Chief of Army (COA) Brigadier-General (BG) Goh Si Hou and Commander-in-Chief of the Royal Thai Army (RTA) General (GEN) Chalermchai Sitthisad co-officiated at the closing ceremony of Exercise Kocha Singa 2018, at the 2nd Army Area Tactical Training Field, Korat, Thailand this afternoon. This year marks the 20th anniversary of Exercise Kocha Singa since its inauguration in 1997.

Held from 27 April to 9 May 2018, approximately 700 troops from the 40th Battalion, Singapore Armoured Regiment, Headquarters 8th Singapore Armoured Brigade and the RTA's 3rd Infantry Battalion took part in the exercise. Exercise Kocha Singa has evolved from training in basic infantry tactics to include urban operations, training with counter-Improvised Explosive Devices, counter-insurgency as well as jungle survival. This year's edition of the exercise also culminated in a combined arms live-firing by the two armies.

In his closing speech, BG Goh said, "Exercise Kocha Singa is an important milestone that underscores the special relationship between the RTA and the Singapore Army. For the past 20 years, generations of our soldiers have benefitted from the mutual exchange and interaction. Many of the friendships endure to this day, and it is these friendships made at the personal level that tie our armies together." 

Exercise Kocha Singa underscores the close and long-standing bilateral defence ties between the two countries. Apart from bilateral exercises, both armies also interact regularly through high-level visits, professional exchanges and courses. In conjunction with Exercise Kocha Singa, BG Goh is also in Thailand for his introductory visit where he called on Deputy Defence Minister GEN Chaichan Changmongkol and Chief of Defence Force of the Royal Thai Armed Forces GEN Tarnchaiyan Srisuwan, as well as met with GEN Chalermchai.