Cobra Gold 2018 (updated Jan. 17, 2018)

[Evil Penevil 7,610]

For those of you who like to plan ahead. Keep in mind, Cobra Gold has no effect on prices or the availability of girls, nor have U.S. military personnel been very noticeable the past couple of years.

 

Evil

 

 

 

US, Thailand plan Cobra Gold 2018

19 Oct 2017 at 04:04

 

Thailand and the US will launch the next Cobra Gold drill, the biggest annual multilateral military exercise in the Asia-Pacific, on Feb 13-23 next year, with 29 participating countries and more than 12,000 military personnel, according to the Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTAF) headquarters.

Cobra Gold 2018 will be held at the army's Surathampitak and Suranaree military camps and the air force's Wing 1 in the northeastern province of Nakhon Ratchasima.

Air and marine exercises will take place at the navy's air division and U-tapao airport in the eastern province of Rayong, the Sattahip naval base in Chon Buri and the navy's training ground in Chanthaburi.

The seven countries participating in full in the exercises will be the US, Thailand, Singapore, South Korea, Indonesia, Japan and Malaysia.

Ten countries will join the drill as observers -- Brunei, Laos, Cambodia, Myanmar, Vietnam, Germany, Pakistan, Sri Lanka, Brazil, and Sweden.

The 10 nations which are part of the Multinational Planning Augmentation Team -- Australia, Canada, France, the United Kingdom, Bangladesh, Mongolia, Nepal, the Philippines, Fiji and New Zealand -- will also take part.

Two other countries -- China and India, will also join.

Thailand will send 5,600 personnel while 5,800 will come from the US, 200 from South Korea, 146 from Japan, 68 from Indonesia, 50 from Singapore, and 44 each from China and India.

Supreme Commander Gen Thanchaiyan Srisuwan will preside over a ceremony to launch Cobra Gold 2018 on Feb 13, at the Royal Thai Navy SEAL headquarters in Chon Buri's Sattahip district.

The field exercises will include amphibious landing drills, and the Non-combatant Evacuation Operation on Feb 17, 2018 at Hat Yao in Sattahip and the navy's air division in Rayong.

The humanitarian civic action and humanitarian assistance/disaster relief drills will be held on Feb 22 in Chachoengsao and the Combined Arms Live Fire Exercise will be organised in Chanthaburi on Feb 23.

Thailand will send five Gripen JAS39 jets, 15 F-16s, four L39 jets, four Alpha Jets, one C-130 military transport aircraft and one EC725 helicopter. Meanwhile, the US will send six F-16CM jets, 10 F-18D jets, two C-130J and two C-130H.

The US amphibious assault ship USS Bonhomme Richard will also join the exercise that will take place in the upper Gulf of Thailand.

 

 

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Edited January 17, 2018 by Evil Penevil

[Bushcraft 2,462]

Coo, they'll be here on St. Valentine's then, coincidence?

[Goldpanner 399]

For those of you who like to plan ahead. Keep in mind, Cobra Gold has no effect on prices or the availability of girls, nor have U.S. military personnel been very noticeable the past couple of years.

 

Evil

Thats the funniest fake news Ive read in years

[ttk 236]

I have been here several times during this period. Most of the sailors have to be home by midnight so only a few hours of criwds in the bars. They are WELL behaved and out in groups the few times I have seen them . The article mentions Satahip for the Navy so few will make the trek to Pattaya. Not sure why you would call the claim they have no effect fake news?

[Goldpanner 399]

Maybe they are tamer now but back in the 80's everyone I knew ran for miles when those ships came in.

Ships were moored just off Ko Lan with several small boats ferrying people backwards and forwards. Girl prices went sky high and as for well behaved? I can clearly remember the bar opposite the Marine bar being full of black guys sprawled everywhere with rubbish music being blasted out so loud it was ridiculous and that was early afternoon. Feet up on the bar and tables, treating the girls like shit.

All the Officers went straight to Bangkok.

 

Maybe they have tamed them down a bit now but not back then

[nkped 1,207]

I've been out a good long while but reasonably credible sources suggest the U.S. military is now seriously discouraging folks from engaging the services of prostitutes. Obviously, it still happens but guys have to be extremely discreet and an encounter with the local police could cause things to go completely to hell for them.

[ttk 236]

Maybe they are tamer now but back in the 80's everyone I knew ran for miles when those ships came in.

Ships were moored just off Ko Lan with several small boats ferrying people backwards and forwards. Girl prices went sky high and as for well behaved? I can clearly remember the bar opposite the Marine bar being full of black guys sprawled everywhere with rubbish music being blasted out so loud it was ridiculous and that was early afternoon. Feet up on the bar and tables, treating the girls like shit.

All the Officers went straight to Bangkok.

