Military
- Thailand News
Defence Ministry: 44 advisers axed over bribery allegations
Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang axed 44 of his advisers following bribery allegations. The move came after reports surfaced suggesting that some of his advisers were taking bribes from military units and related agencies. Sutin, who signed the dismissal order on Monday, explained that he was “streamlining his team and optimising the work process.” “Reports of bribery among some defence advisers…
- Thailand News
Thailand to adopt offset policy for military procurements
Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin emphasised the necessity for the armed forces to adopt an offset policy when procuring weapons and military hardware. This policy aims to secure reciprocal benefits as a precondition for approving new procurement deals. The Thai premier said the policy should include opportunities for Thailand to participate in the development of new defence technology from the country…
- Thailand News
Thai air force transceiver deal raises concerns over inflated costs
A lawmaker from the opposition Thai Sang Thai Party (TST) raised the alarm over a plan to procure digital transceivers by the Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF), alleging that the proposed price significantly exceeds the market value. An MP for Roi Et with TST, Chatchawan Paettayathai revealed that the RTAF‘s Directorate of Communications and Electronics plans to purchase 40 Jotron…
- Thailand News
King honours 59 people with prestigious Thai awards
Thailand’s King Maha Vajiralongkorn bestowed the prestigious Chula Chom Klao Order and the Rattanaporn Medal on 59 individuals. Among the recipients, Prayut Chan-o-cha received the special First Class of the Chula Chom Klao Order. The Royal Gazette yesterday published the royal decree detailing the awards. The decree, issued by King Maha Vajiralongkorn, outlines the recipients of the Chula Chom Klao…
- Politics News
China’s military drills around Taiwan, ‘punishment’ for new president
China’s military announced today that it has started two days of military exercises encircling Taiwan, calling the drills a ‘strong punishment’ against the island’s new president and a ‘stern warning’ against outside interference. The drills follow the inauguration of Taiwan’s President Lai Ching-te on Monday, whom Beijing has condemned as a separatist. According to China’s Eastern Theater Command overseeing the…
- Thailand News
Deputy PM to discuss government strategies with military chiefs
Deputy Prime Minister and Commerce Minister Phumtham Wechayachai announced plans to engage in discussions with the heads of the armed forces in Thailand. These meetings, scheduled to take place at the military chiefs’ workplaces, aim to brief them about the government’s strategies and protocols. Following his recent appointment to oversee the Ministry of Defence, Phumtham expressed his intent to maintain…
- Thailand News
Female off-duty ranger shot dead in Narathiwat province
Amidst the hustle and bustle of the Dusongyor market in Chanae district, Narathiwat province, southern Thailand, tragedy struck when a lone gunman fatally shot a female para-military ranger. Without warning, the assailant drew a 9mm handgun and fired a fatal shot into the 30 year old off-duty ranger’s head, killing Nurisan Phromsri instantly. The sudden gunfire sent shockwaves throughout the…
- Thailand News
Thai military officer’s road rage prompts armed forces investigation
A road rage incident involving armed military personnel has prompted an investigation by the Royal Thai Armed Forces (RTAF) Headquarters. The episode, captured on video, featured a uniformed military man, armed with a pistol, confronting a pickup truck driver at a toll plaza over his driving behaviour. The incident came to light when the truck driver filmed the confrontation on…
- Thailand News
Chaos outside passport office claims lives in Myanmar
In Myanmar’s Mandalay, a rush for escape turned fatal as two lives were lost in a stampede outside a passport office yesterday. According to an AFP report, the victims, two women aged 52 and 39, succumbed to the overwhelming surge of hundreds clamouring to secure their passage out of the country, amplifying the harrowing toll of Myanmar’s societal upheaval. A…
- Thailand News
Myanmar nationals flee to Thailand to evade military conscription
In Thailand’s border province of Tak, young Myanmar nationals, now including women, attempt to evade compulsory military conscription. Soldiers from the Ratchamanu Taskforce, stationed in Tak’s Mae Sot district, made a startling discovery on Friday, apprehending 27 youths comprising 13 men and 14 women near a stream in Phop Phra district. These young individuals revealed they had embarked on their…
