Joint military exercise "Cobra Gold 2015" ends

LOP BURI, THAILAND, February 20 (TNA) - The annually-largest joint military exercises in Southeast Asia, code named Cobra Gold, have ended successfully, as Thai Supreme Commander General Worapong Sa-nganet expressed his satisfaction with the two-week regional joint drills. Jointly presiding over Friday's ceremony with military leaders of allied nations to conclude the "Cobra Gold 2015" military exercises, held at a Thai army base in Chai Badan area of the central Lop Buri Province, where he also inspected the Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise (CALFEX), General Worapong announced that he and all other allied countries were satisfied with the "Cobra Gold 2015" joint exercises, set from February 5-20, and would join again next year. General Worapong noted that discussions had been held and the participating countries agreed that next year "Cobra Gold" joint exercises should be a "Heavy Year"-typed drill. About 10,600 soldiers from seven allied countries, including the United States, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, Malaysia and Thailand, took part in the annual military exercises for 34 years. Six other countries, including Laos, Myanmar, Vietnam, Cambodia, Brunei and Pakistan, sent observers at this year's joint regional military exercises, while military personnel from China and India joined this year's drills on providing humanitarian and disaster assistance. According to the Thai armed forces chief, the participation by American soldiers in the "Cobra Gold 2015" showed that relations between the US and the Thai armed forces remain sound and strong. Meanwhile, a Thai Air Force F16 fighter jet crashed and caught fire in Lop Buri on Friday afternoon during a drill, killing the pilot, but the Royal Thai Air Force said that the tragic incident had no relation with the "Cobra Gold 2015" joint regional exercises. (TNA)