Thai Cabinet nod for Bt2.3 bn armoured carriers deal with China

[webfact]

Cabinet nod for Bt2.3 bn armoured carriers deal with China
By The Nation

 

BANGKOK: -- The Cabinet on Tuesday approved the Army’s proposal to buy 34 armoured personnel carriers from China.

 

The proposal to buy the ZBL-09 VN-1 was put forward by Deputy Prime Minister and Defence Minister General Prawit Wongsuwan.

The Cabinet gave the nod for the purchase with budgetary commitments in fiscal years 2017-20.

 

The Army chief will later fly to China to sign the government-to-government purchase contract.

 

The Cabinet was told that the new VN-1 carriers will be stationed at the First Cavalry Division, the 10th Cavalry Battalion in Nan, and the 7th Cavalry Battalion in Uttaradit.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/breakingnews/30318026

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-06-14

[madmitch]

Well, they need transport to carry personnel to the submarine base.

[thequietman]

New company cars for everyone. Seems a bit of overkill just for going out to get somtam !

 

 

[thequietman]

1 minute ago, madmitch said:

Well, they need transport to carry personnel to the submarine base.

In Uttaradit ? thats a looooooong way from the ocean.

[madmitch]

4 minutes ago, thequietman said:

In Uttaradit ? thats a looooooong way from the ocean.

Exactly. That's why they need the carriers! 

 

 

[Thechook]

Well that must be the last satang in the coffers.  The military have done extremely well for themselves after the coup.

[webfact]

Army chief defends purchase of Chinese personnel carriers
By The Nation

 

Commander-in-Chief Gen Chalermchai Sitthisart on Wednesday defended the Army’s decision to spend Bt2.3 billion on 34 Chinese VN-1 armoured personnel carriers, saying they’re cheaper than any offered by Western countries.

 

The Cabinet approved the purchase of the ZBL-09 VN-1 vehicles on Tuesday.

 

Chalermchai said an assistant Army chief would travel to China this month or next month to sign the contract.

 

He said the country’s economic woes make it appropriate to buy cheaper military hardware from China.

 

He acknowledged, though, that Thailand’s non-democratic mode of government makes it “more difficult” to purchase the hardware from the West.

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/news/breakingnews/30318036

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-06-14

[Cadbury]

Armoured personnel carriers (and tanks) for border protection against invasion from the enemy outside like Laos, Cambodia or Myanmar. Or for civil defence purposes? Take your pick.

Thailand doesn't need protection from outside forces. They will just do what they do best and roll-over so that only leaves civil defence.

Whatever, the military splurge continues with their new best friends China where the purchasing inducements are the best on offer.

[Eric Loh]

The last time the military use an amoured carrier was in 2010 against the UDD near Pan Fah bridge. Wonder when will the military use next with no imminent external enemies.

[JAG]

I thought they had developed, and were ready to our into production, their own design?

[robblok]

28 minutes ago, JAG said:

I thought they had developed, and were ready to our into production, their own design?

Not sure they get a cutback if they buy their own design. Seems like the military is on a spending spree recently. 

[webfact]

Thailand in $67-million deal to buy armoured personnel carriers from China

 

BANGKOK (Reuters) - Thailand will buy 34 armoured personnel carriers from China worth 2.3 billion baht ($68 million), the Southeast Asian nation's army chief said on Wednesday, the latest sign of closer military relations between the two nations.

 

The purchase is the latest defence deal between Bangkok and Beijing amid warming ties since Thailand's military coup in 2014, when relations cooled with the United States, historically the country's major supplier of Western weapons.

 

"Buying from the West is a little hard … buying from China is better value for money," General Chalermchai Sitthisart told reporters, announcing that Thailand's cabinet had approved the purchase of the VN-1 carriers.

 

The choice of China was not a consequence of closer relations between the two countries, however, but the most cost-effective option, he added.

 

"The most important is the suitability for the needs of Thailand and the price," Chalermchai said, adding that Russia and Ukraine had also been in the running to supply the vehicles.

 

In April, Thailand approved the first of three planned submarine purchases from China in a deal worth a total of more than $1 billion.

 

The Thai navy defended the decision following a barrage of public criticism over questions such as the suitability of the submarines and the need to buy the costly craft.

 

Thailand and China have also agreed to cooperate on building an 873-km (542-mile) railway project, as part of Beijing's regional infrastructure drive.

 

Delays and talks over loan terms and land development rights have held up the project, however, prompting Thai Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha to say on Tuesday that he would make use of Article 44, a special security measure, to allow work to begin.

