Multinational Engineers construct multipurpose building for school, community

Photo By Amber Kurka | U.S. Army Sgt. 1st Class Robert Avila, platoon sergeant for the 643rd Engineering Company, Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, and Thai army Lt. Manon Wongpradu, 52nd Engineering Company, 1st Regiment, King’s Guard, officer in charge, talks about the final details for the electrical work for a multipurpose building built during exercise Cobra Gold 2016 at Banradbumrung School, Lop Buri, Thailand, Feb. 9, 2016. The construction at Lop Buri is one of six humanitarian civic action (HCA) sites in which the Thai, U.S. and partner nation militaries work together on civic programs during Cobra Gold. The HCA program focuses on improving the quality of life, as well as the general health and welfare of civilian residents in the exercise areas. (U.S. Air Force photo by Staff Sgt. Amber E. N. Jacobs)  

LOP BURI, THAILAND

02.08.2016

Story by Sgt. Lisa Laughlin 

122nd Theater Public Affairs Support Element

LOP BURI, Thailand - Feb. 9, 2016, marks the official start of Cobra Gold 2016, however Soldiers from the U.S. , Thai, and Indian Armies have been working together to build an multipurpose building for the Banradbumrung School in Lop Buri, Thailand, for the past three weeks.

Cobra Gold 2016 is the 35th iteration of the exercise and includes a focus on humanitarian civic action, community engagement, and medical activities to support the needs and humanitarian interests of civilian populations around the region.

Pracha Tagrudsong, the director for the Banradbumrung School, said, the multipurpose building will serve as a more hygienic eating facility for students, it will also have several functions for the local community, such as a Friday prayer center and a general community gathering space.

The multipurpose building is one of six vertical construction projects to be constructed by combined task force engineers at various locations throughout Thailand.

Sgt. Kemuel J. L. Bankhead, a plumber and pipe-fitter for the 643rd Engineering Company, out of Schofield Barracks, Hawaii, said the multipurpose building project has definitely helped his team to meet this goal.

“The Thai Army is awesome,” said Bankhead. “Everyone works well together, especially the leadership. When all the leadership from three different armies get together and they all agree, it makes the job site a lot better.”

Bankhead said he has enjoyed the experience so much, he hopes to participate in Cobra Gold again next year.

One of the main goals of the Cobra Gold exercise this year is to increase cooperation, interoperability and collaboration with partner nations in order to achieve effective solutions to common challenges.

Thai Army Sgt. Nawaport Pharaharn, 52nd Engineering Company, 1st Regiment, King’s Guard, has been a key site leader for the multipurpose building project at Banradbumrung School.

Pharaharn said, he worked on a construction site for Cobra Gold last year, and he can tell the communication is easier this year because he is hardly ever requested to translate between Thai and English. He added, the Soldiers have been learning to communicate without a translator.

“We are happy when we work together, we have a body language, an engineer language,” said Pharaharn.

The construction of the engineer civic actions projects will provide quality sustainment projects for the combined task force engineers and provide needed multipurpose facilities in underserved areas of Thailand.

Pracha said, the construction project has also been a good experience for the students because the U.S. and Thai Soldiers play soccer and other sports with the students after school work is done for the day.

• Date Taken: 02.08.2016
• Date Posted: 02.12.2016 20:30
• Story ID: 188322
• Location: LOP BURI, TH