Hi,

I was wondering if the us military exercises are taking place this year in pattaya and if so,when.

I will probably be in pattaya first week of may.

Thanks in advance for any info.

Yes Cobra Gold is starting in May as planned. Only reason I know this is because I will be particapating in it again!

....US military exercises in Pattaya.....

...anyway, I think that a much reduced contingent is playing war games in Sattahip and Laem Chabang... and not Pattaya...am I right or am I wrong?

Edited April 13, 200620 yr by Artisan

Equipment at Satthip on April 11.

Equipment at Satthip on April 11.

Spasibo comrade.

....US military exercises in Pattaya.....

...anyway, I think that a much reduced contingent is playing war games in Sattahip and Laem Chabang... and not Pattaya...am I right or am I wrong?

Yes, the manoeuvres are held at sea, but then they give the lads shore leave and a lot of seamen get busy exercising in Pattaya

FYI:Cobra Gold

Poor lads are normally eaten alive by the lovely ladies of Pattaya.

R & R......they have to go back to sea for a rest and to catch up on their sleep

R & R......they have to go back to sea for a rest and to catch up on their sleep

Good laff mind you - get so legless and can't remember half of what they got up to. Not mention they end up buying all the crap from the touts.

I'd like to get into Utapao to take pictures of the visitng aircraft, some very rare stuff usually shows up for the event.

Konkeror,

The hotel folks you spoke to may have been referring to the CARAT (Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training) exercises slated to begin on the 10th June.

Yes, the hotel is right. Last year it was called "Cobra Gold 05", whereas this year the name has been changed to "Cobra Gold 06".

Ha, ha, ha....

It's "Cope Tiger"; joint exercise between Singapore, Thailand and the US. Maybe different from Cobra Gold, but Cope Tiger starts mid-May.

Cope Tiger is an airforces event held during February at Korat AFB.

It's "Cope Tiger"; joint exercise between Singapore, Thailand and the US. Maybe different from Cobra Gold, but Cope Tiger starts mid-May.

"Cope Tiger 2006" was held in January and February of this year. Have a look at this link which gives information on all of the excercises this year....including Cobra Gold 2006.

US Pacific Command

Edited April 15, 200620 yr by Artisan

I'd like to get into Utapao to take pictures of the visitng aircraft, some very rare stuff usually shows up for the event.

Go to Ban Chang. You can have a close visual of the aircraft coming in and out. The Navy has some spots along the beach like "Nam Noew" which are great for spotters. Enter the Thai Marine post just past Utapao airport.

Edited April 15, 200620 yr by ilyushin

I'd like to get into Utapao to take pictures of the visitng aircraft, some very rare stuff usually shows up for the event.

Go to Ban Chang. You can have a close visual of the aircraft coming in and out. The Navy has some spots along the beach like "Nam Noew" which are great for spotters. Enter the Thai Marine post just past Utapao airport.

Wow this place I gotta find, when you say enter the Thai Marine post, is it inside the navy base or just outside? Wonder if they'll lock me up? Had this problem all my life with authorities and air fields all over UK:

Air force police: Excuse me sir, but why are you taking pictures of our airplanes?

Me : Because it's beautifull and coming into land.

Air Force police : I see, I wonder if you would mind accompanying me to the station guard house?.......again.

I'd like to get into Utapao to take pictures of the visitng aircraft, some very rare stuff usually shows up for the event.

Go to Ban Chang. You can have a close visual of the aircraft coming in and out. The Navy has some spots along the beach like "Nam Noew" which are great for spotters. Enter the Thai Marine post just past Utapao airport.

Wow this place I gotta find, when you say enter the Thai Marine post, is it inside the navy base or just outside? Wonder if they'll lock me up? Had this problem all my life with authorities and air fields all over UK:

Air force police: Excuse me sir, but why are you taking pictures of our airplanes?

Me : Because it's beautifull and coming into land.

Air Force police : I see, I wonder if you would mind accompanying me to the station guard house?.......again.

Go up one more gate past the Marine training ground ( 20 meters) and enter into the next left. There is a temple sign on top of the gate. Proceed straight passing the gated armed forces training grounds (left side). There will be a restaurant and some bungalows over looking the southern end of Utapao airfeild. I'll try to find a map. No problems from the military unless you're looking for it.

I'd like to get into Utapao to take pictures of the visitng aircraft, some very rare stuff usually shows up for the event.

Go to Ban Chang. You can have a close visual of the aircraft coming in and out. The Navy has some spots along the beach like "Nam Noew" which are great for spotters. Enter the Thai Marine post just past Utapao airport.

