Four countries interested in joining Straits patrol

Four more countries have expressed an interest in joining the coordinated patrols launched recently by Indonesia, Malaysia and Singapore to stamp out piracy in the Straits of Malacca. The countries in question are fellow members of Asean, i.e. the Philippines, Thailand and Brunei, as well as Asean Regional Forum partner India. Discussion with Thailand are already far advanced and further meetings are under way to consider arrangements of what type of military equipment will be deployed and which sea territory will be guarded by Thailand?s navy.

There are also plans to meet with officers from Brunei’s navy to assure them that the coordinated patrols were not aimed at establishing a defence pact.