Thai-US armies kick off Hanuman Guardian training exercise

Royal Thai Army Commander-in-Chief General Narongpan Jitkaewthae and US Embassy Charge d’Affaires Michael Heath, the acting US ambassador, jointly presided over the ceremony at the Infantry Centre in Prachuap Khiri Khan province to kick off the Hanuman Guardian 2022 war exercise.

Senior officers of both the Royal Thai Army and US Army were present during the ceremony.

Speaking during the ceremony, Narongpan said the joint training of the two armies was the 11th exercise so far.

He said troops from the two armies will exchange experience and learn to carry out joint operations, and the training would boost the military cooperation of the two nations that would lead to security in other affairs of the two countries.

Narongpan said the joint strategic parachute jumping exercise would be a valuable experience for army personnel and their units. He said the troops that will join the parachute jumping exercise had earlier received training to adjust their knowledge base for strategic parachute jumping in the US before they were flown in a military plane to the Infantry Centre.

Narongpan noted that he himself had once taken part in a joint strategic parachute jumping exercise under the codename “Black Tiger – GeronimoStrike” in 1998.

In his speech, the acting US ambassador admired the devotion of troops of the two armies for joint training despite restrictions under the Covid-19 situation.

The acting ambassador said the joint training was the result of warm bilateral ties between Thailand and the US for 200 years. He said the joint exercise reflected cooperation of the two countries on security affairs, the good ties of the two armies and the two governments.

After the opening ceremony, the Army chief handed out commemorative medals to troops of the two countries.

The Hanuman Guardian 2022 is being held on Thursday and Friday in Prachuap Khiri Khan and Lop Buri provinces with the goal to increase the capability of both troops and their units and boost cooperation of the military, which will result in enhanced security in other affairs.

The Thai Army is deploying some 1,000 troops from the First Army Area, the Fourth Army Area, the Artillery Centre, the Army Aviation Centre, the Army Ordnance Department and the Royal Thai Army Chemical Department. The US army is deploying 600 troops from the United States Army Pacific to join the training.

The bilateral exercise will be divided into four parts – the adjustment of knowledge of troops, strategic parachute jumping, exchange of experience, and field training.

The two armies will exchange technical and tactical knowledge among infantry troops, striker armoured vehicle units, and air logistics units, as well as exchange experience of specialists from artillery, aviation, ordnance and chemical units.

The training is carried out under strict Covid-19 measures and the training areas will be closed to outsiders and the troops will not be allowed to leave the areas. Troops will also be flown in charter planes.

The Hanuman Guardian training has been held in Thailand every year since 2012 following an initiative by the USARPAC and Thai Army to expand cooperation and exchange experience to be able to cope with new threats in the region.