Thai Ambassador to the UAE led the Commander of the Royal Thai Navy Counter Piracy Task Group to meet with Commander of UAE Naval Forces

            On 4 August 2011, H.E. Mr. Somchai Charanasomboon, Thai Ambassador to the UAE, led Captain Tanin Likitawong, Commander of the Royal Thai Navy Counter Piracy Task Group, and members of the Group in a meeting with Staff Brig. Gen. Ibrahim Salim Al Musharrakh, Commander of UAE Naval Forces.

            The Thai and UAE sides exchanged views on challenges and policy regarding piracy in the Gulf of Aden and the coast of Somalia. They also agreed to foster bilateral cooperation in this area, whereby the Commander of UAE Naval Forces welcomed the idea of the Thai Ambassador for the RTN Counter Piracy ships docking at Abu Dhabi’s Meena Port during future operations.

            Later on the same day, members of the Royal Thai Navy Counter Piracy Task Group met with Colonel Tariq Al Zaabi, Commander of Combined Maritime Forces (CTF) 152, where both sides also discussed about counter-piracy operations in this area.

            The aforementioned meetings with high-ranked UAE Navy officials help strengthen the military cooperation between Thailand and UAE and are part of the Royal Thai Navy Counter Piracy Task Group’s mission in the Gulf of Aden, the coast of Somalia and nearby area which runs from July until November 2011.