U.S. Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates Visits Thailand

Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates, left, speaks with Thai Prime Minister Samak Sundaravej at the Ministry of Defense in Bangkok, Thailand, June 1, 2008. During his visit, Gates reaffirmed that the military-to-military relationship between the U.S. and Thailand is based on shared democratic principles.   Speaking with Prime Minister and Defense Minister Samak Sundaravej, Gates praised Thailand’s longstanding bilateral relationship with the United States, and promised to help the Thai military continue its defense reforms and build capacity, a senior defense official who accompanied the secretary told reporters.

But perhaps more significantly, with about a dozen top-level Thai officers looking on during the 45-minute session, Gates praised Thailand’s recent return of its military to civilian control as a return to democratic principles. “The message was pretty unmistakable,” the official said. (Full Story || Photo Gallery) Defense Department photo by U.S. Air Force Tech. Sgt. Jerry Morrison.