THE THAI Defence Ministry denied that Thailand is using the holding of Cobra Gold 2027 military exercise to wrestle tariff reduction from the US with the war games being held as planned while still studying letting US set up a drone manufacturing plant here, TV Channel 7 said this afternoon (Aug. 13).
RADM Surasan Kongsiri, the ministry’s spokesperson, dismissed some foreign media reports that Thailand was considering reducing military cooperation with the US, including the holding of Cobra Gold military exercise, if Washington imposed high tariffs on the country.
Ms. Rachada Thanadirek, Prime Minister’s Office spokesperson, had also clarified that the government had no policy to link any other issue to tariff negotiations with the US or use it as a bargaining chip.
RADM Surasan said Cobra Gold 2027 is a multilateral military exercise between the Thai armed forces and the US Indo-Pacific Command (USINDOPACOM), along with armed forces from friendly nations.
Cobra Gold 2027, the 46th combined exercise under the Six-Year Plan (2025-2030), is being held next year as part of a biennial “Light Year” exercise.
A total of 31 countries are participating, including seven core member countries (Thailand, the United States, Singapore, Indonesia, Japan, South Korea, and Malaysia); and four limited participant countries (China, India, Australia, and Pakistan).
Ten other countries are participating under the Multinational Planning and Association Program (MPAT) including Bangladesh, Canada, Fiji, France, Italy, Mongolia, Nepal, New Zealand, the Philippines, and the United Kingdom.
Another 10 countries will join as observers under the Combined Observer Liaison Team (COLT) including Brunei, Germany, Jordan, Laos, the Netherlands, Saudi Arabia, Sweden, Timor-Leste, Turkey, and Vietnam.
RADM Surasan further explained that the difference between the Heavy Year and Light Year training lies in the format of the staff planning phase. While the number of personnel and equipment may differ slightly this is not a significant difference.
RAMR Surasan earlier said that Thailand has not yet agreed to allow the US to establish a drone manufacturing plant in the country with this still in the study and cost-benefit assessment phase.
The visit to the US by the ministry’s permanent secretary provided an opportunity to gather information, observe technology, and build confidence in Thailand’s potential to develop and support low-cost unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV, aka drones) technologies.
RADM Surasan emphasised that there is no agreement, binding commitment, or specific requirement to directly produce any particular system, nor any approval for the establishment of a US drone manufacturing plant in Thailand. All actions are still in the feasibility study phase, assessing cost-benefit and outlining the framework for technology transfer to maximise benefits for Thailand.
Previously, Thailand has a policy to promote its defence industry, and UAV technology is one of the key development concepts. The government and the Defence Ministry prioritise the development of the defence industry to achieve the goal of long-term self-reliance. Therefore, it is necessary to study and learn technology from countries with expertise in this field through various forms such as technology transfer, co-production, defence industrial base (DIB), and joint investment, to enhance the capabilities of the Thai armed forces and Thai industries.
CAPTIONS:
Top and Front Page: Cobra Gold military exercise in previous years. Above photo – Naewna, Front Page photo – Amarin TV
Insert: Thai and US military officers look at some drones. Photo – TV Channel 7
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