The Australian Defence Force delivered a comprehensive pre-deployment training course to members of the Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTARF) last month, preparing them for UN peacekeeping operations to South Sudan.
Conducted under Indo-Pacific Endeavour, the training equipped Thai personnel with the knowledge and skills required to operate in complex peacekeeping environments.
Topics included combat first-aid training, protection of civilians, cultural awareness and the importance of gender perspectives in operations.
Sharing knowledge on mental health and resilience for deploying peacekeepers was also included at the request of the RTARF.
Australian instructors from the 39th Operational Support Battalion and 3rd Health Battalion provided practical exercises and scenario-based learning.
Leading the ADF training team, Major Patrick Carmody said the course emphasised collaboration and interoperability.
"This training strengthens our partnership with Thailand and ensures that their personnel are well-prepared to uphold the high standards expected in UN peacekeeping operations. It's about building capability, confidence and mutual understanding," Major Carmody said.
Thai participant Lieutenant Commander Sirilak Jakpet praised the program for its practical approach and relevance to real-world missions.
"The mental health and resilience scenarios and exercises gave us confidence in dealing with some of the issues that we may face when deployed, and will also allow us to support members from different nations deployed alongside us," Lieutenant Commander Jakpet said.
"The first-aid training provided us very good skills and the practical training made us feel even more confident and ready to deploy on UN missions."
The course is part of Australia's support of regional partners under the UN peace operations training framework, reinforcing the collective effort to maintain international peace and security.
