Air pressure to delay looking for new aircraft
According to sources, Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin has requested that the military forces postpone their plans to purchase weapons for the 2024 financial year in order to allocate funds to those who are most in need.
The options reported to the Bangkok Post on Monday that Mr. Srettha had given the PM’s secretary-general, Prommin Lertsuridej, and Defence Minister Sutin Klunsang instructions to meet with military leaders to request a temporary postponement of arms purchases for the 2024 financial year.
The funds should be used for immediate efforts to assist the populace, according to the PM. The resources stated that the budgets that have already been approved may be the same.
ACM Phanphakdee Phatthanakul, the newly appointed commander of the Royal Thai Air Force( RTAF ), confirmed that the government had asked the armed forces to prioritize efforts to address natural disasters like flooding, forest fires, and haze issues.
After the US refused to sell its F-35A fighter jets, ACM Phanphakdee even rejected a document that claimed the RTAF intended to purchase three Swedish Gripen flight soldiers to expand its ships in Wing 7 in Surat Thani.
Each Gripen fighter plane costs about 2 billion rmb, according to a RTAF cause, who added that the air force had purchased 12 of them but had lost one in an accident.
Due to the nation’s financial situation, ACM Phanphakdee stated that the RTAF did not attempt to acquire jet fighters in the 2024 financial year.
However, he added that a working screen may be established to look into the issue and that the RTAF may consider purchasing new plane fighters in the 2025 financial year.
” It is still unknown whether the jet fighters that will be purchased in the 2025 fiscal year are Gripen or F – 16 ,” he said.
The RTAF, based at Wing 1 in Nakhon Ratchasima, which will eventually be decommissioned between 2028 and 2031, will eventually need to purchase new flight soldiers to change its aging ships of F – 16.
The RTAF chief stated that the organization would provide the purchasing strategy in the 2025 financial year and guarantee that taxpayer funds would be used for the nation’s best interests and the sake of national defense.
He continued by saying that the RTAF intends to add a water container to its BT-67 power aircraft so that it can be used to fight drought and forest fires during the dry season.
He continued by saying that he is prepared to explain the RTAF’s funds paying to the House committee that will review the budget for 2024.
According to ACM Phanphakdee, the prime minister has also emphasized that if the military troops were to purchase any military products from any nation, they must persuade those nations to do so as part of the agreement.
ACM Phanphakdee was praised by United Thai Nation( UTN ) Party MP Akkaradet Wongpitakrote for his willingness to follow the government’s policy on Monday andnbsp while serving on a House committee vetting budget bills for the 2020 – 2023 fiscal years.
According to Mr. Akkaradet, who is also the official for the UTN,” the state wants to spend its resources to look after the people because the country is faced with numerous problems, main of which are monetary hardships involving bread-and-butter issues affecting people’s everyday life.”
He pointed out that because the previous administration had prepared the funds for the 2024 fiscal year, the new state had to handle it to fit its laws when it took office.
But, according to Mr. Akkaradet, the new administration is free to set the budget for the 2025 financial year as it sees fit.
He added that it would be best if the military and the army followed suit and that the RTAF’s decision may serve as an example for them.
He continued by saying that the government provides the armed forces with a sizable budget each month. The RTAF’s choice to wait its purchasing jobs or reduce its spending is remarkable, he said.