Australia recently returned to Thailand on Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2024 (IPE24).
Australian Defence Attaché to Thailand, Group Captain Ritchie Cunningham, was proud to watch on as Thai and Australian personnel learnt from and with each other.
“It’s been an honour working here with the Thais,” Group Captain Cunningham said.
“We have about 90 people from the Army, Navy, and Air Force of Thailand and Australia working together. It really provides an opportunity for both countries to come together, work together, to get to know each other so that when we do work together in the future we know each other and how we all operate together.
“The military relationship between Australia and Thailand has been going on for 50 years. In fact, our most senior alumni is His Majesty The King [of Thailand] who graduated from Duntroon in 1975.”
The longstanding friendship between Australia and Thailand is further enhanced by the mutual sharing of capabilities and knowledge on IPE24.
Head of Personnel Management for the ADF Major General Wade Stothart and Regimental Sergeant Major – Army (RSM-A) Warrant Officer Kim Felmingham joined with Royal Thai Armed Forces for a personnel management forum and counterpart engagements.
Military leaders and managers from Thailand and Australia discussed recruitment, retention and training challenges, from enlistment to being job-ready.
A key area of focus was the development of non-commissioned officers, with RSM-A in attendance as a subject matter expert.
The Royal Thai Armed Forces, with more than 360,000 active personnel, is a substantially larger force than the ADF, which has more than 57,000 active personnel.
Each nation presented its career management pathways and shared insights into their recruitment and retention goals, discussed the wins and challenges each force faces and possible solutions.
The sharing of insights enhanced discussions on strategic personnel management, while skills workshops focused on the practical element and brought together a diverse group of personnel from the Royal Thai Armed Forces – including physicians, lawyers, athletes and policy officers – to collaborate with ADF members.
These information exchanges covered mutual areas of interest such as maritime law and aviation safety, and sports trainer workshops focusing on first aid, injury management and prevention.
One workshop attendee, Royal Thai Navy Lieutenant Commander Nachanok Puakpong, said it was a great two days learning and working with ADF personnel.
“We share a lot of experience in the South China Sea,” Lieutenant Commander Puakpong said.
“My work is bi-lateral. It is so good for me – I can take all the experiences from Australians to develop my work.
“I learnt a lot from experiences and exercises that made us think and share together in class.”
In September, HMAS Perth conducted a port visit to Thailand that included official calls to the Royal Thai Fleet Headquarters and the Sattahip Naval Base.
Commander IPE24, RAN Commodore Mick Harris, was honoured to meet with key leaders and be warmly welcomed by the Royal Thai Armed Forces across both HMAS Perth’s Port visit and the recent training seminars on IPE24.
“It was wonderful to be back in Thailand with Indo-Pacific Endeavour 2024,” Commodore Harris said.
“I often say Australia is of the region, with the region and for the region. Strong cooperation and the ability to work with security forces of the Indo-Pacific is critical to supporting a peaceful, stable and prosperous region.
“We thank the Royal Thai Armed Forces for their warm welcome and collaboration in providing a mutually beneficial IPE24 program.”