- Thailand News
Thai military chief disclaims use of Thailand arsenals in Myanmar
Thailand’s military chief denied that the Thai military arsenal was supplied to Myanmar rebel forces. In a bid to clarify the situation, General Jaroenchai Hintao firmly refutes allegations tying Thailand’s military to the arsenal fuelling rebel fighters across the Myanmar border. Insisting on the integrity of Thailand’s defence, General Jaroenchai outlines rigorous measures in place to safeguard against illicit weapon…
- Thailand News
Royal Thai Air Force to open facilities and golf courses to public
The Royal Thai Air Force (RTAF) decided to open select facilities and golf courses to the public under certain conditions, according to the commander-in-chief, ACM Punpakdee Pattanakul. This decision follows a request from Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin to use the Kantarat Golf Course, situated between Don Mueang International Airport’s runways, and access other RTAF properties for state project development. The…
- Thailand News
Barking up the auction tree: Military dogs find new homes
A military dog auction in Nakhon Ratchasima attracted significant interest as 54 dogs, deemed unsuitable for military service, were sold to the highest bidders. The event, held at the Military Dog Center in Pak Chong district, saw a white Labrador named Lee-Ann fetch the auction’s highest price of 95,000 baht. The auction, which took place yesterday, featured a selection of…
- Thailand News
Paws and ponder: Annual military dog auction raises tails in northern Thailand
Curiosity piques as the Department of Military Animals at the Army Canine Centre in Pak Chong, Nakhon Ratchasima unveils its annual spectacle, the military dog auction. Dog lovers and curious minds are in for a treat as we unravel why these heroic canines end up on the auction block. Contrary to popular belief, these military dogs aren’t rejected. Instead, they…
- Thailand News
US warns Thai navy over salvage operations of sunk HTMS Sukhothai
The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) received a second warning from the Joint United States Military Advisory Group Thailand (Jusmagthai) over salvage operations on the US-built HTMS Sukhothai, which sank in the Gulf of Thailand back in 2022. This information was revealed by Bangkok’s Move Forward Party MP, Chayaphon Satondee, during a parliamentary debate on the 2024 budget bill. Chayaphon explained…
- Thailand News
YouTube sensation’s military adventure sparks controversy
A Thai YouTube star finds herself at the centre of a military storm as her latest video sparks a frenzy of controversy. Accusations fly as critics question the Royal Thai Army (RTA)’s involvement in what some dub a cunning information operation (IO). The RTA denied claims that a popular YouTube channel, Pigkaploy, was manipulated in a so-called information operation. Ploypailin…
- Thailand News
Thai military launches early retirement scheme funded by 600 million baht
The Defence Ministry is advancing with an initiative to streamline the Thai military, proposing the allocation of 600 million baht from the central budget to facilitate an early retirement scheme over the next three years. Defence Minister, Sutin Klungsang, unveiled the strategy as a crucial part of the plan to reduce and optimise the military force, with the initial phase…
- Thailand News
Thai military officer fatally shot after high-speed pursuit
A 22 year old military officer from the Royal Thai Armed Forces, identified as Ekkarat Suea-am, was fatally shot after a high-speed pursuit involving an aggressive pickup truck driver in Prachin Buri province. The incident, which unfolded over a distance of 10 kilometres, occurred at around 9pm yesterday. Ekkarat, who was driving his girlfriend from Saraburi to Sa Kaeo, was…
- Thailand News
Thai military official stripped of rank and dismissed for severe disciplinary violation
A severe disciplinary violation today led to the termination of service and revocation of military rank for a military official. The Royal Gazette announced the dismissal, relieving the military official of duty and stripping him of his military honour medals. The decision was made by sections 9 and 15 of the 2017 Constitution of the Kingdom of Thailand, in tandem…
- Thailand News
Thai Military Commission’s six-point plan to scrutinize budget and troop size
Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, a member of the Future Forward Party and chairman of the Military Commission, revealed a six-pronged policy framework for the Military Commission of the House of Representatives, aimed at scrutinising the military budget and streamlining troop size. According to a Facebook post by Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, the Military Commission of the House of Representatives convened a meeting yesterday, at…
