Rear Admiral Pham Ngoc Minh, Deputy Chief of the General Staff of the Vietnam People’s Army, held a reception in Hanoi on May 19 for a delegation from the Disaster Relief Centre under the Royal Thai Army’s Directorate of Joint Civil Affairs.

Minh said that bilateral cooperation in defence as well as in other fields has been growing effectively since the two nations set up diplomatic ties in 1976. The two navies have strengthened their ties through establishing a hotline, conducting joint patrols at sea, and facilitating fishing activities.

He also spoke highly of a cooperation plan on disaster mitigation among ASEAN nations proposed by the Thai Army, considering it a basis for the regional countries to boost collaboration in rescue.

Deputy head of the directorate Colonel Somruk Somruk voiced his hope that Vietnam will create more optimal conditions for the Thai centre and the Rescue Department of the Vietnamese General Staff to work closely and stand ready to aid each other in emergency cases.-VNA