Residents of Pattaya received free medical and dental services recently as members of the U.S Navy teamed up with the Royal Thai Navy. The campaign was part of the medical civic action program (MEDCAP) at Kiriparawanawan School, which provided care for 268 people from Pattaya. The event was part of the 15th annual Cooperation Afloat Readiness and Training (CARAT) exercise series.

Most of the patients were children from Kiriparawanawan School and the surrounding area, who arrived at the school to receive eye exams, vaccinations, badly needed dental work and treatment for a range of illnesses.

One of the compassionate parties involved in the campaign was Lieutenant Brandt Cullen, dental officer for the dock landing ship USS Harpers Ferry. In an interview with the Pattaya Mail he stated that: “My first patient today had excessive tooth decay. We gave him anesthetic and extracted both teeth for him.”

CARAT has provided the U.S. and a number of Asian nations including Thailand with the chance to exchange knowledge and enhance maritime security through shared training, equipment and manpower since 1995.

-TN