 

Maybe they have tamed them down a bit now but not back then

Comparing 80's to now is totally lame. The world changes. Even Pattaya is totally different today

[BigusDicus 9,418]

Maybe they are tamer now but back in the 80's everyone I knew ran for miles when those ships came in.

Ships were moored just off Ko Lan with several small boats ferrying people backwards and forwards. Girl prices went sky high and as for well behaved? I can clearly remember the bar opposite the Marine bar being full of black guys sprawled everywhere with rubbish music being blasted out so loud it was ridiculous and that was early afternoon. Feet up on the bar and tables, treating the girls like shit.

All the Officers went straight to Bangkok.

 

Maybe they have tamed them down a bit now but not back then

 

 

Prices already are sky high. Beyond the reach of many sailors.

 

The US military is currently more disciplined than in the past. Well above many of the low life "footballers" that visit.

Edited October 20, 2017 by BigusDicus

[Evil Penevil 7,610]

Thats the funniest fake news Ive read in years

 

Nothing I write is ever fake news. I hope you'd dare to say that to my face and not just from behind a cloak of invisibility on the Internet.

 

In the 1980s. the P4P scene in Pattaya was much, much smaller than it is today. There was only a small number of go go bars , MPs, etc. Even then. Cobra Gold had little to no effect, as the number of U.S. military who had shore leave in Pattaya wasn't that large. In the early 1980s, the visits by U.S. carrier groups had the potential to have an effect on the P4P scene, but girls were bussed in from Bangkok to handle the expected extra demand. For the most part, they weren't needed.

 

In recent years. there have been so many restrictions on U.S. military personnel visiting Pattaya that you'll hardly notice them.

 

Evil

Edited October 20, 2017 by Evil Penevil

[short 215]

There was a recent addition to the US Uniform Code of Military Justice that prohibits service members from patronizing prostitutes.

[nkped 1,207]

There was a recent addition to the US Uniform Code of Military Justice that prohibits service members from patronizing prostitutes.

It's been there right along but the idea that the military might charge a troop just for paying a willing, of age female to have sex would have been laughable at least through 1984.

[short 215]

What happened in 1984?

 

This change was driven by the feminazi NGOs that have been trying to claim that prostitution is the same as pedophilia and slavery. They are in no way doing this for victims. This is an effort to extort money from the American tax payers to FUND them.

[short 215]

 

Nothing I write is ever fake news. I hope you'd dare to say that to my face and not just from behind a cloak of invisibility on the Internet.

 

In the 1980s. the P4P scene in Pattaya was much, much smaller than it is today. There was only a small number of go go bars , MPs, etc. Even then. Cobra Gold had little to no effect, as the number of U.S. military who had shore leave in Pattaya wasn't that large. In the early 1980s, the visits by U.S. carrier groups had the potential to have an effect on the P4P scene, but girls were bussed in from Bangkok to handle the expected extra demand. For the most part, they weren't needed.

 

In recent years. there have been so many restrictions on U.S. military personnel visiting Pattaya that you'll hardly notice them.

 

Evil

 

 

Evil, I don't think his intention was to question your reputation. I think he was attempting to point out his personal experience and just did a poor job of it.

[nkped 1,207]

What happened in 1984?

 

This change was driven by the feminazi NGOs that have been trying to claim that prostitution is the same as pedophilia and slavery. They are in no way doing this for victims. This is an effort to extort money from the American tax payers to FUND them.

It was after 1984, but that was the extent of my first hand knowledge.

[redwood13 55]

Just happened to see this last night and I think it fits into the topic rather nicely. This is asked of US Navy sailors, some likely active duty and some veterans. I thought some of the answers were pretty surprising.

 

 

What is your favorite/least favorite port and why?

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/navy/comments/77g8gn/what_is_your_favoriteleast_favorite_port_and_why/

[jacko 8,578]

Just happened to see this last night and I think it fits into the topic rather nicely. This is asked of US Navy sailors, some likely active duty and some veterans. I thought some of the answers were pretty surprising.

 

 

What is your favorite/least favorite port and why?

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/navy/comments/77g8gn/what_is_your_favoriteleast_favorite_port_and_why/

I see Pattaya got Best and Worst, from the same guy!

Edited October 21, 2017 by jacko

[Evil Penevil 7,610]

It became an offense for members of the U.S. military to use the services of a prostitute in 2005. Link

 

"Before 2005, soliciting a prostitute was not formally addressed in the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Former president George W. Bush added a provision about solicitation of prostitutes in 2005, which can now be found in Article 138-34 of the UCMJ. This addition to the Uniform Code of Military Justice was enacted after the subject of military servicemen and prostitution was raised extensively in the media, calling attention to the fact that there was no formal punishment for hiring prostitutes.

