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“Although the Thai and U.S. forces get together every year,
each time they learn something new,” said Royal Thai Navy Lt.
j.g. Somkuan Sungthong through an interpreter. “The general EOD
concept is the same, but the equipment is a little different,” he
said. “They have equipment that we don’t have and that
we’ve never seen before.”
Live-Fire Exercise
Royal Thai Army soldiers observed more than 100 U.S. Marines participate in
live-fire weapons training at a Thai firing range as part of exercise COBRA
GOLD 2005. The Marines fired M2 .50 caliber heavy machine guns, M240G medium
machine guns, MK19 40mm machine guns, and M249 light machine guns. The exercise
is an annual COBRA GOLD event and rotates to a different firing range each
year. “We rotate between similar training areas,” said Lt. Col.
Robert Plantz. “Last year, the Marines were in Lopburi . . . the hilly,
open terrain is ideal for this kind of training.”
Medical Civic Action Projects
Medical civic action projects took place in 11 rural villages. The villages
were selected based on the inaccessibility of nearby public healthcare. “Many
of the villagers in rural areas have a hard time getting transportation to
hospitals and clinics,” said U.S. Navy Cmdr. Patricia Steiner. “The
villagers often ignore the [non-life threatening] medical problems.
In the village of Ban Toong Fon, more than 60 U.S. soldier, sailors,
and airmen treated more than 200 Thais, after setting up a makeshift
hospital in the village elementary school.Patients began their treatment
in triage where, with the help of a translator, they explained their
medical issues to the service members. Medical services included optometry,
where villagers received eye exams, eyeglasses, and treatment for common
eye problems, such as cataracts and dry eyes. Villagers also received
basic dental care, including exams, tooth extractions, and instruction
on how to care for their teeth with their new toothbrushes and toothpaste.
Other medical services included physical therapy, where patients received
treatment for bone and muscle pain, and treatment for common medical
problems, such as skin and gastro-intestinal problems.
Engineering Civic Action Projects
Thai and U.S. forces completed six humanitarian engineering construction projects.
These included four buildings, a water tower, and a bridge that connected
towns often separated during the rainy season. Thai military engineers and
U.S. Navy engineers along with local media and guests attended the dedication
ceremony for the new multipurpose center at the Wat Kommaneeyakhet School
in Phang Nga and a bridge dedication in Ban Jingteenuean. Both were built
in about six weeks. Addressing attendees at the School, U.S. Ambassador Ralph
L. Boyce said, “This facility will be used by the more than 400 children
who attend this school, but also by the community. [Thai and] U.S. soldiers
built this center and water tower with affection and friendship as a tangible
symbol of our decades of cooperation.”
Marines, Sailors Deliver Supplies to Thai Villages
U.S. Marines and sailors delivered drinking water, milk, and more than 35 bags
containing rice, cooking oil, sardines, and instant noodles along with clothing
and toys to the residents of three Thai villages in Pattaya during COBRA
GOLD 2005.“We wanted to give food that is closer to the traditional
Thai way of eating,” said U.S. Navy Lt. Glenn A. Fleming. “With
the lack of electricity in their homes, the majority of these families are
forced to cook over an open flame, and we wanted to provide food that could
be prepared without the use of ovens or similar conveniences.”“The
donated clothing was a big part of the deliveries,” said Lt. Fleming. “There
was definitely a need for children’s shoes among the families. Kids
who live in less fortunate conditions spend their days walking over broken
glass and sharp objects.”
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