Vietnam’s Marine Police have called on countries around the Gulf of Thailand to step up cooperation to maintain peace and security at sea, which will contribute to socio-economic development in each country concerned.

Specialists and officers of Vietnam’s Marine Police are joining their counterparts from Thailand , Cambodia and Malaysia at a conference in Hanoi to discuss collective security measures for maritime security and safety.

Opening the conference on Nov. 5, Colonel Ngo Ngoc Thu, the Vice Chief of Vietnam’s Marine Police Department said that the conference comes at a time when regional security undergoes new and unpredictable developments including sea security challenges.

The five-day event is a platform for experts in the field and law enforcement agencies from countries around the Gulf of Thailand to exchange their views and experiences and seek ways to increase their cooperation.

He noted that law enforcement forces of Gulf of Thailand countries have established ties through the exchange of visits and organisation of workshops to share professional skills and experiences.

Vietnam hopes that the concerned countries will agree on more specific and practical forms of cooperation that suit each country’s conditions and capacity, Thu said.

He suggested that the sides can promote information sharing, work together in capacity building and training, establish hot lines, and conduct joint patrols as well as joint exercises in search and rescue and response to natural disasters.

The conference will last until November 9.-VNA