|
The Thai government will propose the cabinet meeting on Tuesday to approve NASA's request to utilize Thailand's U-Tapao navy base, Foreign Minister Surapong Tovichakchaikul unveiled on Monday.
The foreign minister's remarks came after a meeting held by Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra, Defence Minister ACM Sukhampol Suwannathat, as well as army, navy and air force chiefs earlier Monday.
Regarding the concerns that the matter shall be first proposed to the parliament for consideration in accordance with Article 190 of the Constitution, Surapong said the Council of State had already interpreted that it was not the case.
According to the foreign minister, the U.S. National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) in March asked the Thai government for the permission to use U-Tapao as its base to conduct atmospheric studies in Southeast Asia during August and September this year.
However, as Thailand was concerned about the territorial air space of its neighboring countries, NASA's request was not proceeded until June when all stakeholders had no objection.
U-Tapao once served as the U.S. military base during the Vietnam War but recently the airfield has been a center for humanitarian aid and played a role in the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami, Cyclone Nargis in Myanmar in 2008, and the 2011 flood crisis in Thailand. |
