Bangkok, Jan 15, SPA -- Paul Wolfowitz, the U.S. deputysecretary of defense, met with a Thai Cabinet minister onSaturday to discuss relief efforts for tsunami victims inAsia, including the US$350 million that Washington haspledged. Wolfowitz also planned to visit hard-hit Indonesiaand Sri Lanka. After his private meeting with Thai Defense Minister Gen.Samphan Boonyanant, Wolfowitz was traveling to Thailand'sU-tapao air base east of Bangkok, which is being used as astaging area by U.S. military forces delivering reliefsupplies and personnel to devastated areas around theregion. Japan has also been granted use of the base. During the Vietnam War, the U.S. Air Force conductedcombat missions out of U-tapao and other Thai bases. Last month's earthquake-triggered tsunami killed more than157,000 people in 11 countries in Asia and Africa,two-thirds of the fatalities in Indonesia, where Wolfowitzonce served as U.S. ambassador.--more1325 Local Time 1025 GMT www.spa.gov.sa/232660