Thai Defense Force chief renews ties with Philippine military

General Tanasak Patimapragorn, Chief of Defense Force of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, visits the General Headquarters Canopy area Wednesday, August 15, 2012. His visit was aimed to renew and further strengthen the bilateral military ties between the Philippines and Thailand. PHOTO BY SSG GILDO CABALO/AFP PUBLIC AFFAIRS

MANILA, Philippines—The newly installed chief of Defense Force of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, General Tanasak Patimapragorn, visited Camp Aguinaldo Wednesday to “renew” and “further strengthen bilateral relations” between Thailand and the Philippines.

Tanasak and other Thai military officers were welcomed with arrival honors led by his counterpart, Armed Forces of the Philippines Chief of Staff General Jessie Dellosa, and other officials. He later met with Defense Secretary Voltaire Gazmin.

He was also expected to meet the commanding generals of the Philippine Army, Air Force and Navy.

“The Philippine military and the Royal Thai Defense Force are more than just friends, we are more like cousins in the Asean community,” the Thai military chief said.

Tanasak invited Philippine military officers  to undergo training at the Royal Thai Army War College, which is the equivalent of the National Defense College of the Philippines. He also encouraged to increase military-to-military exchange for education training.