The Thai military has not responded to an appeal from the United States asking it to rejoin the annual Cobra Gold military exercises, after Washington earlier threatened to relocate the long-standing joint operation to Australia next year in response to the coup in May.
A high-ranking military source said Thailand had asked the US to explain in writing why it wanted to resume the Cobra Gold exercises with Thailand, after previously suggesting it might shift them elsewhere. The threat was an apparent gesture of opposition to the National Council for Peace and Order (NCPO)'s seizure of power on May 22.
"It was quite a strong reaction from the US in threatening to withdraw the Cobra Gold [exercises] from Thailand, which we are fine with," the military source said.
"We are ready to conduct military exercises with member countries of the Association of Southeast Asian Nations [Asean], including Myanmar, along with China and India, which have already said they are ready to take part," he added.
"The US has submitted a letter saying it will resume Cobra Gold jointly with Thailand, but we have not responded to it. We have asked the US to explain in a written statement why [it wants to resume the exercises]," the source said.
Read more here: Junta keeps US waiting over Cobra Gold - The Nation