Activist group slams plan to buy Bt91.2-bn ‘spy satellites’

[webfact]

Activist group slams plan to buy Bt91.2-bn ‘spy satellites’

By The Nation

 

FILE photo

 

A CHARTER protection group has opposed the government’s plan to buy satellites worth a combined US$2.85 billion (Bt91.2 billion) from the US for national defence and other uses.

 

Srisuwan Janya, secretary-general of the Association of Thai Constitution Protection Organisations, said the National Defence Council had approved a strategic plan for 2018-27 proposed by the Defence Technology Institute, under which THEIA satellites worth Bt91.2 billion would be acquired from THEIA Group.

 

The proposed multi-billion-dollar purchase, lobbied by a former Thai politician, is said to be part of the Thailand Satellites Data Information Processing Centre, which will be implemented in partnership with the US. Srisuwan said these satellites were regarded as “spy satellites” due to their ability to record as many as 86,400 high-resolution images every 24 hours of all objects on earth. He said this raised privacy issues and affected the rights of 66 million Thai citizens.

 

The use of these satellites would violate several articles of the charter, especially regarding people’s right to privacy, he said, adding that the multi-billion-dollar project had not been approved by the National Legislative Assembly. However, the Defence Technology Institute had already signed a letter of acknowledgement, letter of intent and letter of confirmation with US authorities, he revealed.

 

The letter of confirmation was signed in late-April this year, he said, adding that Deputy PM ACM Prajin Juntong and Defence Minister General Pravit Wongsuwan had been informed about the signing.

 

Srisuwan said the multi-billion-dollar satellite project would further increase public debt, which was already in excess of Bt5.1 trillion, and the government should not spend a large defence budget for these satellites when poor people were still saddled with high household debt. In addition, he said, the Prayut government had previously committed to buying submarines worth a combined Bt36 billion from China.

 

Earlier, the Defence Ministry said it had been upgrading the Armed Forces’ capabilities from a satellite user status to that of an operator so as to boost the country’s aerospace national defence capabilities.

 

The THEIA project has been planned in conjunction with the US and other countries in the region.

 

The THEIA satellites are due to be operational in Thailand in the next three years when the Defence Ministry’s current Thaicom satellite contract expires.

 

In addition to national defence, the satellites are also designed for petroleum exploration and other purposes.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/national/30346894

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2018-06-04

[ukrules]

Why does a sleepy backwater country like Thailand require such a system?

 

They don't need it. They will not need it, ever.

 

The question here is why and what....Why are they paying the Americans this amount of money and what exactly are they paying for, because I have a feeling that the real reason has got nothing to do with satellites.

 

What exactly they're paying for will no doubt come out in the fullness of time.

 

Buying favour.....

 

Can someone remind me, how many times has Thailand been invaded in the last 1000 years ?

 

Edited June 3, 2018 by ukrules

[canuckamuck]

90 billion baht for what, To perhaps catch a few illegal loggers one day? Or are they getting in to the spy game? 

They will probably fall out of orbit in a couple of years too. Aren't they old satellites that have outlived their usefulness and are made with old tech? Why else would the US be dumping them in the third world?

[ukrules]

4 minutes ago, canuckamuck said:

90 billion baht for what, To perhaps catch a few illegal loggers one day? Or are they getting in to the spy game? 

They will probably fall out of orbit in a couple of years too. Aren't they old satellites that have outlived their usefulness and are made with old tech? Why else would the US be dumping them in the third world?

Why would they do this, it makes no sense at all.

 

There is always a reason for every government to do anything, without reason nothing is done and this does not add up.

 

As a government you can buy all the satellite imagery you think you need, there is no reason for this at all.

 

They are lying.

Edited June 3, 2018 by ukrules

[metisdead]

Referring to Thailand or the government as a dictatorship, military dictatorship or other such terms will be removed:

 

 

[sammieuk1]

Can it track down fleeing criminals or sniff out corruption to justify this massive price tag. 

[colinneil]

They are buying the satellite system so they can track/catch all the foreign overstayers, and wayward monks.

[Denim]

1 hour ago, cornishcarlos said:

I think Big P and Toad Boy will be buying more than a couple of watches after this deal goes through !!!

These guys really are taking the piss now.. Karma will catch up with them, might take a while but it will....

 

Which is why they have granted themselves immunity from any future prosecution. 

[worgeordie]

"and other purposes." ?, making tea,

Why not spend the vast amount of money on Hospitals,

Schools,you know things that would be of benefit to the

whole population.the junta has been spending like drunken

sailors,buying all kinds of useless war weapons,that benefit

no one but themselves.

regards worgeordie

[cornishcarlos]

16 minutes ago, Denim said:

 

Which is why they have granted themselves immunity from any future prosecution. 

 

You can't grant yourself immunity from Karma though ?

[Cadbury]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

Activist group slams plan to buy Bt91.2-bn ‘spy satellites’

Wow! 91.2 billion baht. Those who are stitching up this deal will need a charter jet to get the envelope home.

More money wasted, just like the Thai Niyom election slush fund.

Just imagine what 91,200,000,000 baht might do for health and education.

