NAKHON NAYOK, Feb 9 — Gen Wuttinun Leelayudth, deputy chief of Thailand's defense forces, and US Charge d’Affaires Patrick Murphy jointly chaired the launch of the Cobra Gold 2015 military exercise today.
The opening ceremony took place at the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School in Nakhon Nayok province.
Ambassadors and representatives of countries participating in the drill attended the ceremony.
They include South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia.
Cobra Gold has taken place for 34 years.
It involves about 6,300 soldiers from 24 countries consisting of Thailand, the United States and other nations.
Seven countries participate in main execises — Thailand, the United States, South Korea, Japan, Indonesia, Singapore and Malaysia.
Nine countries join staff officers’ drillsc–cthe Philippines, Bangladesh, Britain, Nepal, Mongolia, Australia, Canada, France and Italy. Six countries — Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, Brunei and Pakistan — are observers.
The main activities in Cobra Gold 2015 include staff officers’ exercises at the Armed Forces Academies Preparatory School and multilateral military drills in Lop Buri, Chon Buri, Rayong and Nakhon Ratchasima provinces.
Cobra Gold 2015 also covers exercises on humanitarian aid, disaster responses and public assistance. Personnel from China and India also join the drills. Main exercise venues are in Lop Buri, Saraburi and Chanthaburi provinces.
Mr Murphy, the US charge d’affaires, said in the opening ceremony that Thailand had been a friend of the US for 182 years and the US hoped Thailand would restore democracy so that full-scaled bilateral relations could resume. (MCOT online news)
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