A cobra prepares to strike at an instructor of the jungle survival class being taught to Royal Thai and U.S. Marines during exercise Cobra Gold 2011, Feb. 14. The Kingdom of Thailand is the United Sates’ oldest friend and ally in Asia, and that partnership has helped keep the Asia-Pacific region secure and stable. - A cobra prepares to strike at an instructor of the jungle survival class being taught to Royal Thai and U.S. Marines during exercise Cobra Gold 2011, Feb. 14. The Kingdom of Thailand is the United Sates’ oldest friend and ally in Asia, and that partnership has helped keep the Asia-Pacific region secure and stable.