Capturing the Fury: Close-Up Photos of Asia’s Largest Joint Military Exercise, Cobra Gold
A total of 9,500 soldiers from 33 countries, including the U.S., South Korea, Thailand, and Japan and China, participated in the exercise, with the mission of "Protecting our own people from contingencies on the Korean Peninsula and in China and Taiwan!
“Get us back to our country quickly!”
In the hangar turned shelter, shouts of people attempting to escape filled the air.
With the looming threat of terrorism and coup d’état due to political unrest, endangering civilians, various countries dispatched troops to rescue their compatriots.
“We’ll guide you onto the aircraft.”
A Self-Defense Force member with the Japanese flag on their camouflage shoulder informed the approximately 30 Japanese gathered in the hangar before leading them out. Among the Japanese evacuees were families with young children, as well as individuals with physical disabilities using wheelchairs or walking sticks. Armed Self-Defense Force members, along with US and Thai soldiers, escorted them, guarding them from all sides as they walked, remaining vigilant. Waiting for them ahead was a US Air Force transport plane, a C-130.
Suddenly, the movements of the remaining Self-Defense Force personnel in the hangar became frantic. An unfamiliar man had crossed the fence and was attempting to enter the airport premises. A Self-Defense Force member carrying a rifle rushed over, surrounding the man. He was a local resident shouting, “Get me on the plane! Take me to a safe place!” Although agitated, he had proper identification, so the Self-Defense Force member advised him, “Please go through the proper procedures.” The airport remained in chaos throughout.
This scene unfolded during “Cobra Gold,” a multinational military exercise held from February 27th to March 8th across various locations in Thailand. Cobra Gold, hosted by Thailand and the United States, saw participation from 33 countries and over 9,500 personnel, making it the largest military exercise in Asia.
The first Cobra Gold exercise took place in 1982, initially as a bilateral military exercise between Thailand and the United States. The US military, involved in the Vietnam War for over 20 years, faced challenges with Southeast Asia’s unique climate, terrain, and language barriers. Thus, they chose to collaborate with the Thai military to understand the region’s distinct environment.
During the height of the Cold War, as the US military considered withdrawing, there were political motives to prevent Southeast Asia from falling under communist influence. Holding Thailand, a core country in Southeast Asia and a leader among ASEAN nations, was strategically significant.
While initially conducted as a bilateral exercise, it gradually evolved into a multilateral exercise to construct ASEAN’s security framework, inviting neighboring countries. It eventually evolved into a multinational exercise, contributing to stability in Southeast Asia and the broader Indo-Pacific region. Japan has participated since 2005.
Thailand has historically pursued a policy of all-round diplomacy, welcoming all comers. In 2013, they even accepted observer participation from neighboring Myanmar, and since 2014, they have limited participation from the People’s Liberation Army of China, which has become a disruptive force in the Indo-Pacific region.
