BANGKOK, July 7. /TASS/. The navies of Thailand and the United States have begun joint exercises in the Gulf of Thailand, with about 1,000 sailors from the two countries taking part in the maneuvers lasting from July 7-18, The Nation newspaper reported.

According to it, the opening ceremony of the annual CARAT Thailand 2025 drills took place on Monday in the port of Sattahip, home to the Royal Thai Navy’s main base. The goal of the maneuvers is to strengthen security in the Asia-Pacific region and practice disaster response scenarios. These exercises have been held every year for 30 years, making them one of the longest-running bilateral exercises in the region.

According to the Pattaya News portal, the Royal Thai Navy will use three warships, five types of aircraft, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles during the maneuvers.

Coastal warship USS Santa Barbara, three types of aircraft and MH-60R Seahawk multi-purpose deck helicopters will participate from the US Navy. The exercises will be held in the Sattahip area of Chonburi Province, Rayong Province and the waters of the Gulf of Thailand.