Prajin floats plan to buy more fighter jets from Sweden
Deputy Prime Minister ACM Prajin Juntong said Thursday the Royal Thai Air Force was considering purchasing more Swedish-made JAS 39 Gripens.
Prajin made the remark after a meeting with Swedish Ambassador HE Staffan Herrstrom.
Previously when Prajin was chief of the Air Force, he took part in the decision to purchase Gripens from Sweden. Thailand now has an existing fleet of 12 of the aircraft.
Prajin said he told the ambassador that Thailand chose to buy the Swedish-made jet fighters in 2008 because Sweden had offered more special deals than the United States or Russia.
He added that he was confident about the quality of Gripens and that Thailand had not made the wrong choice because the Air Force had been using the jets in training operations with neighbouring countries.
The Kingdom should increase its Gripens fleet to 16, he said, adding that the Air Force had not yet finalised the decision because it has to also take other priorities into account.
Prajin and Herrstrom also discussed exchanges in digital technology, clean energy and nanotechnology.
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