and his Thai counterpart, Director General Apai Suttisunk, also signed an agreement on agriculture.

Best practices

The agreement seeks to “further promote cooperation and exchange of best practices in irrigation, artificial rain, livestock and fisheries and the application of technology for sustainable soil and water conservation.”

Mr. Duterte arrived here on Monday night for his three-day official visit. He was accorded welcome honors on Tuesday at the Government House.

The President, who was with his Cabinet members, was wearing a barong tagalog with a black ribbon to join the Thai people in their yearlong mourning of the death of King Bhumibol Adulyadej.

The President visited here last November to condole with the Thai people and pay his respects to the king. —WITH A REPORT FROM JEROME ANING IN MANILA