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Civic Action Projects — Schools More than 400 community members attended a ceremony at Ban Takrao Thong School in Rayong to dedicate a general-purpose building on the school grounds built by 26 Thai Marines and 14 U.S. Navy Seabees. Several local civilians helped complete the project in just 12 days. “The villagers came out to help pour the concrete,” said U.S. Navy BU1 Todd Norman. “And the sod and the flowers all come from the villagers.” The school of several hundred students is also a center of activity for the local community, which will also use the 11 x 24-meter facility. “This general purpose building will always serve as a reminder of the friendship between us and the U.S. Navy,” said Rear Adm. Sommai Prakansamut, Commander of Frigate Squadron One, the Royal Thai Navy command coordinating Thai participation in this year’s exercise.
Similarly, Vice Adm. Somjai Watanayothin, Chief of Staff for the Royal Thai Fleet, drew attention to the cross-cultural aspect of the achievement. “The CARAT exercise is not only a military exercise to enhance proficiency and interoperability between Thai and U.S. forces, but also an important opportunity to strengthen the friendship between the two countries,” he said. At Mercy Children’s Center in Pattaya, U.S. Marines and sailors from USS Harpers Ferry spent the day cleaning the center. They also painted two rooms and cleaned the landscape around a playground outside the center. Crewmembers from the USS Safeguard and USS Vincennes came to Ban Khao Bai Sri School to anchor playground equipment that was loosely sitting on the ground and repair the cafeteria. They completed the work by late afternoon. Civic Action Projects — Medical and Dental A U.S. Navy Landing Craft, Air Cushion vehicle transported nearly 40 U.S. U.S. Navy doctors and dentists and Marine and Navy volunteers to remote school sites over a four-day period. They set up a clinic at each school. Villagers with a wide range of ailments met U.S. medical personnel at Wat Chag Mark School, Wat Hoay Pong School, Wat Kracheat School, and Ban Takra Thong School. Many of the estimated 250 to 350 residents who came each day may have had to wait months or years to get the basic care they needed. Some might not have received it at all. “The Thai doctors and medical personnel screened the patients as they came in and translated for us,” said U.S. Navy Lt. Shrinkanth Rangarajan, a dentist. “Then we made the diagnoses and provided treatment. Most of the people who came in had rampant decay in their mouths, causing them a lot of pain. We extract the teeth and give them some pain medicine. It should heal up in a couple of weeks.” Throughout the day, four dentists rotated between three chairs in their makeshift office. Outside, when U.S. Navy Lt. Sabina Yun took a break from tooth extractions, two girls offered her water. She pressed her hands together in Thai fashion and bowed deeply and graciously. The girls were delighted. Vice Adm. Somjai was right. CARAT not only builds mutual skills, it builds friendship.
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