US to supply cut-price weaponry to Thailand

[illusion8]

Thailand will receive heavily discounted military equipment from the US Department of Defense, including retired warships and F-16 fighter jet engines, to help cement military ties.

Thailand is a major non-Nato ally of the US and the department wants to recognise that friendship by selling weaponry selected from its Excess Defense Articles (EDA) programme, a Thai military source said.

The EDA programme was set up to sell off excess military items to other countries, according to the US Defense Security Cooperation Agency website.

In addition to five new F-16 fighter jet engines which have been offered for sale to the Royal Thai Air Force, the US has also offered to sell 1,150 Humvee military vehicles to the army that were previously deployed in Iraq.

The US has also offered three new Black Hawk helicopters to the army with a price tag of 1.3 billion baht each, the source said.

The navy will be offered two second-hand Perry Class frigates - general purpose warships designed back in the mid-1970s with a displacement of 4,100 tonnes."All of these items will be sold at very special, cheap prices," the source said.

"The discussion did not go into details. The offer is amicable."

The offer follows talks in Washington last week between permanent secretary for defence Gen Thanongsak Apirakyothin and US defence assistant secretary Marc Lippert.

Thailand and the US will mark 180 years of bilateral relations next year.

Defence minister Sukumpol Suwanatat and armed forces chiefs are due to meet US defence secretary Leon Panetta next month during his Thailand visit.

http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/local/318403/us-to-supply-cut-price-weaponry

Iraq mission Garage sale - expect a bigger one in 2014.

 

[ebr77]

Not a bad offer. I hope they get this. This will create a new balance in the region. Sure they can not beat China with these, but they sure can rock Burma over their disputes.

 

[TheRafael00000]

Not a bad offer. I hope they get this. This will create a new balance in the region. Sure they can not beat China with these, but they sure can rock Burma over their disputes.

I don't think it is meant for Burma. Thailand has long disputes with it's southern part and Malaysia. The current step of Philippine treaty where Malaysia played a leading role could be the real factor.

 

[TheRafael00000]

I couldn't find any comments yet from Malaysia about this Military trade. I do want to be 100% sure. What is reason for this sudden trade? The only thing I find is the "Philippine treaty".

 

[INDIC]

Not a bad offer. I hope they get this. This will create a new balance in the region. Sure they can not beat China with these, but they sure can rock Burma over their disputes.

Thailand has strong economic needs in Burma.

 

[TheRafael00000]

Thailand has strong economic needs in Burma.

lol. Do you have any idea about 300 yrs long active war between thai-burma! Burma is a non productive nation. Thailand got no intention to increase their trade there but may annex it.

 

[illusion8]

Not a bad offer. I hope they get this. This will create a new balance in the region. Sure they can not beat China with these, but they sure can rock Burma over their disputes.

Bangladesh may look at picking up some of the equipment offered...right? especially the Heli's and the frigates.

 

[INDIC]

lol. Do you have any idea about 300 yrs long active war between thai-burma! Burma is a non productive nation. Thailand got no intention to increase their trade there but may annex it.

Burma provide good shortcut

 

[TheRafael00000]

It just proves one thing. Thailand is going to use Muslims of Southern part and alliance of Malaysia to annex Dawel port. Thailand did try to launch a border confrontation in 2010! I wonder situation is getting worse. But I will support Thailand if it starts insurgency.

 

[TheRafael00000]

Bangladesh have no such policies and Bangladesh is not after India. Bangladesh have a defensive force enough to save it's own identity and Bangladesh don't want to go to any kind of clash with India. So don't itch us. If you keep taking attacking policies against Bangladesh, you will just make India weak apparently. Mark my word.

 

[illusion8]

Bangladesh have no such policies and Bangladesh is not after India. Bangladesh have a defensive force enough to save it's own identity and Bangladesh don't want to go to any kind of clash with India. So don't itch us. If you keep taking attacking policies against Bangladesh, you will just make India weak apparently. Mark my word.

What are you talking about?

 

[TheRafael00000]

What are you talking about?

What I wanted to say is simple-whatever Bangladesh do, don't do to bring insurgency in India. So, don't meddle.

 

[INDIC]

It just proves one thing. Thailand is going to use Muslims of Southern part and alliance of Malaysia to annex Dawel port. Thailand did try to launch a border confrontation in 2010! I wonder situation is getting worse. But I will support Thailand if it starts insurgency.

Won't happen.

 

[shuntmaster]

I think Thailand has conflict only with Cambodia.

Cambodian–Thai border dispute

The Cambodian–Thai border dispute began in June 2008 as the latest round of a century-long dispute between Cambodia and Thailand involving the area surrounding the 11th-century Preah Vihear Temple, located in the Dângrêk Mountains between the Choam Khsant district in the Preah Vihear province of northern Cambodia and the Kantharalak district (amphoe) in the Sisaket province of Northeastern Thailand. According to the Cambodian ambassador to the United Nations, the dispute began when about 50 Thai soldiers moved into the Keo Sikha Kiri Svara pagoda vicinity located in Cambodia's territory at about 300 meters from the Temple of Preah Vihear. Thailand claims that demarcation has not yet been completed for the external parts of the area adjacent to the temple itself which was judged to be Cambodian by the International Court of Justice (ICJ) in 1959. By August 2008, the dispute had expanded to the 13th century Ta Moan temple complex 14°20′57″N 103°15′59″E 153 km west of Preah Vihear, where Cambodia has accused Thai troops of occupying a temple complex on Cambodian land. The Thai foreign ministry had denied that any troops had moved into that area until several were killed there in April 2011. An agreement was reached in December 2011 to withdraw troops from the disputed area.

Thailand is an US allay. By arming Thailand, US is increasing its influence in the South-East Asian region. Probably this is done in anticipation of future ASEAN-China conflict in South China Sea.

 

[Globenim]

U.S. seem to be afraid of healthy economic relations with China and growing independence and self-sufficiency of the ASEAN block. How significant a few rail connections can be.

We have to make sure the status quo remains.
They come with little present (I know this is their outdated arsenal, but its U.S. outdated arsenal), we give them little favours at whim. No dependence, no lapdog status.
Though I wouldn't want the army to tap on the frigates and black hawks. They seem to be obsolete scrap metal. Not even worth the spare parts in the black hawks. But hey Thai army bought archaic Kilos from Germany just recently...

Come on China. You can top this with a little 30 billion investment for a small canal in the South.