(VOVworld) - A conference on joint initiatives for law enforcement agencies in countries of the Gulf of Thailand opened Hanoi on Monday. Present were maritime police and coastguards from Thailand, Cambodia, Malaysia and Vietnam plus the US Ambassador to Vietnam David Shear. Colonel Ngo Ngoc Thu, the Deputy Head of Vietnam’s Marine Police Department said: “Vietnam’s Marine Police hope that countries in the Gulf of Thailand work together in an efficient, concrete and appropriate way. The areas of cooperation include information sharing, capacity building and training, setting up hot lines and conducting joint patrols as well as joint exercises in search and rescue and disaster response.”

The US Ambassador said that his country together with Japan and Australia are providing the technical support needed for this initiative to help boost ties with ASEAN member countries and ensure the rule of law on the high sea.