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Immediate Release

Readout of Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III Meeting With Thailand Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Prayut Chan-o-cha

Pentagon Press Secretary John Kirby provided the following readout:

Secretary of Defense Lloyd J. Austin III met with Thailand’s Prime Minister and Minister of Defence Prayut Chan-o-cha at the Pentagon to discuss opportunities to grow and strengthen the U.S.-Thailand alliance, May 12, 2022.

The Secretary and Prime Minister affirmed their commitment to expanding the breadth and depth of the alliance, as both militaries work together to modernize forces in a challenging security environment. Secretary Austin emphasized the United States’ long-standing commitment to Indo-Pacific security and to supporting Thailand’s defense requirements. He noted the importance of strengthening interoperability between allied forces and welcomed further discussion on opportunities to expand bilateral training and education. 

Prime Minister Prayut expressed appreciation for the close training and exercise relationship between U.S. and Thai forces, and emphasized his strong interest in expanding cooperation in new domains, including cybersecurity and space cooperation.  

The Secretary and Prime Minister closed the meeting by discussing the importance of working as allies to maintain stability and prosperity in the Indo-Pacific. Both leaders agreed to continue to build on the solid foundation of the alliance to advance this common goal.

Secretary Austin also noted he will travel to the Indo-Pacific next month, and looks forward to visiting Bangkok for the first time in his capacity as Secretary of Defense.