29th Annual Cobra Gold Joint Exercise Kicks Off In Thailand

The ceremony to launch the annual wargames was jointly presided over by Admiral Wallop Kerdphol, Deputy Chief of Thailand's Defence Forces and US Ambassador Eric G. John at U-Tapao airport.

Apart from usual exercise between Thailand and the US armed forces, this year was the first time that Singapore, Japan, South Korea are participating in the Cobra Gold joint military exercises in Thailand between Feb 1-11.

Armed forces from more than 20 countries are participating as observers.

(...) The joint activity is designed to improve the American Pacific Command's ability to carry out joint and multi-national military operations and to improve the ability of the participating countries' armed forces to work together.

The computer-era exercise combines Thai, US, Singaporean, Japanese, Indonesian, and South Korean participants in a coalition grouping.

Thai, US, Singaporean, Japanese, Indonesian, South Korean, and United Nations military force personnel will participate in the field training modelled after the UN's multi-national peace support operations scenario.

Thailand, the US, Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, and South Korea will participate in humanitarian and civic assistance projects.