Premier’s denial of missile purchase from US called ‘misunderstanding’

[webfact]

Premier’s denial of missile purchase from US called ‘misunderstanding’

By WASAMON AUDJARINT 
THE NATION

 

 

BANGKOK: -- DESPITE HIS earlier denial, Prime Minister Gen Prayut Chan-o-cha yesterday admitted that the Navy plans to purchase Harpoon Block II missiles from the United States to be installed on a newly built frigates.

Prayut said that his remark on Saturday, saying that the government does not have a budget for any more weapons, was due to his misunderstanding. 

 

“Budgets for the missiles were long approved and already included in [the Navy’s] annual budget. It’s nothing new. I just couldn’t remember everything,” the premier said.

 

The US Defence Security Cooperation Agency (DSCA) last week notified Congress on Thailand’s requested purchase of the anti-ship missiles worth Bt 827.7 million.

 

Navy spokesperson Jumpol Lumpiganon said that the missile procurement has been part of a frigate deal between Thailand and South Korean shipbuilder signed in 2013.

 

The missiles, if approved, will be part of the Navy’s budgets from 2017 to 2019 via the US Foreign Military Sales program, the Navy said in a press release.

 

Once the US Congress approves the sale, the two countries should be able to sign the deal. The missiles should be delivered to Thailand within the next three years, the Navy added.

 

Prayut, meanwhile, said that the military budget needs to be higher because previous governments did not pay enough attention to national defence. 

 

“We need a budget to buy and fix [military hardware] to protect our land and maritime resources, facilitate disaster relief and for military training purposes,” he said. “If we use trashy gadgets, are we going to keep up with [other countries]?”

 

Source: http://www.nationmultimedia.com/detail/politics/30323911

 

-- © Copyright The Nation 2017-08-16

[Thian]

Did they try the "walkaway trick" to get some discount??  

[bheard]

He actually admitted to not being able to remember everything.
Wow, that's a turn up.
Most unusual for a Thai to admit to anything.
'Onya Prayut!

[inThailand]

Is the word misunderstanding the new word for Iam clueless? Or you misunderstood my lies?

It seems to be the word of the week.

Edited August 15, 2017 by inThailand
fat fingers

[Samui Bodoh]

59 minutes ago, webfact said:

“If we use trashy gadgets, are we going to keep up with [other countries]?”

 

 

Perhaps the answer is to stop buying trashy gadgets?

[inThailand]

2 minutes ago, Samui Bodoh said:

 

Perhaps the answer is to stop buying trashy gadgets?

That's why they are buying Chinese toys. Sadly, they are better than the LOS trash.

[Dobredin Ghusputin]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

I just couldn’t remember everything,” the premier said.

 

It's recommended to free up disk space by regularly emptying the recycle bin. No wait, he does that - every Friday evening on national tv.

 

 

 

[wakeupplease]

Yep I did not talk with Sutep in 200? either sad man

[ezzra]

It's amusing to see how Thailand arms it self to the teeth in peace times

i wonder what will be the shopping lists be if there is a remote chance

of a war or a hostile act in the region....

[colinneil]

2 hours ago, inThailand said:

Is the word misunderstanding the new word for Iam clueless? Or you misunderstood my lies?

It seems to be the word of the week.

 What a spot on comment, well done mate.

Misunderstanding is the in-thing at the moment.

PM /hospital director, seems to be their way of trying to distract people from the truth.

[JAG]

I suppose with all the other things going on, minibuses being driven on routes they are not authorized for, scrabbling around trying to find another unopened box of immigration policemen for the airports, the ever present worries about twerking pop stars, wrestling with the outrage of shops selling alcohol near educational establishments and so on its completely understandable that an 800 million Baht arms deal would slip ones mind...

 

 

 

 

[piersbeckett]

20 minutes ago, JAG said:

I suppose with all the other things going on, minibuses being driven on routes they are not authorized for, scrabbling around trying to find another unopened box of immigration policemen for the airports, the ever present worries about twerking pop stars, wrestling with the outrage of shops selling alcohol near educational establishments and so on its completely understandable that an 800 million Baht arms deal would slip ones mind...

 

 

 

 

and with all those outfits to choose from; it can't be easy

[YetAnother]

3 hours ago, webfact said:

I just couldn’t remember everything,” the premier said.

i see; your honor, i mis-remembered

[klauskunkel]

4 hours ago, webfact said:

“Budgets for the missiles were long approved and already included in [the Navy’s] annual budget. It’s nothing new. I just couldn’t remember everything,”

just write a poem about the budget, that will help you remember. 

