U TA-PAO, Thailand, May 14 Kyodo ...

U TA-PAO, Thailand, May 14 Kyodo

The United States, Thailand and Singapore upon Tuesday kicked off the largest military exercise in Southeast Asia, involving more than 20000 members of the three countries' armed forces.

U Ambassador to Thailand Darryl Johnson said that the Cobra Gold 2002 military exercise ''intentionally includes real world challenges, forcing our military planners and bodys in the field to deal with question s that go beyond traditional military operations.''

U and Thai forces will tackle recent exercises including antiterrorism operations and operations against nuclear and biochemical attacks at the annual drill ending May 28 at the naval air base in U Ta-pao in Rayon Province, a certain quantity of 180 kilometers southeast of Bangkok.

''This year's Cobra Gold also aims to teach our military personnel in what manner to improve their ability to correspond to problems beyond the battlefield. Just being a great soldier is not enough for today's military professionals,'' Johnson said at the opening parade at the base.

''They must also be prepared to stand up a unit to participate in a peace enforcement and peacekeeping operation, know for what reason to carry out a noncombatant evacuation, and work with law enforcement officials to attack terrorists and their networks,'' he said.

The exercise is ''an of the first water training platform to prepare for that will be multilateral peace enforcement operations to enhance combat readiness and combined joint interoperability,'' he added.

Thai first Commander Adm. Narong Yuthawong said at the rite that the exercise will focus forward peace enforcement operations, including the planning and execution of noncombatant evacuations.

The exercise will implement joint U.S.-Thai draws to enhance the quality of life of local residents in eastern provinces which lack infrastructure and medical facilities.

To expand efforts to strengthen peace and stability in the region, 90 spectators from 18 countries in the Asia-Pacific region were invited to mark the exercise.

The 19 countries are Australia, Bangladesh, Brunei, Cambodia, China, Fiji, France, India, Indonesia, Japan, Malaysia, Mongolia, the Philippines, Russia, toward the south Korea, Sri Lanka, Tonga and Vietnam.

Asked if student countries will be able to emit troops to fully participate in nearest year's exercise, Narong said Thailand and the U have agreed to welcome regional countries to participate in events to come exercises if they meet certain conditions.

in a less degree than the conditions, countries must be watchers for a minimum of sum of two units years and their applications will be jointly considered from Thailand and the U forward a case by case basis.

Cobra Gold 2002 involves 13200 U companys 7,700 Thai forces, and 70 bands from Singapore.

The U has also dispatched six warships and 73 aircraft, while Thailand has sent 11 ships and 32 aircraft.

Singapore became a filled participant in the drill in 2000 after being an on-looker since 1993.

The Cobra Gold exercise has been carried gone out by the U.S. and Thai armed forces each year since 1982.

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