China, Thailand joint air force exercise highlights warming ties

[webfact]

China, Thailand joint air force exercise highlights warming ties
By Patpicha Tanakasempipat and Jutarat Skulpichetrat

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand's military held an air show with China on Tuesday ahead of joint maneuvers in a sign of warming ties, but Thailand said it was not distancing itself from the United States which downgraded their military relationship following a 2014 coup.

Five Thai and Chinese military planes performed aerobatic demonstrations for assembled media, flying some 3,000 feet (900 meters) above ground at the Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base, around 260 km (161 miles) northeast of Bangkok.

On Thursday and Friday, Chinese and Thai air forces will conduct their first joint exercises that China has said are aimed at increasing "mutual trust and friendship."

Since a May 2014 coup, Thailand's military generals have sought to counterbalance the country's ties with Washington and launched a charm offensive toward their neighbor to the north.

Full story: http://ca.reuters.com/article/topNews/idCAKBN0TD0B120151124


-- Reuters 2015-11-24

[IMA_FARANG]

Yeah sure, mutual trust and friendship.

said the spider to the fly.

[soalbundy]

who said money cant buy you love

[tomross46]

who said money cant buy you love

You must not be married. Once that happens you will never stop buying love.

[Hayduke]

Warming ties...?

Is that what happens when the puyai stops by for a massage?

[bangrak]

Even when Chamberlain in the 1930s was foolish enough to believe Hitler had no bad intentions, he never came up with the idea to have the RAF in a 'joint exercise' with the Luftwaffe, although Mosley on his side could have had...

[sanukjim]

Hey China Boys,Don't put too much trust into flying close wing with the locals as most of their flt. hours were put in the logbooks with a Parker pen while flying as observer in the back seat with a foreign pilot.

[hawker9000]

...gravitating toward the thugocracy in Beijing. A very bad choice and very sad times indeed for Thailand. So much for the land of the "free".

[asiamaster]

Excellent move -way of the future!

[fakename]

I guess its natural for China to try and get some first hand knowledge of the western aircraft capabilities, and Thailand is ready to help!

[ggt]

It does appear that Thailand is working hard to become a puppet state of China...instead of being a puppet state of the West...

[Lampang2]

Thailand is a Chinese extension.

[Broeno]

In Twente years, Thailand will be a provence of China and Thai don't know it.

[Ireland32]

Excellent move -way of the future!

SAWOW...

[Tonawatchee]

In Twente years, Thailand will be a provence of China and Thai don't know it.

Even after it becomes their province, they still won't know it!

Thailand's military needs all the help it can get.

[hawker9000]

In Twente years, Thailand will be a provence of China and Thai don't know it.

Even after it becomes their province, they still won't know it!

Thailand's military needs all the help it can get.

'Much as I agree with the Chinese vassal state thing, what in the world does Thailand's military need help with? Expecting Cambodia to invade or what?

If they need help with anything, it's going to be the overrunning Chinese hordes, and that'll he the mother of all lost causes. Resistance is futile. Somebody should start selling Borg t-shirts.

[MiKT]

I guess its natural for China to try and get some first hand knowledge of the western aircraft capabilities, and Thailand is ready to help!

Lets hope they both take notice of what an f16 can do.