SINGAPORE: The armed forces of Singapore, Thailand, the US, Japan and Indonesia are taking part in an annual multilateral exercise in Korat, Thailand from 8-21 May.

Exercise Cobra Gold 2008 is a series of exercises that focuses on peace support and non-combatant evacuation operations.

Representatives from Cambodia, China, India, Laos, Malaysia, Nepal, Pakistan, South Korea and Vietnam will be observing this year's exercise.

The Singapore Armed Forces (SAF), which had sent observers to Exercise Cobra Gold from 1993 to 1999, became a full exercise participant in 2000.

Commander, 9th Singapore Division and Chief Infantry Officer, Brigadier-General Chan Chun Sing, will lead a 106-member SAF delegation to participate in the command post exercise phase of Cobra Gold.

The SAF officers will undertake the role of staff planners for the Combined Joint Task Force, alongside their Thai, US, Japanese and Indonesian counterparts.

For the first time, a 35-man SAF team will also be taking part in the field training exercise phase that simulates security operations in support of humanitarian and disaster relief efforts.

The SAF's participation in this phase, which previously involved only the US and Thai armed forces, marks a significant milestone in Singapore's involvement in the Exercise Cobra Gold series.

In addition, an SAF medical team will join teams from the Thai and US armed forces to provide medical and dental services to the local population in Korat, under the Medical Civil Assistance Programme (MEDCAP). - CNA/ir