Defence budget on steady rise in past three years

[webfact]

Defence budget on steady rise in past three years

By Thai PBS

 

 

BANGKOK: -- Ever since the military government was installed by the junta three years ago, the annual budget for the Ministry of Defence has steadily increased from 190 billion baht in 2015 fiscal year to 206,000 billion baht in 2016, 213 billion baht in 2017 and 222 billion baht in 2018.

 

The allocation saw the defence budget goes up by over two billion baht for each fiscal year.

 

In a recent interview with the Thai PBS, Defence Ministry spokesman Maj-Gen Kongcheep Tantrawanich said that the military did not just dream up a shopping list of weapons, but had mapped out a long-term defence development strategy to increase the capabilities of the armed forces to meet with security threats.

 

He stressed that arms procurement was based on the need of each of the three armed forces. Of the budget allocated each year, about half of them are set aside for personnel development which includes mainly salaries for military personnel; 16 percent are allocated for the maintenance of internal security and the rest, between 34-35 percent are for the strengthening of defensive defence capabilities, said Maj-Gen Kongcheep.

 

Full story: http://englishnews.thaipbs.or.th/defence-budget-steady-rise-past-three-years/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2017-07-10

[leeneeds]

The purchase of the new vaporizing laser in 2019

is still to come.

 soldier==. " if the enemy have them lasers too, how do we combat them?"

 

 military boss== " ah well we purchase the deflecting mirror suits!"

 

soldier== "if they have them too our laser will be useless "

 

Military boss == " well then we buy the new  nano particle condensing sphere " 

 

[starky]

I think "mainly salaries for military personnel" pretty much says it all. Where did they get 2 billion a year from 222 minus 190 was 32 last time I was in school which means 8 billion a year over 4 years no?

[Samui Bodoh]

29 minutes ago, webfact said:

Defence Ministry spokesman Maj-Gen Kongcheep Tantrawanich said that the military did not just dream up a shopping list of weapons, but had mapped out a long-term defence development strategy to increase the capabilities of the armed forces to meet with security threats.

 

What are the security threats that he is talking about?

 

This is a rather important detail...

 

[edwinchester]

7 minutes ago, starky said:

I think "mainly salaries for military personnel" pretty much says it all. Where did they get 2 billion a year from 222 minus 190 was 32 last time I was in school which means 8 billion a year over 4 years no?

A Thai 2 billion is different.

[quadperfect]

I am sure there is no way this has anything to do with the military running the country since 2014. It was on the wish list before taking over power . But now since no one can object its a wish come true.

 

[Cadbury]

Thailand is at No.36 out of 152 on the GMI (Global Militarisation List) and it may well be this position on the ladder that is driving those Thai military egos crazy. They want to be No.1 as always.

I believe total militarism of Thailand is the master plan for the junta  Thus the need for more weaponry and indoctrination expenditure. Nothing to do with defence. All about appearances.

 

The Global Militarization Index (GMI) depicts the relative weight and importance of the military apparatus of one state in relation to its society as a whole. For this, the GMI uses a number of indicators to represent the degree of militarization of a country:^[1]

• comparison of military expenditure with its gross domestic product (GDP);
• comparison of military expenditure with its health expenditure;
• contrast between the total number of (para)military forces with the number of physicians, and the overall population;
• ratio of the number of heavy weapons available and the overall population.

 

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_Global_Militarization_Index

Edited July 10, 2017 by Cadbury

[clockman]

More noses in the trough!

[robblok]

Crazy, though I want to see the percentages based on GDP per year.. I mean a increase can occur based on more GDP and more taxes. This is a fairer way to look at it. Though by the look of it its an increase way over 3% per year meaning more than the GDP raise. totally wrong, it should have been put in healthcare. 

 

Good to see education is still nr one.. so much money put in it and so little returns.. 

[dinsdale]

Who would have thought. I am very surprised to hear that a military junta would increase the military budget.

[mikebell]

And to hell with Child Support/Health Support/Education.

[Thechook]

Previously elected government wouldn't by them all new toys, coup organised and they dive head first into the vault and go on a spending spree for themselves.  Geez they unpacked the aircraft carrier they got a few years back and haven't played with it since.

 

 

 

 

 

  

[Happyman58]

More money forguns and toys  I am sure wages  growth would be a big one also  Pity Roads Schools Hospital have to suffer because of this Oh dont forget new uniforms for army Those soldiers sure look nice in there new uniforms Most important to look good save face

[williamgeorgeallen]

problem is so much of the gear is faulty you have to buy lots more of it to get the job done. take the GT2000 bomb detectors for example.

[JAG]

13 minutes ago, williamgeorgeallen said:

problem is so much of the gear is faulty you have to buy lots more of it to get the job done. take the GT2000 bomb detectors for example.

The GT2000 were never going to work of course, but much of the other kit doesn't work because it is quite simply not maintained.

 

If you look at the various defense websites (Janes etc) the Thai military is really quite well equipped. The trouble is most of the kit is broken, left parked up in the hope that it will get better on its own....

 

/www.thaivisa.com/forum/topic/991765-dsi-looking-into-sale-of-damaged-army-vehicles/

 

Those which haven't been sold off umh, under informal arrangements that is......

Edited July 10, 2017 by JAG

[sawadee1947]

wow, I'm very surprised. I did not expect that Generals would do that. What a shame...

[Srikcir]

7 hours ago, webfact said:

The allocation saw the defence budget goes up by over two billion baht for each fiscal year.

And not just since FY2015.

The year 2006 (2552) was also a banner year for a big increase.

[heybruce]

6 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

 

What are the security threats that he is talking about?

 

This is a rather important detail...

 

The internal threats are overwhelming them.  They've managed to stamp out calls for elections and copies of "1984", but everywhere I go I see groups of five or more, some of them eating sandwiches!