Thai Defense Minister Thamarak Isarangura announced Monday that the kingdom prepares to send army medical staff to assist the Iraqi people as soon as the United Nations gives the word, the Thai News Agency reported.
He was quoted as saying that if requested by the United Nations, Thailand will send troops to Iraq, but they will be medical staff to assist the people.
Meanwhile, he stressed that Thailand has no plan to send combat troops, describing Thailand as a friend of both the United States and Iraq.
He also dismissed speculation that the war in Iraq could affect the joint US-Thai Cobra Gold 03 training exercises this year, saying that as far as he could see, no one is planning anti-US protests that could cause disruptions to the project.
(Xinhua News Agency March 31, 2003)
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