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BANGKOK: Thailand launched its annual war games Wednesday with troops from the United States, Japan, Singapore and Indonesia linking up with Thai forces for two weeks of joint military exercises.
Speaking at the opening ceremony of the biggest war games in Southeast Asia in the northern city of Chiang Mai, US Deputy Chief of Mission James Entwistle said the focus would be on peacekeeping and humanitarian operations.
"Multinational responses to regional crises are likely to be the norm in the future. It is therefore vital that friends train together in order to better address future requirements," Entwistle told the gathering.
"Cobra Gold is unparalleled in preparing our militaries for the real-world priorities of peace support, stability and reconstruction, humanitarian assistance and combat operations," he said.
About 11,600 military personnel from the five nations are involved in the games, which run until February 17.
The militaries will conduct a joint planning exercise and armed forces from all five nations will train together in various locations across the country and carry out humanitarian projects, Entwistle said.
Training would range from "non-combatant evacuation operations to full spectrum combined arms operations" including live fire, he added.
Nearly 7,300 troops have come from the United States to train with about 4,000 from Thailand, 106 from Singapore, 75 from Japan and 113 from Indonesia in air, water and ground exercises, the Thai armed forces has announced.
It earlier said it would allocate 40 million baht (US$1.1 million) for the games, while the United States would contribute US$13 million.
Thailand and the United States are long-time allies, but a large sum of US military assistance to Thailand was suspended after a coup here in 2006. The aid was resumed after elections in December 2007.
- AFP/yb
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