Thailand and Australia have agreed to continue their Taskforce Storm operation to combat drug trafficking, an industry that is believed to fund terrorism.
Their joint crackdown is a key mission in a two-year campaign which groups together five Thai and Australian agencies in a fight against drug traffickers amid concerns that some are laundering money to support terrorism.
Thai Deputy Prime Minister Prajin Juntong and Australian Minister of Home Affairs Peter Dutton signed an agreement Wednesday to extend the period of their cooperation, which started in May 2016.
The new agreement is not only aimed to further support the drug battle, but it also "shows intention of the two countries to deal with a threat of transnational criminals," ACM Prajin, who is also justice minister, said.
He welcomed the Australian Federal Police plan to work closely with the Thai government on intelligence missions, which will help cut short attempts to smuggle drug precursors to the Golden Triangle, a notorious drug production site.
The Golden Triangle is an overlapping mountainous area of about 950,000 square kilometres shared by Myanmar, Laos and Thailand near the Mekong River.
In 2016, Thailand and Myanmar joined hands to "seal off" the area to keep drug precursors away and, at the same time, block traffickers from transporting drugs elsewhere.
One of their destinations is Australia, Mr Dutton said, adding Australian police are dealing with the smuggling of drugs, mostly crystal methamphetamine, into the country. He said the location of Australia makes it an easy target for smuggling both by air and sea. The drugs usually come from the Middle East and the Golden Triangle.
Canberra is working closely with authorities in China and India, which are believed to be the major sources of drug precursors, Mr Dutton said.
In Thailand, four agencies -- the Royal Thai Police, the Office of the Narcotics Control Board, the Department of Special Investigation and the Anti-Money Laundering Office -- are also helping Australia tackle drug trafficking and other transnational crimes under Taskforce Storm.
So far the two countries have intercepted the transport of several tonnes of illicit substances including the drug precursor ephedrine, and marijuana.
Meanwhile, Thailand and the Netherlands are tightening cooperation in water and military affairs.
Dutch ambassador to Thailand Kees Pieter Rade said his country is ready to work with the Thai government to develop seaport and water transport systems as well as water management plans, defence spokesman Kongcheep Tantravanich said after his visit on Wednesday to deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwon.
The two countries are also drafting a memorandum of understanding on military technology development, Lt Gen Kongcheep added.