Pictures courtesy of Royal Thai Armed Forces.

 

Thailand’s armed forces carried out a large-scale joint disaster relief training exercise, from 16 - 18 July, at the Air and Coastal Defence Command Training Centre in Sattahip district, Chonburi province. The annual operation, conducted in 2025 under the banner “One Team, Thai Forces – Duty First”, brought together multiple branches of the military in a coordinated effort to strengthen the national emergency response capabilities.

 

The exercise, officially titled the 2025 Joint Disaster Relief Training Operation, simulated a range of natural disaster scenarios, including flooding, earthquakes and coastal emergencies. It aimed to enhance inter-agency coordination, improve tactical efficiency and reinforce the readiness of both personnel and equipment when responding to real-world crises.

 

Participating units included members of the Royal Thai Navy, Royal Thai Army, Royal Thai Air Force, and personnel from various emergency support teams, local fire services, emergency responders and Bangkok Fire & Rescue USAR (urban search and rescue) team. Together, they demonstrated complex joint operations such as mass rescue efforts, rapid response deployment, first aid and casualty evacuation, logistics coordination and aerial/drone support for hard-to-reach areas.

 

Rear Admiral Chaiyut Suphan, who oversaw the operations on behalf of the Royal Thai Navy, emphasised the importance of such joint exercises. “In the face of increasingly severe and unpredictable natural disasters, it is critical that Thailand’s armed forces are prepared to respond swiftly and effectively. This exercise ensures that every branch of our military can operate as one unified team in times of national need.”

 

 

The training also included simulation of command and control procedures, mobile communication network setup and the use of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) to locate victims in difficult terrain.

 

Public safety agencies and civilian emergency teams were also involved, reinforcing the concept of civil-military cooperation during large-scale disasters. Local officials from Chonburi province attended the event to observe procedures and discuss future integration of provincial emergency protocols with national defence forces.

 

The Royal Thai Armed Forces have made disaster relief a key part of their peacetime mission, responding in recent years to floods in the North and Northeast, as well as search and rescue operations during maritime emergencies.

 

With natural disasters becoming more frequent, the 2025 joint exercise served as a vital reminder of the military’s role not only in national defence but also in humanitarian relief and civilian protection.

 

 

  Adapted by Asean Now from Royal Thai Srmed Forces 2025-07-22

 

 

 

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