Thailand and the United States will co-host the Cobra Gold military exercises across the country Feb. 14-24.
Cobra Gold is the largest multinational war games in Asia and has been held for more than 30 years.
This year’s exercise will see participants and observers from 36 countries. More than two dozen of those will participate actively in addressing the problems highlighted by instability in the region and around the world.
Cobra Gold 2017 has the goal of enhancing effective cooperation and coordination in the region to increase the capacity of participants to work together in complex multilateral operations to enhance the stability of the sea, prevent and mitigate disasters, and improve public health.
Cobra Gold will consist of three main activities: training staff, training field variants to develop regional relationships and ability to work together, along with humanitarian and social projects in the communities of Thailand.
The U.S. will take the lead in the operation, sending 3,600 troops to participate.
The opening ceremony will be held Feb. 14 at the Sattahip base of the Royal Thai Marine Corps.
Amphibious training will be done Feb. 17 in Sattahip, while civilian evacuation drills will be run Feb. 19 at U-Tapao-Rayong-Pattaya Airport.
Sailors and other troops will engage in a construction project at a school in Nakhon Ratchasima Feb. 23 and, the next day, a live-fire exercise will be staged for the closing ceremony in Korat.