Wow this place I gotta find, when you say enter the Thai Marine post, is it inside the navy base or just outside? Wonder if they'll lock me up? Had this problem all my life with authorities and air fields all over UK:

Air force police: Excuse me sir, but why are you taking pictures of our airplanes?

Me : Because it's beautifull and coming into land.

Air Force police : I see, I wonder if you would mind accompanying me to the station guard house?.......again.

Go up one more gate past the Marine training ground ( 20 meters) and enter into the next left. There is a temple sign on top of the gate. Proceed straight passing the gated armed forces training grounds (left side). There will be a restaurant and some bungalows over looking the southern end of Utapao airfeild. I'll try to find a map. No problems from the military unless you're looking for it.

.....and if you still have problems they sell wire cutters at the hardware shop in......

Sorry, just reconfirmed with the hotel. It's Cope Tiger 2006 (not Cobra Gold), 30 rooms, May 12 thru 25, all to the US Air Force. Cobra Gold is using a different hotel and billeting forces at Thai military bases. I don't know why Cope Tiger needs 30 rooms now when their annual exercise was over in February.

It would not be wise to publish the name of the hotel on the website

Sorry, just reconfirmed with the hotel. It's Cope Tiger 2006 (not Cobra Gold), 30 rooms, May 12 thru 25, all to the US Air Force. Cobra Gold is using a different hotel and billeting forces at Thai military bases. I don't know why Cope Tiger needs 30 rooms now when their annual exercise was over in February.

It would not be wise to publish the name of the hotel on the website

Nor details pertaining to deployment ect!

"Loose lips sink ships"

Sorry, just reconfirmed with the hotel. It's Cope Tiger 2006 (not Cobra Gold), 30 rooms, May 12 thru 25, all to the US Air Force. Cobra Gold is using a different hotel and billeting forces at Thai military bases. I don't know why Cope Tiger needs 30 rooms now when their annual exercise was over in February.

It would not be wise to publish the name of the hotel on the website

Nor details pertaining to deployment ect!

"Loose lips sink ships"

Exactly! MP5

Wow! I'm really confused as to what is happening now. And I'm involved with this exercise! Please do not post any details you think you may know.

Cope Tiger simulates the air attacks, bombing and fighter support and is overlapped to Cobra Gold Exercises. Some aircraft never land in Thailand for such an op. B52 flyover, carrier based FA-18F, P-3, etc... Joint Task Force Korat hosts the Cope Tiger, Wing 1 RTAF and 13th USA. Others involved.

Edited April 16, 200620 yr by ilyushin

It would not be wise to publish the name of the hotel on the website

Nor details pertaining to deployment ect!

"Loose lips sink ships"

Exactly !

Just before I went to Afghanistan in '03, a school bus carrying German soldiers from their base to the airport was nailed by a bomb (can't remember if it was a suicide bomber or a car bomb).

Either way, they killed about 14 of the guys who were on their way home for holidays.

The details of their schedule had been posted on the internet (i.e. bus to airport departs camp at xxxx). It was like an open invitation to the terrorists.

As a direct result of that incident, when ever we (civilians and soldiers) traveled to/from the airport, we went in armoured vehicles and......never mind, I won't go into detail about the procedures.

Suffice to say, we didn't lose any civilians to terrorist incidents during our time there.

Remember, the bad guys use the internet too, and some even know how to use things like google to search for info. Stuff posted here on Thai Visa regularly shows up in Google searches.

Better safe than sorry.

Better safe than sorry.

Words well taken

My first visit to LOS was CG-04 and have been back 6 times since. It is amazing how much info i have gotten by just reading these posts. Try to remember that not everyone agrees with the way the things are going in the world and troop deployments/re-deployments locations and what nots should not be discussed no matter what. A little operations security goes a long way.

Thais and Yanks playing war games near Pattaya - B52 flyover, carrier based FA-18F , P-3, etc...

Collateral damage? - Friendly fire?

Flee whilst you still can

Well a flat-top just sailed into the port of Laem Chabang... with a few toys parked on the deck for show. No sign of any other support vessels yet.

Part of Cobra Gold?

Well a flat-top just sailed into the port of Laem Chabang... with a few toys parked on the deck for show. No sign of any other support vessels yet.

Part of Cobra Gold?

Sure is JD.....see post #3. Its ducklings will turn up soon.

Edited April 20, 200620 yr by Artisan

Well a flat-top just sailed into the port of Laem Chabang... with a few toys parked on the deck for show. No sign of any other support vessels yet.

Part of Cobra Gold?

Can you see the number on the bridge at all CVN something something?