At the launching ceremony (Source: AP)Bangkok (VNA) – Thailand and the US jointly hosted the opening ceremony onFebruary 12 for the annual Cobra Gold military exercise, the largest event ofits kind in the Asia-Pacific region with 29 nations taking part as participantsand observers.
Alongwith Thailand and the US, seven other countries – Singapore, Japan, China,India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Republic of Korea – were also activeparticipants.
Actinghead of the US diplomatic mission in Thailand Peter Haymond said at theceremony, held in the northern Thai province of Phitsanulok, that the aim ofthe exercise is to strengthen cooperation and inter-operability.
Thereare three major components of the exercise, which ends February 22, namelymilitary field training, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief training.
After the military coup in May 2014, the US has reduced itsmilitary presence and support to Thailand, including the assistance to theCobra Gold military exercise.
First held in 1982, the exercise is the biggest of its kindin Asia, which is rooted from the bilateral military exercise between the USand Thailand, its oldest ally in the region. –VNA
VNA
