Admiral Jirapol Wongwit recognised for advancing defence ties between the Royal Thai Navy and Republic of Singapore Navy.
Admiral Jirapol Wongwit, Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Navy (RTN), has been awarded Singapore’s Meritorious Service Medal (Military) – Pingat Jasa Gemilang (Tentera) – by President Tharman Shanmugaratnam, in recognition of his efforts to strengthen defence cooperation between the Thai and Singaporean navies.
The award was presented by Minister for Defence Mr Chan Chun Sing at an official investiture held this morning at the Ministry of Defence (MINDEF). Admiral Jirapol is currently on an official visit to Singapore from 6 to 8 August 2025.
Under Admiral Jirapol’s leadership, the RTN and the Republic of Singapore Navy (RSN) have expanded their partnership in multiple areas. These include the first-ever participation of an RSN vessel in Exercise Cobra Gold earlier this year, and the signing of a revised Memorandum of Understanding to enhance white-shipping information-sharing. His tenure has also seen an increase in bilateral engagements such as Navy-to-Navy Staff Talks, mutual port visits, and cross-attendance of training programmes.
Admiral Jirapol also met with senior defence officials, including Minister Chan, Chief of Defence Force Vice Admiral Aaron Beng, and Chief of Navy Rear Admiral Sean Wat, following his inspection of the Guard of Honour at MINDEF. The award highlights the strong and growing relationship between the two maritime forces and reflects the mutual commitment to regional stability and cooperation.
Source: MINDEF