[jaywalker]

3 hours ago, Samui Bodoh said:

4 hours ago, webfact said:

“If we use trashy gadgets, are we going to keep up with [other countries]?”

 

 

Perhaps the answer is to stop buying trashy gadgets?

Oh they buy top of the line equipment. They just won't allocate money for maintenance.

 

I have been there, done that, err... went there did that for many years, trying to work w/ the RTAF, RTA & RTMC. They have about 1,500 HMMWV trucks (Hummers). That's an enormous fleet & they are 30+ years old.

 

I've looked at/inspected literally hundreds of them. They have fluid leaks out the wazoo. BRAKE calipers leaking yikes (the brakes failed)!

 

I'd always get the same line... "No hab budget".

 

 

[Briggsy]

2 hours ago, ezzra said:

It's amusing to see how Thailand arms it self to the teeth in peace times

i wonder what will be the shopping lists be if there is a remote chance

of a war or a hostile act in the region....

Back pedalling, negotiation, massive political shift to ask for help from the U.S., capitulation, the setting of a puppet government to ensure the elites remain powerful and wealthy, grovelling, the provision of limitless sex slaves and loss of a couple of border provinces if history is anything to go by.

[Eric Loh]

This guy is as clueless as Trump. No wonder they so eager to meet. 

[Lucky mike]

Would be welcome with open arms at Lazada !

[mikiea]

6 hours ago, Thian said:

Did they try the "walkaway trick" to get some discount??  

we as a people need to know what and who the harpoon's going to be used for ? attack another Asian country ? or maybe crowd control .....inquiring minds would like to know .

[maxpower]

The poor guy gets confused give him a break.

 

[HungWell]

Overheard in the Generals mess hall: Misunderstanding or not, still getting the 30% cut aren't we?

[Lupatria]

4 hours ago, ezzra said:

It's amusing to see how Thailand arms it self to the teeth in peace times

i wonder what will be the shopping lists be if there is a remote chance

of a war or a hostile act in the region....

They will seize all money from the temples and go shopping.

[Classic Ray]

For a country that declares itself so valuing of history, and of such importance to tourism, it does not like to spend any money preserving it or on making the machinery of the country run.

 

For that would need taxation, money to be raised from the rich, whose only interest in preservation is that pertaining to their bank balances.

[Baerboxer]

4 hours ago, JAG said:

I suppose with all the other things going on, minibuses being driven on routes they are not authorized for, scrabbling around trying to find another unopened box of immigration policemen for the airports, the ever present worries about twerking pop stars, wrestling with the outrage of shops selling alcohol near educational establishments and so on its completely understandable that an 800 million Baht arms deal would slip ones mind...

 

 

 

 

 

Once a budget has been approved for spending, how many procurement details do you think the average PM, Chief Minister, President, Chancellor etc keeps in their memory? 

 

Never saw you complaining when Yingluck couldn't even remember to turn up to parliament or meetings.

[Psimbo]

Interesting- Thailand is purchasing a new ship and Thaigeezers are amazed that they may actually want to arm it with modern weapons!

 

I would suggest  that something has been lost in translation- these are not 'new weapons' but would have been budgeted for at the time of the ship purchase.

[jaywalker]

16 minutes ago, Psimbo said:

Interesting- Thailand is purchasing a new ship and Thaigeezers are amazed that they may actually want to arm it with modern weapons!

 

I would suggest  that something has been lost in translation- these are not 'new weapons' but would have been budgeted for at the time of the ship purchase.

I honestly doubt that. I've been in the military contracting game, in Thailand for 8 years. Even US contracting is last minute, knee jerk reactions to some committee somewhere.

[YetAnother]

i see, so anything this guy doesnt like is a misunderstanding; how convenient

[Ricardo]

8 hours ago, webfact said:

Navy spokesperson Jumpol Lumpiganon said that the missile procurement has been part of a frigate deal between Thailand and South Korean shipbuilder signed in 2013.

 

The missiles, if approved, will be part of the Navy’s budgets from 2017 to 2019 via the US Foreign Military Sales program, the Navy said in a press release.

 

Was Prayuth the PM back in 2013, I thought that was still Yingluck ?

 

Perhaps they should be asking her, how much she remembers about the frigate-deal, or did she miss the meeting ?

[Thingamabob]

Where's the enemy...?

[HungWell]

2 hours ago, Ricardo said:

 

Was Prayuth the PM back in 2013, I thought that was still Yingluck ?

 

Perhaps they should be asking her, how much she remembers about the frigate-deal, or did she miss the meeting ?

In Thailand, civilian governments never have oversight over military budgets.

http://prachatai.org/english/node/5608