Rear Adm. Paithoon Prasopsin,
commander of the Royal Thai Navy’s Frigate Squadron 2, and Rear Adm. Thomas
F. Carney, commander of the U.S. Logistics Group for the Western Pacific
address the troops at the beginning of the exercises.
Patcharapol Panrak
Thai and American naval forces again are shooting up the skies near Sattahip
as the annual CARAT exercise gets underway.
Rear Adm. Paithoon Prasopsin, commander of the Royal Thai Navy’s Frigate
Squadron 2, and Rear Adm. Thomas F. Carney, commander of the U.S. Logistics
Group for the Western Pacific, kicked off the games at the Sattahip Naval
Base. The exercise is scheduled to conclude May 25.
Rear Adm. Supong Sirisonthi, deputy commander of the base, said that the
Combat Afloat Readiness and Training games give Thailand the chance to
exchange information and expertise with their counterparts in the U.S. Navy
and Marine Corps. The exercise focused on increasing experience levels for
gunships, amphibious attack units and focus on marine security and target
practice in Thai territorial waters.
Paithoon added that CARAT this year also would focus on use of unmanned
aerial vehicles and mobile medical services training.
CARAT, held for 18th year, employed five U.S. ships and nine Thai vessels.
“Special Forces Missions” were created, using sailors, divers, staff from
the Thai Naval Ordinance Department. A total of eight aircraft and 2,500
personnel took part.
