His Majesty Sultan Haji Hassanal Bolkiah Mu'izzaddin Waddaulah ibni Al-Marhum Sultan Haji Omar 'Ali Saifuddien Sa'adul Khairi Waddien, the Sultan and Yang Di-Pertuan of Brunei Darussalam yesterday afternoon granted an audience to the Chief of Defence Force of the Royal Thai Armed Forces. The audience ceremony took place at the Istana Nurul Iman.
His Majesty granted an audience to His Excellency General Thanasak Patimapragorn who is on three-day introductory visit to the country. Accompanying His Excellency during the audience was the Deputy Chief of Defence Force of the Royal Thai Armed Forces, Air Chief Marshal Boonyarit Kerdsuk. Also present were the Commander of the Royal Brunei Armed Forces, Major General Dato Paduka Seri Haji Aminuddin Ihsan; the Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of Thailand to Brunei Darussalam, His Excellency Apichart Phetaratna; the Permanent Secretary at the Prime Minister's Office, Haji Hamdan bin Haji Abu Bakar and the Permanent Secretary Defence Policy and Development at the Ministry of Defence, Pengiran Dato Paduka Haji Azmansham bin Pengiran Haji Mohammad.
While in the Sultanate, His Excellency has visited the Third Battalion at the Lumut Camp and the Royal Brunei Navy base in Muara. The visit aimed to forge a closer military cooperation relation between Brunei Darussalam and Thailand.