The United States and Thailand reaffirmed their close military ties Thursday by signing a joint vision statement but stopped short of discussing a return of US troops to the kingdom, according to dpa. Visiting US Defence Secretary Leon Panetta signed the statement on the Thai-US defence alliance with his Thai counterpart, Defence Minister Sukampol Suwannathat. The statement granted no new privileges to the US military, which is seeking to bolster its presence in the Asia-Pacific as part of US President Barack Obama's "pivot" away from the Middle East to Asia, announced a year ago. "President Obama has committed the United States to working more closely with our friends and allies in the region, including our engagement through diplomacy, through trade and through stronger military-to-military relations," Panetta said. Obama is to visit Thailand Sunday when he is to have an audience with King Bhumibol Adulyadej and hold talks with Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra. The US previously expressed interest in setting up a humanitarian and relief centre at U-Tapao, an air force and naval complex in Sattahip, 120 kilometres south-east of Bangkok, which was built by the US military during the Vietnam War. Panetta said the U-Tapao issue wasn't raised. The statement outlined broad joint commitments to cooperate in providing security in South-East Asia, a major objective of Obama's "pivot."