Money seems to be slipping like water through their fingers. Only a few months ago they announced an expenditure of 225 billion baht for their inter-airport HS trains. 

Can't help but wonder what next month's big ticket item will be. One thing for sure, it won't be anything that might benefit the ordinary folk living outside Bangkok.

 

Edited June 4, 2018 by Cadbury

[stephen tracy]

They can display them next to the sub and the aircraft carrier for selfies. 

[JAG]

"We will leave no stone unturned to track down Yingluck Shinewatra and bring her back to Thailand"

 

[gandalf12]

1 hour ago, cornishcarlos said:

 

You can't grant yourself immunity from Karma though ?

With sufficient will and determination such immunities can be overturned

[BuaBS]

And all the data the satellites collect will be "shared" with the NSA.

Is the US trying to let Thailand pay for it's spying ?

[fforest1]

Would it not be better to just put some helium blimps up in the air to do some spying?

[fforest1]

How about just buy the photos you need from NASA.....That would be about a 99.999999% savings....

[alant]

3 hours ago, ukrules said:

Can someone remind me, how many times has Thailand been invaded in the last 1000 years ?

Not easy to answer as it rather depends on what is or wasThailand but I think quite a few times by the Burmese and Khmer peoples then there was WWII...

[Eric Loh]

The very reason why Thailand can't have a military government non elected or elected by devious means. The spending for defense has been edging up since the coup at the expense of education and health. Kudos to Srisuwan for his investigative dedication and to alert the public of another wasteful military spending. 

[TKDfella]

I echo other posters here, Cadbury, Worgeordie and so on. But isn't this what junta governments do...spruce up their military/security while other more needy parts of their society go without.

[connda]

"Let's decimate the 30 Baht Healthcare services and divert that money to spy satellites!"

What the hell does Thailand need with "spy satellites"?  Somebodies brother-in-law is going to make about 45.6 Billion THB in the near future.

[fakename]

Just think of all the sewage treatment plants could be built with that money, and a bit left over for garbage powered power plants. 

[hansnl]

4 hours ago, ukrules said:

Why does a sleepy backwater country like Thailand require such a system?

 

They don't need it. They will not need it, ever.

 

The question here is why and what....Why are they paying the Americans this amount of money and what exactly are they paying for, because I have a feeling that the real reason has got nothing to do with satellites.

 

What exactly they're paying for will no doubt come out in the fullness of time.

 

Buying favour.....

 

Can someone remind me, how many times has Thailand been invaded in the last 1000 years ?

 

Several times indeed.

Last time WW2.

[Srikcir]

5 hours ago, ukrules said:

The question here is why and what....Why are they paying the Americans this amount of money and what exactly are they paying for, because I have a feeling that the real reason has got nothing to do with satellites. 

This may have more to do with the US trade imbalance with Thailand. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-trump-thailand/trump-says-wants-to-reduce-u-s-trade-deficit-with-thailand-idUSKCN1C729U

It would be in character that Trump arranges sale of military assets that gives the US military industrial complex (often run by ex-generals) massive profits in lieu of higher import tariffs. Defense contractors also make in turn dependable political contributions.

Note that in February 2018 the chairman of the US Joint Chiefs of Staff Marine Corps Gen. Joe Dunford met with Thailand’s chief of defense, Gen. Tarnchaiyan Srisuwan, Defense Minister Prawit Wongsuwan and Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.

https://www.defense.gov/News/Article/Article/1433430/dunford-re-energizing-military-to-military-relations-with-thailand/

Now after three months we suddenly hear about this military satellite acquisition.

 

[thequietman]

This is genius at its best! Why don't they use this great initiative for better things for the people of Thailand.

Think about it - they just have to say that its up there in the sky. The Thai people can't see it to confirm they bought it but the cheque will be issued.

If it gets too near the truth, then they say it returned to Earth and burned up.

It's Genius I tell you!

[metisdead]

A post containing a derogatory trolling image has been removed. 

[neeray]

2 hours ago, JAG said:

"We will leave no stone unturned to track down Yingluck Shinewatra and bring her back to Thailand"

 

No, wait, I think it's to track down Red Bull Boy.

[Nice Boyd]

1 hour ago, Eric Loh said:

The very reason why Thailand can't have a military government non elected or elected by devious means. The spending for defense has been edging up since the coup at the expense of education and health. Kudos to Srisuwan for his investigative dedication and to alert the public of another wasteful military spending. 

Do you really think they are going to spend money on education, lol and educate that low paid labor pool in Isaan, please

[JAG]

29 minutes ago, Nice Boyd said:

Do you really think they are going to spend money on education, lol and educate that low paid labor pool in Isaan, please

Off topic I know (although there again it is a topic about government spending money) there is plenty of money allocated to education. It's just that most of it is soaked up by a massive micromanaging beaurocracy (or openly embezzled) before it gets anywhere near the schools.

 

Come to think of it, buying satellites...

[Manny]

Now Thailand can lead the world by doing what NASA & the rest of the world has failed to do with satellites like the ISS. Thailand can zoom in with the cameras on their new Baby satellites & show Australia upside down, and Thailand all sideways on the ball earth, no ?