VIENTIANE, July 21 (Xinhua) -- Lao Deputy Minister of National Defense Saichay Kommasith received Songwit Noonpackdee, chief of defense forces of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, during an official visit to strengthen bilateral military cooperation.
During the visit on Monday, the two sides held talks to strengthen cooperation on key areas of mutual interest. They agreed to enhance collaboration through high-level exchanges, deepen economic ties, and expand joint efforts between the Lao and Thai armed forces, according to the Lao Ministry of National Defense.
The discussions focused particularly on maintaining border security through joint peacekeeping initiatives, addressing cross-border challenges such as drug trafficking and illegal immigration, and creating mechanisms to support agricultural and livestock development between the two militaries.
Both sides reaffirmed their commitment to regular high-level visits based on mutual trust. They also agreed to further cooperate in humanitarian aid, disaster response, and medical exchanges, while expanding engagement within the ASEAN framework. ■
