Prawit denies move for tanks
DEFENCE Minister Prawit Wongsuwan rejected reports that he was discussing the purchase of tanks with Nikolai Platonovich, the secretary of Russia’s Security Council.
Prawit, who is also a deputy PM, and Platonovich met at the Defence Ministry yesterday, at a forum entitled “Thailand-Russia Joint Working Group on Security Consultation”, to discuss economic and security cooperation at regional and international levels – including cooperation on combating crime, drugs, terrorism, piracy and cyber crime.
The meeting was held ahead of a visit to Russia by Prawit and Deputy PM Somkid Jatusripitak, scheduled for February 23-27. Both ministers are expected to push for concrete achievements in bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
Prawit said that at the meeting, Thailand offered to sell agricultural produce, while Russia offered equipment to prevent disaster such as planes used to douse forest fires and mechanical tools.
He said the two countries did not discuss anything on military cooperation, just how to boost security, as a growing number of Russians live in Thailand.
He insisted there was no talk about buying tanks, as rumoured.
Prawit went on to explain that during his visit to Russia, he aims to negotiate an exchange of armaments and discuss the two country’s economic problems.
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