Thailand, US scale down Cobra Gold exercise due to Omicron spread
Thailand and the United States have decided to scale down their annual joint military exercise Cobra Gold, set to be held from February 20 to March 5, due to the spread of the highly transmissible Omicron variant, according to local media.
Bangkok (VNA) - Thailand and the United States have decided to scale down their annual joint military exercise Cobra Gold, set to be held from February 20 toMarch 5, due to the spread of the highlytransmissible Omicron variant, according to local media.
The Bangkok Post on January 17 cited a source inthe Royal Thai Armed Forces as saying that although this year's Cobra Gold was toinclude substantial war game exercises, the emergence of Omicron has forced thedownsizing.
As scheduled, drills will be held in eastern and central provinces of Thailand and involve command post,humanitarian/civic assistance as well as field-training exercises. Training that requires a large number of personnel will be canceled, including live fire, amphibious and evacuation operations.
As many as 3,600t𒐪roops will take part in the joint exercise, of whom 1,900 will be Thaisoldiers a♕nd 1,700 will be drawn from the US and other participating countries./.
Cobra Gold, one of the largest multinational military exercises in Asia-Pacific, kicked off in Thailand on February 25, with this year's event taking place under the heavy cloud of a fast-spreading novel coronavirus (SARS-CoV-2).
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Illustrative image. (Photo: bangkokpost.com) 
