Thai Defense Ministry To Make Multiple Rocket Launchers

Permanent Secretary for Defense General Aphichat Phenkitti, represented the defense minister to chair the signing ceremony of memorandum of understanding between the Defense Ministry and the Defense Technology Institute Public Organization (DTI) over the development of multiple rocket launcher system. Aphichat said during the ceremony that the development of the multiple rocket launcher system received support from ally countries in term of technology transfer.

Multiple Rocket Launchers
Aphichat said the technology transfer allowed the development to progress at faster pace and the Defense Ministry might be able to make multiple rocket launchers for use by the Thai armed forces in one or two years. After the development of the multiple rocket launchers is done, the Defense Ministry and the DTI will develop missiles because Thailand also hopes to own this kind of weapons in the future, he said.
He said now that the DTI has more technologies and knowledge about weapon making, it will adjust the strategic plan and master plan for developing other kinds of weapons in line with the wish of the board of directors. The adapted plans will be submitted to the Defense Council for consideration within this month.
"I am sorry that the users of the weapons are not confident in arms made by our Thai compatriots. Take the case of the Chaiseri Company or Lady Tank (Noppharat Kunhiran) for example. The firm makes tracks for armored vehicles for sale around the world. Thirty-seven countries buy the tracks, except Thailand. When I visited defense exhibitions in foreign countries, they always talked about tracks made by Thailand while demonstrating tanks. There was no need to mention the company's name but this is the proud of our country to have our national flag hoisted at defense exhibitions in several countries," Aphichat said.

Defense Budget
The permanent secretary said he wanted to point out that Thai researchers and the DTI board want to create confidence among Thais in Thai defense technology. He said the DTI is employing over 50 researchers who have doctorate degree and will employ more researchers so that Thailand will be able to depend on its own defense technology. He said the Defense Ministry hopes to receive defense budget at the rate of 2 per cent of Gross Domestic Product (GDP) in about 10 years.
Now, the ministry has received the budget at the ratio of 1.59 per cent of GDP. He said the Defense Ministry will not have enough money to buy all the weapons it wants with the 2010 budget so the ministry will have to buy only necessary weapons, which cannot be made by the ministry.