A soldier eats gecko meat. (Reuters)
On the morning of February 12, the multinational cobra gold joint military exercise 2019 kicked off in Phitsanulok Province, Thailand. It was the largest military exercise in the Asia-Pacific region, with 29 countries participating as participants or observers. During the annual Cobra Gold military exercise, you can see international Marines searching for water in impossible places, eating spider eggs, and even drinking cobra blood.
According to media reports such as the British "Independent", Reuters and ABC News Network, Thailand and the United States hosted the opening ceremony of this year's "Cobra Gold" military exercise. In addition to Thailand and the United States, seven countries, including China, Singapore, Japan, India, Indonesia, Malaysia and South Korea, also actively participated in the annual event, and the total number of participants also reached nearly 10,000 this year. About 6,800 U.S. soldiers took part in the exercise, nearly double the number of participants in 2018.
A Thai soldier displays a giant python. (Reuters)
Cobra Gold is divided into three main components: military field training, humanitarian assistance and disaster relief training. A Thai navy instructor said the exercise was aimed at allowing soldiers to survive in an emergency. Therefore, soldiers will learn how to find various sources of water and food in the tropical forest, including the blood of animals and water inside vines. Of course, soldiers involved in the exercise were told which plants and animals were safe to eat, including snakes, scorpions, spiders, gibbons and civet cats.
Soldiers were told which flora and fauna were safe and edible. (Reuters)
U.S. Marine Corps Sergeant Griffin told Reuters: "In such a dense jungle, it is indeed possible that we could be separated. Therefore, being able to sustain one's own life is crucial. Peter Haymond, acting head of the U.S. diplomatic mission in Thailand, said the exercise was aimed at strengthening cooperation and collaborative work.
The Cobra Gold exercise was first held in 1982. Since 2002, China has participated in the Cobra Gold joint military exercise as an observer. In 2014, China sent troops to participate in military exercises for the first time. This year, the Chinese side sent a team of 25 officers and soldiers to participate in the exercise. It is reported that this year's "Cobra Gold" joint military exercise will last until the 22nd of this month.