What Does Thailand’s 2019 Defense Budget Mean?

[Lupatria]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

What Does Thailand’s 2019 Defense Budget Mean?

1. Protection against overly aggressive enemies intending to overtake our beloved government and flourishing economy

 

  2. Never ending entertainment for our next generation

 

[PatOngo]

What Does Thailand’s 2019 Defense Budget Mean?

 

It means there'll be plenty of arms for the post coup coup! Next in line to the trough will be well prepared in case this democracy thing doesn't work out.

[Eric Loh]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

Thailand has had one of Southeast Asia’s highest levels of defense spending but has generally lagged behind the regional average percentage-wise in terms of government expenditures and GDP

This really is a straw man argument that Thailand's military spending lagged behind its neighbours. We can acknowledged that the biggest change in South East Asia geopolitical landscape has been the rise of China and its assertive stance on its South China Sea claims. Philippines, Vietnam and Malaysia are directly challenging China's claims and have responded by enhancing their military might especially sea and air. Indonesia too has maritime disputes with Philippines and Vietnam and need to increase their military hardware. Singapore is a small city state with a standing army of only 50k and depend on its national serviceman and a powerful air and sea force to deter any aggression. Singapore learned a bitter lesson when Indonesia had ambition and started a confrontation war with some military excursions. Thailand meanwhile has relatively no history of war except some border skirmishes with Laos and Cambodia and has no China's threat. Increasing defense spending to keep in line with its neighbours is just a very poor excuse and no justification. 

[Srikcir]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

What Does Thailand’s 2019 Defense Budget Mean?

In part - nothing.

Westerners who read about Thailand's Defense budgets might assume its Defense Ministry operates with transparency and accountability as in Western democracies.

Consider this.

The RTM owns - not the Thai government - natural resources and businesses for its personal gain - not for the Thai Treasury. It also has the authority to contract (not necessarily written) directly with businesses that operate on or adjacent to military bases. Various RTM commanders have been involved in lucrative activities such as human trafficking with suspicions directed towards gambling, prostitution and covert weapon sales. All such sources of independent revenues (referred to in an occasional news article as "slush funds") potentially contribute to RTM's ability to operate without government budgetary transparency.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

What Does Thailand’s 2019 Defense Budget Mean?

In another part - misdirection.

When the military makes a long-term purchase commitment such as the purchase of Chinese submarines over a 7-year period, it can chose to make payment needed for each delivery obligated by the Defense Budget instead of the total purchase being obligated once. The total purchase price is then not contained in the current year budget unless all items being purchased are obligated (ie., delivered) in the same year. Total commitment for the entire purchase may only show as a footnote in the budget.

When the military borrows funds from a foreign government to make military purchases, only the payment needed to service the annual debt (principle & interest) is required from the Defense Budget, irrespective of the delivery date of the products.

5 hours ago, webfact said:

What Does Thailand’s 2019 Defense Budget Mean?

Further in part - misleading.

There is currently no independent check and balance to assure that the RTM accurately presents details of its budget request. Practically, as civilian Yingluck discovered, operations of the Defense Ministry are run by active duty flag officers independently of Executive Branch oversight. Currently, there is close collaboration between PM Prayut and Defense Minister-Deputy Prime Minister General Prawit who is Prayut's military mentor. This relationship might give the perception of potential collusion in submitting misleading detailed military budgets.

More misleading

Other ministries and the national police might include budgets intended to reimburse the military for support activities. Thus, not a Defense Budget item.

 

[TPI]

I think the question must be "If the Thai Army was to fight anyone, how effective would it be?" . Judging by their performance against Cambodia, not very well at all! As they choose not to join in many international military ventures (which would justify new and upgraded equipment) any measurement of their skills or efficiency will always be moot! I believe that any country bordering the LOS would easily overcome any resistance, the moral fibre of the male population is best measured by the number fleeing accident sites?

 

Cynical?

[JGV]

One post asked where does all this money go I suggest a visit to a military town and see the vast quantity of new motor vehicles many 4 wheeled drive to quickly see how the money is used

[CantSpell]

Means first: new uniforms, bigger pockets, if laptop fits, big envelops do as well..