US defence secretary meets Thai PM in Bangkok

U.S. Secretary of Defense Lloyd Austin met with Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha in Bangkok on Monday. As well as being prime minister, Prayuth is also Thailand's minister of defence. The two men, who met last month in Washington, reviewed military guards before talks at the Thai Defense Ministry.

Thailand and the United States are stalwart military allies. A U.S. Department of Defense statement ahead of the trip said Austin's visit would be an important step towards modernizing the U.S.-Thai alliance and expanding the depth and breadth of military cooperation.