"Under the “Pandering and Prostitution” section, there are four provisions that must be true in order to be found guilty of patronizing a prostitute:

• The accused had sexual intercourse with another person (not the accused’s spouse)

• The accused compelled, induced, enticed, or procured such person to engage in an act of sexual intercourse in exchange for money or other compensation
• The act was wrongful
• The conduct of the accused was to the prejudice of good order and discipline in the armed forces or was of a nature to bring discredit upon the armed forces

The maximum punishment for patronizing a prostitute is dishonorable discharge, forfeiture of all pay and allowances, and confinement for up to one year."

I haven't found any reference that indicated a member of the U.S. military has actually been charged with and convicted of a prostitution-related offense, but they certainly could be.

I do know that the commander of U.S. forces in Korea issued orders that it was no longer allowed for servicemen to pay for lady drinks or otherwise compensate women for their "time" even if sexual services weren't involved. This included playing pool!

The notion that you'll find scads of U.S. Marines or sailors in Pattaya's bars during Cobra Gold is very dated and was never accurate. At one time, port calls by naval carrier groups were big events, but that effect ended in the 1980s.

Evil

[nkped 1,207]

Just happened to see this last night and I think it fits into the topic rather nicely. This is asked of US Navy sailors, some likely active duty and some veterans. I thought some of the answers were pretty surprising.

 

 

What is your favorite/least favorite port and why?

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/navy/comments/77g8gn/what_is_your_favoriteleast_favorite_port_and_why/

Once upon a time Subic/Olangapo would have received more favorable mention I would think. While I wasn't navy, I visited back in the 70s. Yes, it was a shit hole which made Angeles City look classy.

 

I did know an old chief who got misty eyed talking about Mombasa, Kenya.

[nkped 1,207]

 

It became an offense for members of the U.S. military to use the services of a prostitute in 2005. Link

 

"Before 2005, soliciting a prostitute was not formally addressed in the Uniform Code of Military Justice. Former president George W. Bush added a provision about solicitation of prostitutes in 2005, which can now be found in Article 138-34 of the UCMJ. This addition to the Uniform Code of Military Justice was enacted after the subject of military servicemen and prostitution was raised extensively in the media, calling attention to the fact that there was no formal punishment for hiring prostitutes.

EP, I don't think I would be going to counselor Blair for my legal needs. Article 138 of the UCMJ provides

Any member of the armed forces who believes himself wronged by his commanding officer, and who, upon due application to that commanding officer, is refused redress, may complain to any superior commissioned officer, who shall forward the complaint to the officer exercising general court-martial jurisdiction over the officer against whom it is made. The officer exercising general court-martial jurisdiction shall examine into the complaint and take proper measures for redressing the wrong complained of; and he shall, as soon as possible, send to the Secretary concerned a true statement of that complaint, with the proceedings had thereon.

 

The Christian Science Monitor has a rather more coherent account of what happened in 2006 when there was a change to the Manual for Courts Martial addressing prostitution.

Edited October 21, 2017 by nkped

[Goldpanner 399]

 

Nothing I write is ever fake news. I hope you'd dare to say that to my face and not just from behind a cloak of invisibility on the Internet.

I'd be very happy to say it your face. But why do you have to belittle yourself by issuing veiled threats, does it make you feel bigger?

 

In the 1980s. the P4P scene in Pattaya was much, much smaller than it is today.

But there were still literally loads of Beer Bars. When one considers how many bars there are now and how many of them are empty for most of the time it ridiculous.

Also most of the Beer Bars back then had many many more girls in them than they do now.

 

There was only a small number of go go bars , MPs, etc.

Once again I dispute your statement. There was a huge amount of GG bars in Walking street and even some developing between Walking Street and the TQ in the late 80's. One bar along from the TQ I can remember opening in the 80's with over 30 GG girls, also a lot of Beer bars, not as many as now I admit but still a lot

 

Even then. Cobra Gold had little to no effect, as the number of U.S. military who had shore leave in Pattaya wasn't that large.

Once again I dispute your statement. I remember one year when there were 7 or 8 ships and a Carrier off Kho Lan. I can remember being in a bar at the corner of central road and walking street when around 5 baht busses turned up full of yanks. I left and walked along beach road to walking street and once I hit the Beer bar section before Walking street it was obvious they were full of military. On to walking street and most of the GGbars were also full and that was at night. In the afternoon it was even worse. Some Bars were even open in the morning to serve the military

In the 80's I was checked by the UK army and was permitted to take groups of UK squaddies out to Thailand. I can VERY VERY clearly remember on such trip. When we arrived girls prices were pretty standard. Then the ships came in and the asking prices went sky high. It was so bad we all went back up to Bangkok 4 days early

 

In the early 1980s, the visits by U.S. carrier groups had the potential to have an effect on the P4P scene, but girls were bussed in from Bangkok to handle the expected extra demand. For the most part, they weren't needed

Yes there were some rumours of girls being 'Bussed in' But I never saw it and think it was just an old urban rumour. YES a lot of girls did come down from Bangkok but they werent bussed in as far as I know..

