Armed forces prepare to host ‘Cobra Gold 2023’

The two-week-long multinational military exercise Cobra Gold 2023 will begin on Feb 27, with about 7,000 personnel participating from seven countries.

According to a source at the Royal Thai Armed Forces Headquarters, this year’s drill will consist of three primary events: a staff exercise, which includes a senior leader seminar, humanitarian civic assistance projects in Thai communities, and a field training exercise that includes a variety of training events to strengthen regional relationships and enhance interoperability.

Although all member countries — the US, Singapore, Japan, Indonesia, South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand — are sending military personnel to participate in the exercise, most participants are from Thailand (3,000) and the US (3,800).

There has yet to be confirmation on whether Thailand and the US will invite all ten observing countries for this year’s exercise. An announcement on this issue is expected on Feb 14.

One of the observers, Myanmar, has not joined the drill since the military coup on Feb 1, 2021. Thai and US authorities had in the past claimed that Myanmar’s absence was because of the Covid-19 situation, according to a source.

India, China and Australia would also have limited participation in humanitarian aid exercises.

Over the past ten years, the number of US army personnel participating in Cobra Gold has fallen from 10,000 to around 6,000-7,000 for a “heavy” training year and 4,000 for a “light” year.

Cobra Gold 2022, held last August, was scaled down due to Covid-19 but had 1,953 Thai soldiers and 1,296 US personnel participating, along with 50 from Singapore, 16 from Indonesia, 35 from Japan, 41 from South Korea, 36 from Malaysia, ten from China, 18 from Australia and five from India.