- By Stingray, Thai Intel’s national security journalist
Thai Intel’s friend in Thailand’s democratic activist movement, Suchart, told Thai Intel, early this morning, that he is outraged by the news that the Thai USA & ASEAN Cobra Gold military exercise being conducted currently, includes urban environment combat training.
“I am outraged by the insensitivity of the USA to be conducting urban military training with the Thai military when there is a rumor of coup going on in Thailand, yet again…Thailand is a country with a long history of military coup and massacre, and all of that have taken place mostly in Bangkok…..Need anyone needs be reminded of the massacre of the Red Shirts protesters by the Thai military in Bangkok a few years ago….The last thing the Thai military needs is increase skill in urban military operations….That will just make the Thai military better in staging coups and killling protesters…I am outraged and greatly disappointed by the USA military establishment, particularly, the USA Pacific Command,” said Suchart.
Thai Intel just wants to add to Suchart, that the urban military training is being conducted by the Thai and USA marines. The Thai marines is part of the Thai navy. And traditionally, in Thailand, the navy takes mostly, a non-political position, and not involved in military coups. Military coups in Thailand, have traditionally, been staged by the Thai army, especially units of the Royal Guard.
However, overlooking Cobra Gold, is the Thai military establishment-controlled to a great extent, by the Thai army. Thailand ranks 4th globally, as the country that have seen the most coups being staged.
- The following is by Dvids:
By Dvids
Combat training keeps US, Royal Thai Marines ready
Story by Sgt. Brandon Saunders
BAN CHAM KREM, Thailand – Royal Thai Marines team up with U.S. Marines from Combat Assault Battalion for professional military instruction regarding Military Operations on Urban Terrain (MOUT) training during Exercise Cobra Gold 2012 at the training area here Feb. 10.
Royal Thai Marines practice weapons handling skills before advancing through the Military Operations on Urban Terrain town at the Ban Cham Krem training area here Feb. 8 during Cobra Gold ’12. Cobra Gold is a recurring multinational and multiservice exercise hosted by the Royal Kingdom of Thailand designed to advance regional security by exercising a multinational force from nations sharing common goals and security commitments in the Asia-Pacific region.
Cobra Gold is a recurring multinational and multi-service exercise co-hosted by the Kingdom of Thailand and the U.S. designed to advance regional security by exercising a multinational force from nations sharing common goals and security commitments in the Asia-Pacific region.
Combat Assault Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, III Marine Expeditionary Force has formed a training platoon during the exercise. Every few days, Marines from different companies in the battalion integrate into training platoon for combat sustainment training in an effort to maintain a force in readiness.
“We’re expounding on the basic skills that Marines were taught at Marine Combat Training so that they will be ready if deployed to a combat theater without notice,” said Sgt. Kyle Becker, Military Operations on Urban Terrain lane officer-in-charge.
Training alongside Marines from Combat Assault Battalion, were Royal Thai Marines. Thai counterparts got to experience U.S. Marine Corps tactics in a simulated urban environment.
“Our Thai brothers are very disciplined and caught on quickly to the training,” said Becker. “Even with the language barrier, we are all Marines.”
The training included basic tactics such as, speed reloading and proper weapons presentation, to more advanced tactics such as, movement from building to building in urban warfare and clearing multiple objectives.
“Every Marine needs to keep up with their basic combat training,” said Lance Cpl. Michael Johnston, motor transport mechanic with Headquarters and Service Company, Combat Assault Battalion. “It doesn’t matter the country, this is what Marines do.”
Marines from Battalion Landing Team, 1st Battalion, 4th Marine Regiment, 31st Marine Expeditionary Unit, conducted a bilateral boat raid with their Royal Thai counterparts Feb. 8. This bilateral force was a demonstration of what unifying militaries are capable of and encompass the meaning of Exercise Cobra Gold 2012.
The exercise, which started Feb. 7, is an annual multinational combined joint training exercise held throughout the Kingdom of Thailand. It is the United States’ largest multilateral exercise in the Asia Pacific region and offers more than 20 participating countries critical training opportunities to improve interoperability in conducting multinational operations.
“We’ve participated in this exercise for 31 years and it allows us to gain visibility and cooperation with our multinational Marines,” said Capt. Troy Cronbaugh, future operations officer for the exercise, 3rd Marine Logistics Group. “The training helps us learn our strengths and weaknesses together.”
Using teamwork to understand other militaries is the foundation of the exercise, said Cronbaugh. “If there is a training instance where we worked together, then we’ll be better prepared for when those instances happen again,” said Sgt. Matthew Milanuk, BLT 1. “This is a good team builder.”
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- ASEAN Defense: Re-newed interest in USA amphibious warfare highlights importance of Thai-USA “Cobra Gold” (thaiintelligentnews.wordpress.com)
- ASEAN Defense: Cobra Gold “A Go” with China Daily reports “Not Clear” if China observing (thaiintelligentnews.wordpress.com)
- Cobra Gold begins in Thailand (waronterrornews.typepad.com)
- ASEAN Defense: USA army to increase Asia Pacific focus, stressing Thailand, Philippines, Japan & South Korea (thaiintelligentnews.wordpress.com)
- ASEAN Defense: Blog comment “Thai military establishment must get down to business of defending Thailand not lese majeste nonsense” (thaiintelligentnews.wordpress.com)
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