 

In recent years. there have been so many restrictions on U.S. military personnel visiting Pattaya that you'll hardly notice them.

Maybe so but not back then old son. It was hell and even some girls got the hell out as they didnt want to be around the military even with the increased prices.

 

 

Im not the only one who says there were shitloads of Military and also how the bars and girls were ramping up their prices.

Take a look here

http://www.sexwork.com/Thailand/navy.html

 

Try this link below, 3rd para. In March 1991. 7000 TROOPS WENT ASHORE AT PATTAYA THAT DAY.

Of course 7000 horny military arent going to raise the girls prices? BOLLOCKS !!!

 

https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=5zt9CAAAQBAJ&pg=PA72&lpg=PA72&dq=US+Military+in+Pattaya+1980%27s&source=bl&ots=znG_wfzE_D&sig=u9p8fOullnqWbh16aiehRq62CEc&hl=en&sa=X&ved=0ahUKEwiM_O2GwYHXAhWCyxoKHYTCAm8Q6AEIYjAL#v=onepage&q=US%20Military%20in%20Pattaya%201980%27s&f=false

 

Dont try and tell me what I saw and didnt see and also what I heard direct from bar owners and Hotel owners about the various Cobra Gold maneouvres

Edited October 21, 2017 by Goldpanner

[Evil Penevil 7,610]

EP, I don't think I would be going to counselor Blair for my legal needs. Article 138 of the UCMJ provides

 

 

I don't know if there was a typo or mistake in the source I cited or perhaps the code has been updated since the Blair entry, but the prohibition against pandering and prostitution is now apparently in Article 134-97. However, the text was accurate. The UCMJ is revised every year and the online versions, even official ones, are not always up to date. This is what the Manual for Courts-Martial United States (2016 Edition) states:

 

That's the most recent version from an official source (Joint Service Committee on Military Justice) I could find online. If anyone wants to read the whole section, it begins on page 442 of the PDF (936 pages in all!).

 

Another source also indicated Article 138-34, yet another said 134-37.

They might simply have been copying each others' mistake or using an outdated version of the UCMJ. It seems likely that someone transposed an "8" and a "4," as Article 134, the so-called General Article, would be the natural place to have a prohibition against prostitution. But whatever its placement in the USMJ, the text was correct.

 

Evil

[LBJ 533]

 

The Enterprise circa 1988-1989 visiting Pattaya. The last time I have personally seen a US Navy ship from the beach

[Bazle 1,357]

 

 

 

"Under the Pandering and Prostitution section, there are four provisions that must be true in order to be found guilty of patronizing a prostitute:

 

[*]The act was wrongful

 

 

I bet that has been contested a few times!

[Evil Penevil 7,610]

I bet that has been contested a few times!

 

From what I've been told- and I fully acknowledge it could wrong- is that the burden of proof is so high on the prosecution that military personnel are seldom charged. In the big scandal in 2012 in Colombia involving both Secret Service agents and active duty military, the Secret Service Agents were fired or forced to resign for violating the Secret Service's internal code of conduct, while the military guys were disciplined for violating curfew and throwing a wild party that caused damage to the hotel. There was no way a military prosecutor could prove the men had actually paid women for sexual services. I'm sure they were forced to resign at some stage, but they didn't face a court-martial on soliciting charges.

 

That's why there's been criticism from feminists that the changes in the UCMJ are only cosmetic. The only way the UCMJ would have real teeth would be if it were made a crime to visit a "disreputable establishment" like a strip club or brothel. Their mere presence in such a place would be a crime. But that's full of holes, too, as the defendants could always plead they didn't know the establishment was "disreputable" and they saw no signs of prostitution.

 

In the U.S., almost all the men arrested on prostitution-related charges have fallen for a police sting where they offered an undercover policewoman money for sex. It's the act of solicitation, not having sex, that is the crime. That's not possible outside the U.S.

 

Evil

Edited October 21, 2017 by Evil Penevil

[js007 795]

When an aircraft carrier stops at Phuket, you can definitely tell the sailors are there, but I guess that's because Patong Beach is smaller than Pattaya. Anyway, they all seem well behaved, for the most part. As for the military's rules about prostitutes? Seems a bit harsh. Anyway, I was in the Army back in the early 70s, and back then, people seemed to think that the availability of prostitutes was simply another job perk. Germany, Panama, Korea, Japan, Vietnam. I never left the USA, but I heard lots of great stories.