Thailand’s government on Tuesday agreed to buy 10 tanks from China for THB2 billion in the latest defense spending by a junta with a taste for Chinese hardware.
The military is replacing its U.S.-made M41 rolling stock with Chinese VT-4 tanks, as it continues to upgrade its equipment three years after seizing power from a civilian government.
The Southeast Asian country has already snapped up 28 Chinese tanks and secured around THB13.5 billion for a submarine — with cash being sought for two more.
On Tuesday, the cabinet approved the purchase of 10 more VT-4s for around THB2 billion Deputy Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan told reporters.
“These are to replace the M41 tanks which we have used since World War II,” he added.
Thailand is facing a decade-long insurgency in its southernmost provinces but rarely deploys tanks there.
Its last international conflict came during border skirmishes with Cambodia in 2011.
The kingdom’s well-oiled military has ousted two elected governments in the last decade.
In parallel, the defense budget has nearly tripled to around THB207 billion.
Thailand’s generosity to its armed forces has raised eyebrows, especially given the stuttering post-coup economy.
Critics say the military — which boasts one of the highest proportions of generals in the world — has a penchant for non-essential big ticket purchases, including an aircraft carrier which currently has no aircraft.
China has soaked up Thai defense spending.
That has raised questions over the kingdom’s relationship with its oldest ally — the U.S. — whose own policies towards Thailand and the rest of Southeast Asia have been cast into uncertainty by the rise of President Donald Trump.
Thailand is among 16 countries that the U.S. has a trade deficit with, something Trump’s administration has promised to probe.
Thai junta leader and premier, Prayuth Chan-ocha, on Tuesday urged his country not to “panic” as the U.S. is yet to threaten action against the countries it has a trade imbalance with.
