Yingluck on the move
- By Stingray, Thai Intel’s national security journalist
- The Issue:
ASEAN as a whole, particularly, Indonesia and Malaysia-have been building up a local defense industry-with last year, ASEAN making statements about jointly-developing an ASEAN Defense industry. However, out-side ASEAN defense industry, through lobbying and corruption, have held much of the ASEAN market in control.
Thai Intel just got a comment, from Aldo, on an earlier report about Indonesian internal submarine development efforts:
“Indonesia also successfully built LPD Makassar class in cooperation with SKorea. They even try to sell it to Philippines… In addition to that, they are now involved in research and production of stealth KFX jet fighters with SKorea…it seems that Indonesia has a long perspective in building their defense system in relation to local economic development.”
- Back-Ground on Thailand:
For a background, Thailand have had a burgeoning private local arms industry for a very long time-with local development of armored personal carriers. Then the Thai armed forces have long invested in building artillery pieces and also multiple-rocket launchers-and also small naval patrol vessels.
However, Thailand joined the modern age in development of a local arms industry-when Taksin, the former prime minister who was ouster by the 2006 coup, establishing and giving budget to the development of a local “Missile” industry. That missile unit, eventually, received aid from Germany.
- The following is from Thai Intel’s earlier report:
The Thai missile research and development unit main mission is a 5 year plan to develop Thailand missile capabilities-with a budget said open-ended on top of about US$70 million initial public stated release figures.
The unit had completed its first factory in Nakornsawan province.
The unit is currently experimenting with solid fuels and guidance systems.
Test site is considered to be at the former Vietnam War era naval base at Sattahep-with targets site in the gulf of Thailand. Estimates is that within 1 a year test would begin-as reports said new know-how is supplementing long built up know-how in basic guidance systems and rocket fuels.
The current German government is considered close to the Thai government. An arms catch in Bangkok included moderately advance missiles-to which no one claims and is on hold in Thailand.
US Congress had in the past rejected Thailand request to purchase sophisticated missiles-based on concerns that Thailand would pass on the technology to China and on concerns of equipping Thailand with such advance defense capabilities.
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