- Crime News
Ex-army officer arrested for exploiting underage girls in Thai karaoke bar
A retired military officer has been arrested by Thailand’s Crime Suppression Division (CSD) for running a karaoke bar where he was allegedly exploiting underage girls. The ex-lieutenant, identified only as 59 year old Ratwut, was apprehended earlier today at one of his establishments in the southern province of Chumphon. Ratwut, also known as “Uncle Odd,” is accused of profiting from…
- Thailand News
Taking the insurgency by storm: Southern Thailand’s military withdrawal sets off in full swing
The forthcoming military withdrawal in the southern region of Thailand, which has seen 19 years of insurgent unrest, is currently in its initial phase, according to Fourth Region Army commander, Lt. Gen. Santi Sakuntanak. The four-year plan aims to gradually decrease military presence and remove the state of emergency that has been prevalent in the area. Since 2004, Yala, Narathiwat,…
- World News
China and Thailand plan joint military cooperation to maintain regional stability
China expressed its readiness to enhance military cooperation with Thailand in a bid to maintain stability in the region. The two nations have planned a series of joint military exercises for the upcoming year. During a meeting in Beijing, China’s Defence Minister Li Shangfu assured Narongpan Jitkaewtae, the Royal Thai Army’s commander-in-chief, of China’s commitment to work closely with Thailand.…
- Thailand News
Thai armed forces plan to halve generals, save billions by 2027
Thailand‘s Defence Council has recently given the green light to a reform plan that aims to reduce the number of generals in the armed forces by 50% by 2027, as stated yesterday by Deputy Defence Ministry Spokesperson, Colonel Jittanat Punnotok. Currently, there are approximately 1,200 generals in the military, a military source told Bangkok Post. Between 2017 and 2021, the…
- Thailand News
Parties unite to remember Black May, warn of military’s political power
Yesterday, representatives from three major political parties attended a memorial event to honour the lives lost during the Black May 1992 incident, which took place 31 years ago when a military-led government suppressed demonstrators. The event was held at a memorial on Ratchadamnoen Road. Chaithawat Tulathon, secretary-general of the Move Forward Party, was present at the event and stated that…
- World News
Pakistan police ban gatherings ahead of Imran Khan’s court appearance
An emergency order banning public gatherings was imposed in Islamabad as supporters of Imran Khan, the former Prime Minister of Pakistan, anticipated a march to the capital yesterday. The march was planned to coincide with Khan’s appearance at a court hearing. Earlier this week, his arrest had led to deadly unrest in the nation but was later declared “invalid and…
- Crime News
Shooting instructor opens fire in Rayong, Thailand
A shooting instructor who is a former soldier fired gunshots from inside a house in Rayong province in eastern Thailand this morning. Police surrounded the house but the gunman still hasn’t surrendered. No injuries or fatalities have been reported. At 7am, officers at Mueang Rayong Police Station received a call from 70 year old “Rang” to help arrest his “manic”…
- World News
Imran Khan’s duel with Pakistan military and its impact on nation’s democracy
Former Prime Minister Imran Khan has become a controversial figure in Pakistan, causing tension with the country’s military, long considered the primary power broker in the nation. His arrest this week comes after a series of critical statements against a senior intelligence officer, escalating the conflict between Khan’s popularity and the military’s significant influence. According to US-based Stimson Center analyst…
- Crime News
Gun used to shoot dead net idol in Bangkok belongs to ex-boyfriend’s military officer father
UPDATE #2 The gun used to shoot dead “Gigi” the net idol and her air force cadet ex-boyfriend “Ikkyu” in Bangkok, Thailand, yesterday is licensed and belongs to Ikkyu’s father, who is a high-ranking military officer, according to a spokesperson for the National Police Agency Pol. Lt. Gen. Archayon Kraithong. Police have completed their assessment of the CCTV footage and confirm…
- Crime News
Thai net idol and air force student found dead in Bangkok condo
The bodies of a Thai net idol known as “Gigi” and a Thai air force student were found inside a condo room in Bangkok, Thailand, this afternoon. Both were shot in the head, according to the police. Lt. Gen. Thiti Saeng said that a friend of the deceased called officers from Makkasan Police Station to Gie’s condo room at the…
