Who's going:
Soldiers from 2nd Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, as well as enablers from several other units.
When and why: February for Exercise Cobra Gold and various mil-to-mil engagements and cultural events as part of the Army's regionally-aligned forces concept. As long as Pacific Pathways rotations continue to take place, expect additional opportunities to spend time in Thailand.
About the area: Thailand is the only Southeast Asian country never to have been taken over by a European power, according to the CIA World Factbook. A bloodless revolution in 1932 led to a constitutional monarchy. Thailand became a U.S. treaty ally in 1954 after sending troops to Korea and later fighting alongside the U.S. in Vietnam.
The country borders the Andaman Sea and the Gulf of Thailand. It is tropical, with hot and humid weather year-round. Thailand has a central plain and is mountainous in some parts.
Activities: Lonely Planet recommends the Andaman Coast for its rock formations and gorgeous beaches, or the shopping and night markets in Chiang Mai, or hire an elephant taxi to take you to the Ayuthaya ruins.
Watch out for: Since 2005, Thailand has experienced several rounds of political turmoil, including a military coup in 2006 that ousted then-Prime Minister Thaksin Chinnawat, followed by large-scale street protests by competing factions in 2008, 2009 and 2010, according to the CIA World Factbook. This year, Yinglak Chinnawat, the former prime minister's sister, was removed from power and the Royal Thai Army staged a coup against the caretaker government. Also this year, thousands have been killed or wounded in violence tied to an ethno-nationalist insurgency in Thailand's southern Malay-Muslim majority provinces.
Bring back some: Wood carvings, Orchids, rattan (palm) accessories and furniture, and Thai silk.
