More than three dozen countries took up their roles in Asia’s largest military exercise when Cobra Gold got underway in Sattahip on Valentine’s Day.
Thai chief of defense forces Gen. Surapong Suwana-adth and American ambassador to Thailand Glyn T. Davies opened the Feb. 14-24 war games with U.S. Navy Adm. Harry Binkley Harris Jr. at Sattahip Naval Base.
Ambassadors to Thailand from Singapore, Japan, Indonesia and Malaysia were on hand to witness the start of the exercise, which this year has seven actively participating countries, 10 additional nations participating in the Public Assistance Project and another 10 observing.
Cobra Gold is among the largest multinational military exercises in which the United States participates. This Cobra Gold marks the 36th joint military exercise with goals of strengthening ties between the U.S. and Thailand, the oldest ally of the United States in the Southeast Asia region, as well as other participating countries.
More recently, Cobra Gold has served a humanitarian mission, as military personnel deliver health care to the local Thai population, and as a testing ground for new battlefield technologies such as solar-powered weaponry.
The seven countries sending their armed forces to participate are Thailand, the U.S., Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, Korea and Malaysia.
The Public Assistance Project includes Australia, Bangladesh, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, Philippines and Fiji.
The 10 observing countries are Myanmar, Laos, Vietnam, Brunei, United Arab Emirates, Chile, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Sweden and Brazil.