 

($1=33.8900 baht)

 

(Reporting by Amy Sawitta Lefevre and Panarat Thepgumpanat; Writing by Amy Sawitta Lefevre; Editing by Clarence Fernandez)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2017-06-14

[edwinchester]

"The Cabinet was told that the new VN-1 carriers will be stationed at the First Cavalry Division, the 10th Cavalry Battalion in Nan, and the 7th Cavalry Battalion in Uttaradit."

 

Meanwhile the grunts are being sent out on patrol in Thailand's only war zone in the deep south in the back of pickups and riding Honda Waves....unbelievable.

[Kasset Tak]

24 minutes ago, edwinchester said:

"The Cabinet was told that the new VN-1 carriers will be stationed at the First Cavalry Division, the 10th Cavalry Battalion in Nan, and the 7th Cavalry Battalion in Uttaradit."

 

Meanwhile the grunts are being sent out on patrol in Thailand's only war zone in the deep south in the back of pickups and riding Honda Waves....unbelievable.

They need something better than Chinese APC's in the south, they need something more like MRAP vehicles to get around safe and quickly. 

[worgeordie]

"saying they’re cheaper than any offered by Western countries."

never mind the quality,feel the width.

regards Worgeordie

[anon4637435435]

The only potential threat of the government is the public when they keep hearing about garbage like this.

Thais need to wake up or good bye thais..... Good to see the pm is following thai culture, religion and tradition with everything he choses.

[JAG]

Well that must be the last satang in the coffers.  The military have done extremely well for themselves after the coup.

Oh there will be more - The Air Force could surely use some new fast jets!

I know China is officially an atheist state - but I suspect that their arms industry has started believing in Christmas!

[JAG]

"The Cabinet was told that the new VN-1 carriers will be stationed at the First Cavalry Division, the 10th Cavalry Battalion in Nan, and the 7th Cavalry Battalion in Uttaradit."
 
Meanwhile the grunts are being sent out on patrol in Thailand's only war zone in the deep south in the back of pickups and riding Honda Waves....unbelievable.

If you deploy the APCs down south they won't be available: 1) for parades and televised "drill evolutions" and 2) for use should they be needed several hundred kilometers further north...

[klauskunkel]

2 hours ago, Cadbury said:

Thailand doesn't need protection from outside forces.

Yes they do. Thailand is under prolonged threat from Uber and just recently from an air-humping teenie idol.

[JAG]

I note that the only other purchaser of this vehicle is Venezuela. A country whose military are rather likely to be preoccupied with the possibility of having to control a restless urban population...

 

 

 

 

[JAG]

Yes they do. Thailand is under prolonged threat from Uber and just recently from an air-humping teenie idol.

It would be difficult for her to "twerk" inside an APC. Fun for the blokes in the back though...

[Lupatria]

I'm sure the manufacturer promotes the carriers as: "A must have have vehicle in case of demonstrations and civil unrest." 

[Godang]

I was under the impression cavalry used horses.

[Jonmarleesco]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The Army chief will later fly to China to sign the government-to-government purchase contract

Why doesn't he stay there? Save the to...ing and fro...ing - and the associated costs - of return visits to sign for everything else Chinese that they will undoubtedly buy (courtesy of the taxpayer). Even uniforms, perhaps?

[Moti24]

6 hours ago, thequietman said:

In Uttaradit ? thats a looooooong way from the ocean.

That's where they're building the submarine base!  Don't forget, TiT!!!!!

[SOUTHERNSTAR]

4 hours ago, Kasset Tak said:

They need something better than Chinese APC's in the south, they need something more like MRAP vehicles to get around safe and quickly. 

They already have such vehicles but they are parked outside the war zone as they are worried these vehicles maybe captured by the terrorists.

[Searat7]

The government seems to be spending money like "drunken sailors ". I would like to know where all of the money is coming from. The last time they released finance reserves they were very low.

[Baerboxer]

6 hours ago, JAG said:

I thought they had developed, and were ready to our into production, their own design?

 

Would you want to risk it in a new, never tried out, Thai designed and built APC? 

 

Or even a Chinese one.....................................................

 

If the country has economic woes why buy 34 cheap APC's instead of postponing or cancelling what is a far from urgent priority spend?

 

Got to keep up with the Navy!

[Baerboxer]

3 hours ago, Godang said:

I was under the impression cavalry used horses.

 

Have you read a newspaper, watched the TV news, or tried that new fangled internet thingy?

 

Or still catching up from the last 100 years?

[Baerboxer]

4 hours ago, JAG said:

I note that the only other purchaser of this vehicle is Venezuela. A country whose military are rather likely to be preoccupied with the possibility of having to control a restless urban population...

 

 

 

 

 

Also skint and have a dictatorial government that refuses to hold elections and imprisons the opposition? All that oil revenue squandered! 

That's extreme socialism for you!