Bridging a Language Barrier at HCA site

Photo By Crista Mary Mack | Sgt. Samnung Virakpanyou, 176th Engineer Company, Washington Army National Guard, talks with a Royal Thai Army counterpart and interpreter at the Baan Plu Plun School in Petchaburi province, Thailand, during Exercise Cobra Gold 10. Virakpanyou is part of a contingent of Royal Thai Army engineers, U.S. Navy Seabees and U.S. Army National Guard Soldiers who joined forces during CG 10 to construct a multipurpose building for the school. The building is one of five Humanitarian Civic Assistance projects which are a part of the exercise. CG10 is a regularly scheduled joint and coalition multinational exercise hosted annually by the Kingdom of Thailand. This is the 29th anniversary for the exercise, which will consist of a Coalition Task Force, United Nations Task Force, Command Post Exercise, HCA projects and field training exercises.  

THAILAND

01.29.2010

Story by Staff Sgt. Crista Mary Mack 

U.S. Army Pacific Public Affairs Office

PETCHABURI PROVINCE, Thailand — Helping to bridge a language barrier during a Humanitarian/Civic Assistance project in Thailand, U.S. Army Sgt. Samnung Virakpanyou draws on his childhood growing up in Thailand to help Soldiers assigned to the 176th Engineer Company, Washington Army National Guard, succeed in a foreign land while participating in Exercise Cobra Gold 2010.

Virakpanyou's unit is working together with U.S. Navy Seabees assigned to Naval Mobile Construction Battalion-1 and Royal Thai soldiers assigned to Mobile Deployable Unit-13 to build a multipurpose room at the Baun Pun Plun School. This building is one of five Humanitarian/Civil Assistance projects being accomplished throughout Thailand during Exercise Cobra Gold 2010.

Virakpanyou, an Army carpentry-masonry specialist, was born in Cambodia and raised in Thailand. According to his fellow Soldiers, his knowledge of the Thai language has made a difference in the mission for his unit and the Seabees, who are both at the Baun Pun Plun School. Their mission is to work with the Thai engineers to build a multi-purpose building for the school.

"The ease of our integration with the Thai forces has been upgraded by [Virakpanyou's] presence," said Sgt. 1st Class Jason Porteous, operations sergeant assigned to the 176th Eng. Company. "He's a qualified carpenter-mason, so he's been a great asset to us as far as his technical skills are concerned. But on top of that, he speaks Thai, so he has been able to act as a liaison for us, both on the job site with our Thai counterparts and with the civilian population."

"This is a very good opportunity to be a part of because we are giving a building for education. It's very positive," said Virakpanyou. "I'm proud to be a part of this project, if anyone has a chance to ever do this kind of work, they won't regret it."

Construction on the building began about a month ago and the Soldiers and Sailors live and work at the building site. According to U.S. Army Sgt. Scott Slater, a builder assigned to the 176th Eng. Company, the U.S. service members have had more opportunities to better experience their Thailand because of Virakpanyou.

"We have a lot of interaction with the locals, and [Virakpanyou] set it up for us to visit a local temple, meet with the monks and get blessed for the building," Slater said.

Although he feels his language and cultural understanding assisted, Virakpanyou said the Soldiers from both countries communicate well with one another, despite language differences.

"At first there was a language barrier, even though I help with communication, I feel that overall, we have done an excellent job communicating and everyone seems to get along because of speaking the same language of the work," he said.

While his fellow Soldiers are thankful for Virakpanyou's presence, he is equally thankful to be able to visit his family while serving in the National Guard and deployed to Thailand.

"It's for a good cause and I take pride in what we do," said Virakpanyou. "I joined the National Guard because I wanted to serve the country and that become what I am, plus get out of my wife's hair sometimes," he joked.

Virakpanyou's wife and mother-in-law were able to meet him when he arrived at the airport, and his family plans to meet again at the dedication ceremony.

"I have learned a lot since joining the Army and I can apply what I have learned to helping others, I'm grateful to have learned so much," Virakpanyou said.

Exercise Cobra Gold 2010 will commence with a ceremony Feb. 1 and dedication ceremonies for H/CA projects will take place throughout the exercise.

Cobra Gold is a regularly scheduled joint and coalition multinational exercise hosted annually by the Kingdom of Thailand. This year marks the 29th anniversary for the exercise, which consists of a Global Peacekeeping Operations Initiative Exercise, Command Post Exercise, H/CA projects and field training exercises.

• Date Taken: 01.29.2010
• Date Posted: 02.02.2010 23:43
• Story ID: 44825
• Location: TH