Pongchai Kahemthavihak, Deputy Permanent Secretary for the Ministry of Transport, was guest of honour at the event, hosted by the Royal Thai Navy Third Area Command.
Mr Pongchai officiated the opening ceremony on Saturday, before the full-scale air-sea rescue “Field Training Exercise” was carried out off the Deep Sea Port in the afternoon.
Also on display at the expo were scores of booths highlighting skills training in search-and-rescue efforts and a huge range of products used in carrying out such exercises.
The exercise also aims to ensure clear lines of communication and clearly set boundaries of responsibility for all organizations that join search-and-rescue efforts in Thai waters.
As Thailand is a member state of the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) and the International Maritime Organization (IMO), the exercise must be held every year.