Thailand and Indonesia Strengthen Defense Ties
Thailand and Indonesia agreed to strengthen defense cooperation through a new policy dialogue mechanism and expanded military exchanges during a visit by Thai Defense Minister Adul Bunthamaserge on August 4. The nations also pledged joint m
Thai Defense Minister Adul Bunthamaserge met with Indonesian Defense Minister Sjafrie Sjamsoeddin on August 4 during an official visit to Indonesia from August 3-4 to deepen defense cooperation and strengthen security ties between the two countries.
The defense minister expressed gratitude for the warm reception and reaffirmed that Thailand and Indonesia maintain strong security cooperation under a defense understanding agreement signed since 2015. Both sides agreed to establish a Defence Policy Dialogue mechanism to enhance policy-level cooperation.
The countries emphasized the importance of military education exchange, joint training, and defense expert exchanges to build military capacity, trust, and joint operations. Thailand expressed readiness to expand special operations cooperation in the region and reaffirmed its commitment to working with Indonesia within the ASEAN framework, particularly through the ASEAN Defence Ministers' Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM-Plus. Both nations will support the Trident Resolve exercise, which integrates humanitarian assistance, cybersecurity, and military medical cooperation, and confirmed readiness for joint maritime and air patrols in the Malacca Strait to enhance regional shipping security.
On the defense industry front, Thailand proposed exchanging experiences with Indonesia on defense sector development and invited participation in Thailand's Defense & Security exhibition in 2025, also offering Indonesia's consideration of Thai AWAV 8×8 armored vehicles for its marine corps procurement.
Regarding Thailand's southern border provinces, the defense minister stressed the issue is a complex internal matter, not a religious conflict, and the government continues pursuing peace processes alongside law enforcement, economic development, education, and quality-of-life improvements. Thailand requested continued Indonesian support through ASEAN and the Organization of Islamic Countries (OIC), including support for Thai Muslim students and halal economic cooperation.
Both sides also exchanged views on the Thai-Cambodian border situation. The defense minister thanked Indonesia for maintaining neutrality and reaffirmed Thailand's commitment to peaceful resolution through bilateral mechanisms and international law compliance. Thailand emphasized its use of force is for self-defense and civilian protection based on necessity and proportionality. Both countries called for ceasefire maintenance, avoidance of provocation and misinformation, and rapid landmine removal to create conditions for sustainable peace.
