The ceremony was witnessed by Mr.Sopon Thongdee, Deputy Director-General of the Department of Marine and Coastal Resources (DMCR) while the Chinese side was represented by Mr. Zheng Shuwei from the Phuket’s Chinese Consular Office. It was also attended by several provincial officials.
The Chakthong Thongyai ship will travel around the Similan Islands in Phang Nga between 30 April and 7 May 2015. Its mission is to collect field data and information about negative impacts of monsoons on the marine ecosystem in the Andaman Sea.
Marine cooperation between Thailand and China began in 2008. Both countries signed agreements on academic collaboration in marine studies and an MOU on marine cooperation between Thailand’s Natural Resources and Environment Ministry and China’s State Oceanic Administration (SOA).
The bilateral cooperation covers maritime research, oceanography and environment. Progress of these projects are shared and followed up regularly through many meetings and researcher exchange programs.
The Thai-Chinese diplomatic relations was officially established much earlier in 1975, on July 1st. Since then government leaders and high-ranking persons of both countries, including members of the Thai Royal Family, have paid mutual visits regularly. As a result, Thailand and China have extensive progress in political, economic, trade, military, educational, scientific, technological and cultural ties.