Vietnam, Thailand foster security cooperation

Sen. Lieut. Gen. Quang, who is accompanying National Assembly Chairman Vuong Dinh Hue in an official visit to Thailand, expressed his pleasure with the fruitful cooperation between Vietnam's Ministry of Public Security and the Royal Thai Police in criminal prevention and combat, contributing to ensuring national security and social order and safety of each country.

For his part, Pol Gen. Surachate said he is delighted at the effective collaboration between the two sides in many areas. He underlined that the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security's delegation visit provides a chance for the two sides to strengthen mutual understanding and build trust, contributing to realising high-level agreements between the two countries.

Surachate highly valued the Vietnamese Public Security Ministry's active coordination in recent times, including the support in arresting and handing over a number of criminals escaping to Vietnam.

The two sides noted that the memorandum of understanding signed between the two police agencies in 2016 has guided competent forces of the two countries to set up their partnership in particular areas, contributing to promoting cooperation in fighting transnational organised crimes.

The two officials discussed a wide range of issues regarding security, and pointed to challenges on anti-terrorism. They agreed to increase the exchange of information through Interpol cooperation mechanisms, and work together to combat human trafficking, illegal immigration and residence.

They also stressed the need to promote collaboration in training.

The leaders of the Public Security Ministry of Vietnam and the Thai Royal Police pledged to continue implementing the commitment to not allowing any individual or organisation to use the territory of one country to harm the other.

They will also foster information exchange and coordination in verifying, investigating, arresting hiden transnational criminals in line with the law of each country and international practices.

At the same time, they will consider sending liaison officers to work in each other's country.

The same day, Sen. Lieut. Gen. Quang had a meeting with Deputy General Secretary of the National Security Council of Thailand Voranut Khongmuang.

Quang highlighted the sound cooperation between Vietnam and Thailand in general and the two police forces in particular, with regular meetings of joint working groups in political-security cooperation to discuss issues of shared concerns.

Voranut affirmed that Thailand always stands side by side and cooperate with Vietnam in criminal prevention and combat. Thailand never lets any individual, organisation or country to use its territory to harm its neighbouring countries, he said.

Thailand will coordinate closely with the Vietnamese Ministry of Public Security to implement cooperation programmes and plans in the coming time to contribute to promoting the socio-economic development of the two countries, as well as the Southeast Asia region, he stressed.

At the meeting, the two sides agreed on a number of measures to enhance cooperation in exchanging information, arresting, and handing over wanted criminals from one country to the other country in line with each country's law and international practices, while speeding up negotiations for an extradition agreement between the two countries.

They also agreed to work together in organising the 12th meeting of the Joint Working Group on Political-Security Cooperation in Vietnam, which is slated for July 2024.