KUALA LUMPUR, 15 July 2026 (The Capital Post) – Defence Minister Dato’ Seri Mohamed Khaled Nordin received Thailand’s Defence Minister, His Excellency Lieutenant General Adul Boonthumjaroen, during the latter’s first official visit to Malaysia since assuming office.
As neighbouring countries and ASEAN members, Malaysia and Thailand reaffirmed their commitment to strengthening defence cooperation and upholding ASEAN principles to ensure regional peace and stability.
Among the key issues discussed were efforts to expedite the signing of the Malaysia–Thailand Defence Cooperation Memorandum of Understanding (MoU), the development of the local defence industry, and enhanced cooperation on border security.
The ministers also discussed joint military operations, socio-economic development and disaster management in border areas. Malaysia is set to host the 57th Malaysia–Thailand General Border Committee (GBC) meeting later this year.
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The meeting also covered the participation of Thai military officers in the Malaysian Defence Cooperation Programme (MDCP), as well as developments in the Southern Thailand Peace Dialogue. Malaysia welcomed the appointment of Thanut Suvarnananda as the new Head of the Royal Thai Government Peace Dialogue Panel and reaffirmed its support for ongoing peace and stability efforts in Southern Thailand.
Regional matters, including the upcoming ASEAN Defence Ministers’ Meeting (ADMM) and ADMM-Plus in the Philippines, as well as developments in Thailand–Cambodia relations, were also discussed. Both sides expressed hope that bilateral issues would continue to be resolved through dialogue in accordance with the ASEAN Way.
According to a post on the official Facebook page of Khaled Nordin, the meeting reaffirmed the longstanding defence partnership between Malaysia and Thailand while strengthening cooperation on regional security and stability. – The Capital Post.
