BC-ARMS-THAILAND-SINGAPORE Singapore to lease Thai bases for
used
F-16s BANGKOK, Nov 12 (Reuters) - Singapore will be able to
use
two Thai air bases for 15 years in exchange for seven used
F-16
jet fighters under a military cooperation agreement signed on
Friday, a senior Thai Air Force officer said.
Singapore, which has had strong ties with the Thai military
for
20 years, would be entitled to use one air base in Khon Kaen
and
one in Udon Thani, both in the northeast, said the officer,
who
declined to be identified.
The Udon Thani base was used by U.S. bombers during the
Vietnam
War.
A Thai statement said a military cooperation pact was signed
on
Friday by Thai Defence Minister Sumpun Boonyanun and his
Singapore
counterpart Teo Chee Hean, but gave no details.
Teo was accompanying new Singapore Prime Minister Lee Hsien
Loong on an introductory visit.
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