U.S. Armed Forces, for all of their technology, benefit every year from the jungle warfare training they receive in COBRA GOLD from the Royal Thai Armed Forces. For example, in Thai Army jungle survival training, American troops learn how to cope with the 22 kinds of poisonous snakes and five types of poisonous spiders in the Southeast Asian jungles. COBRA GOLD not only trains allied forces, but also builds new friendships and cements old ones between armed forces that have shared decades of close relations.

A Thai Marine Amphibious Assault Vehicle during Thai-U.S. amphibious operations in COBRA GOLD 99.

An CH-46 helicopter prepares to lift off from the USS Dubuque (LPD-08) in support of exercise operations.

The alliance between the U.S. and Thailand is an old one. As Ambassador Hecklinger explained it, "Thirty years ago, American fighter-bombers thundered off the runways in northeast -Thailand in defense of freedom and as part of our commitment to defend Thailand from aggression. Today, Thai pilots, trained in the U.S., fly American-built F-16s. Those pilots and this air base [Korat] symbolize our continually developing relationship."

Royal Thai Marines disembark from a Thai Amphibious Assault Vehicle during an amphibious beach assault exercise in COBRA GOLD 99.

UH-60 Blackhawk helicopters pick up Thai and U.S. Army soldiers for a combined air assault operation in COBRA GOLD 99.

A formation of Royal Thai Air Force F-16s and F-5s fly over Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base during COBRA GOLD 99.

Aiding civilians with medical civic action programs is a regular feature of Thai-U.S. military exercises. Prescriptions are given to villagers after medical examinations during COBRA GOLD 99.

A U.S. Army dentist, Lt. Col. Mark McDonald, assisted by a Thai corpsman, extracts an infected tooth from a villager during medical/dental civic action operations.

U.S. Air Force photographer MSgt. Raymond Conway joins Thai Air Force 103 Squadron pilot Sqdn. Ldr. Sathaporn Phummar to photograph an exercise air mission during COBRA GOLD 99.

Annual Thai-U.S. military training reinforces ties of friendship and cooperation that are among the oldest in Asia, while allowing each of the armed forces to learn from each other and to continually improve their warrior skills.