CHONBURI, Feb 10 – South Korea’s military joined the annual Thai-US joint military exercise for the first time this week as the maneuvers kicked off in Thailand’s eastern seaboard province of Chonburi.
The 10-day joint drill, code named Cobra Gold 2012, is scheduled to end on Feb 17.
Amphibious operations training is being held at Chonburi’s Sattahip district and is attended by 150 personnel from the three nations’ naval special forces.
Equipment involved includes 29 amphibious vehicles, two F18 jet fighter aircraft and two CH-46 Sea Knight helicopters deployed by the United States, Thailand and South Korea for the training.
Rear Admiral Chorchat Gra-Tes, commander of amphibious and combat support of the Royal Thai Navy, said this is the first time that South Korea sent troops to join the joint training in Thailand, signaling the possibility of future military cooperation.
Thai Deputy Supreme Commander Admiral Yutthana Fakpholngam and the House Committee on Military Affairs also observed the Friday training.
The Royal Thai Navy has dispatched HTMS Surin and HTMS Mannai to facilitate the training while America’s USS Tortuga (LSD-46) joined the operations for the 12th consecutive year.
Cobra Gold is an annually-scheduled joint exercise between Thai and US militaries aiming to ensure regional peace and the strength and capability of the Royal Thai Armed Forces.
Cobra Gold 2012 is the 31st annual drill with the United States, which has the largest participating force with around 6,500 personnel. Some 3,500 personnel from Thailand, the Republic of Korea, Japan, Singapore, Indonesia and Malaysia are also taking part in the event, according to the Associated Press (AP) news agency.
The event is the largest joint annual military drill in the Asia Pacific.Twenty other countries are attending the event as observers.
