BAUCAU/AMBENO (TOP) – According to a press release that The Oekusi Post (TOP) accessed on the official page of the Relação Informação Pública FALINTIL-Força Defesa de Timor-Leste, the Chief of Staff General of the Armed Forces of the Kingdom of Thailand, General Ukris Boond, with his delegation, visited officer for the Land Component and the Air Component of the FALINTIL-Timor-Leste Defense Force (F-FDTL) in Baucau Municipality.
The visit shows that defense cooperation between Dili and Bangkok continues to evolve, while Timor-Leste also consolidates its place in the Southeast Asian regional family.
In the Land Component, Commander Colonel Domingos da Costa Soares "Dobu", together with the command structure and members, received the Thai delegation with a guard of honor ceremony. The ceremony is a sign of respect for the visitor's position, as well as for the relationship between the two countries' Defense Forces.
Visit the historic site
One aspect that gives historical value to this visit is General Ukris' personal connection with Timor-Leste. According to the statement, 24 years ago he also contributed to the Peace Mission in Timor-Leste, in the legal area of Baucau Municipality. Thus, this visit provides an opportunity to return to see places linked to the presence of Thailand in the past.
Thailand is one of the countries that support Timor-Leste's peace and stability process during the transition period. This visit shows how military contribution to peacekeeping missions can be the basis for a long-term bilateral relationship, which is not only for historical memory but also for concrete cooperation in the future.
Observe the infrastructure and capacity
During the visit, the delegation saw directly the infrastructure, facilities and activities in the Land Component, and heard an explanation of the role, responsibilities and organizational structure of this component. Then, the delegation continued to the F-FDTL Air Component to see the infrastructure, facilities and capacity of the component, as part of the official visit program in Baucau.
Objective: Defense and security cooperation
The official visit aims to strengthen the relations of friendship and bilateral cooperation between Timor-Leste and the Kingdom of Thailand, especially in the area of defense and security, to seek opportunities for capacity development and collaboration in the future.
The F-FDTL said it continues to strengthen cooperation relations with partner countries, to promote the exchange of experience, capacity development and institutional professionalism in the area of defense and security.
International relations perspectives
For a small country like Timor-Leste, defense diplomacy provides an opportunity to build institutional capacity through partnerships with countries with extensive experience. Thailand is a long-time member of ASEAN, and the visit can be seen as part of efforts to link Timor-Leste with the regional security cooperation network. However, detailed information on specific areas of cooperation (training, official exchange, or equipment) has not been made public.
