By Adam Judd

On February 28, 2023, Thailand Chief of Defence Forces General Chalermpol Srisawasdi and U.S. Ambassador to Thailand Robert F. Godec presided over the Cobra Gold 2023 Opening Ceremony at the Royal Thai Naval Airbase, Royal Thai Air Fleet in Rayong province.

 

Also attending the ceremony were Ambassador of Japan to Thailand, Ambassador of the Republic of Korea to Thailand, Ambassador of Indonesia to Thailand, Ambassador of Malaysia to Thailand, and Ambassador of Singapore to Thailand.

 

The Cobra Gold exercise is the largest joint multilateral military exercise in Southeast Asia, co-hosted annually in Thailand by the Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTARF) and the U.S. Indo-Pacific Command.

 

This year’s exercise is the 42nd iteration with seven fully participating countries – Thailand, the United States, Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, the Republic of Korea, and Malaysia; three countries joining the humanitarian assistance exercise – the PRC, India, and Australia; 10 countries joining the Multinational Planning Augmentation Team (MPAT) – Bangladesh, Canada, France, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, the Philippines, Fiji, the United Kingdom, and Brunei; and 10 countries joining in the Combined Observer Liaison Team (COLT) – Cambodia, Lao PDR, Brazil, Pakistan, Vietnam, Germany, Sweden, the Hellenic Republic, Kuwait, and Sri Lanka. In total, there are 30 participating countries comprising 7,394 personnel.

 

The objectives of the exercise are to develop good military relations between participating partners; to enhance multilateral military interoperability by preparing to mobilize in a crisis; and to review multinational standard operating procedures. This year, with a return to normalcy, the exercise is back to full-scale. However, RTARF continues to operate in line with the Thai Ministry of Public Health COVID-19 prevention measures. 

 

Full story: https://thepattayanews.com/2023/02/28/cobra-gold-2023-officially-begins-in-eastern-provinces-and-near-pattaya/

 

-- © Copyright The Pattaya News 2023-02-28

 

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Inbound busses from upcountry are full.

As usual, anytime Cobra Gold kicks off, expect an increase in USN personnel in Pattaya. ST/LT prices will definitely be up while they are there. 

3 hours ago, Hanuman2547 said:

As usual, anytime Cobra Gold kicks off, expect an increase in USN personnel in Pattaya. ST/LT prices will definitely be up while they are there. 

Doubtful at best. Few navy personnel are in that total of 6,000 US military. Fewer still are gonna get shore leave, and still fewer are gonna take the chance of ending their career by visiting a hooker in Pattaya.  Stories of the olden days persist.

Cobra Gold will soon be replaced by Golden Dragon, considering how quickly China is expanding its navy.