Along with Thailand and the US, seven other countries – Singapore, Japan, China, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, and the Republic of Korea – were also active participants.
Acting head of the US diplomatic mission in Thailand Peter Haymond said at the ceremony, held in the northern Thai province of Phitsanulok, that the aim of the exercise is to strengthen cooperation and inter-operability.
There are three major components of the exercise, which ends February 22, namely military field training, humanitarian assistance, and disaster relief training.
After the military coup in May 2014, the US has reduced its military presence and support to Thailand, including the assistance to the Cobra Gold military exercise.
First held in 1982, the exercise is the biggest of its kind in Asia, which is rooted from the bilateral military exercise between the US and Thailand, its oldest ally in the region.