Russia, Thailand Sign Military Cooperation Agreement

Russia and Thailand have signed an intergovernmental agreement on military cooperation, TASS reports Thursday.

According to a source in the Russian embassy in Bangkok, the agreement was signed by Deputy Director of Russia’s Federal Service for Military Cooperation Mikhail Petukhov and Director of the Joint Logistics of the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters Vice Admiral Tiwa Daramuang. However, no details on the agreement are made public yet.

Thailand has grown increasingly closer to Russia and China since a coup in May 2014 caused the cooling of relations between Bangkok and its traditional Western allies. Last year, Moscow and Bangkok had signed an agreement on military cooperation. The exchange of visits between Russian and Thai military became more frequent the same year.

During ASEAN military exercises in September 2016, Russia party assisted in the establishment of the ASEAN Center for Military Medicine in Bangkok and still continues to provide assistance.