The US Marines joined with their Royal Thai Marines in the 20th Cobra Gold exercise, complete with training missions, snake-eating and other fun jungle-themed activities.
The Cobra Gold joint exercise was established as a way to bond the Marines from their respective nations and build camaraderie that may be needed in the future, particularly in light of aggressive expansion in the Pacific by China.
Cobra Gold 20, however, seemed different than previous ones- particularly when it came to drinking snake blood.
The much-publicized tradition of drinking snake blood seemed to be in high-gear this year, with the USMC photography team going wild with photographs.
As tensions continue to ramp up in the Pacific, US Marines continue to stand ready with their allies.
Unlike the deteriorating diplomatic relationship between the US and the Philippines (with the latter leaning more towards China in recent months, enticed by promises of economic growth), the government of Thailand retains its strong ties with the USA, and has been a major player in supporting US operations in the region for decades.
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