» U.S. sends largest contingent in a decade to Cobra Gold

In a clear signal of strengthening ties, the U.S. has sent over 6,000 troops to Thailand, the most in a decade, to participate in Cobra Gold, America’s largest multilateral military exercises, co-hosted annually with the Kingdom.

Personnel from 30 nations are attending the 42nd iteration of Cobra Gold, which began on February 27 and will conclude on March 10. Thailand is the oldest treaty partner of the U.S. in Asia, and the two countries have had strong military and defense cooperation for over half a century.

Military officials from both countries said that the agenda this year consists of full-scale air, land and sea drills as…