Armed to the teeth, enemies unknown

One of the obvious drawbacks in having a military government is that the armed forces have direct access to taxpayers’ money and without the accountability afforded under a democratically elected regime. Sure enough, the current junta-installed government has invited its friends in uniform to help themselves, heedless of even the ethical need, let alone the legal requirement, to explain its actions to the public. Civilians have no say at all in how their money is being spent.

Since the May 2014 coup, the armed forces have been queuing up with budget requests for military hardware as if war were imminent. The Navy wants submarines, the Air Force more jet fighters and the Army everything from rifles to helicopters.

Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha and his deputy, Prawit Wongsuwan, both generals, routinely take military shopping lists with them on their travels abroad. Last week in Moscow for the Russia-Asean summit, Prayut mooted the idea of buying helicopters, while Army chief General Teerachai Nakwanich revealed that Thailand is buying ostensibly top-quality MBT 3000 battle tanks from Chinese defence firm Norinco, to be delivered early next year.

Since no rationale for the latter purchase has been offered, the public has to take the Army boss at his word when he says the tanks are crucial to the defence of our sovereignty. He did not say what they might be defending us against, but perhaps that is a matter of national security and thus a state secret.

What is also not being explained is why a deal fell through to buy tanks from Ukraine. In 2011 the Army ordered 49 BM Oplot battle tanks to replace “obsolete” M41 Walker Bulldog tanks, of which Thailand then owned 200. Deputy Prime Minister Prawit revealed only recently that Ukraine had not delivered all of the tanks needed, so the government was looking at alternatives. The search initially focused on Russian T-90 tanks.

Pressed on the issue, Teerachai seemed to say the contract with Ukraine would be honoured and the rest of the Oplot tanks will be shipped here sometime. “We haven’t changed the plan to buy the Oplots,” he said vaguely, “but Ukraine might have had some problems with the delivery and we have to give them more time.” It is unclear whether the Chinese tanks, which have similar features, represent a substitute for the Oplots or an interim solution to our apparent shortage in essential armaments. 

By international norms a purchaser can claim compensation if a vendor for any reason doesn’t honour their contract in a timely fashion. Those same international norms would require the government to explain to the public what’s gone wrong with the deal and how compensation is being pursued. No such standards apply under military rule, of course.

At least Teerachai seems happy. The Army chief said last week that he’s unconcerned about the Ukraine purchase because Chinese tanks are on their way, and now it appears the Army has enough tanks. There is, however, an urgent need for aircraft, notably transport helicopters, he added. He has asked the government to buy MI-17V5 choppers from Russia to replace Thailand’s ageing CH-47 Chinook fleet – dual-purpose helicopters for troop movement and disaster relief. 

Even in peacetime the armed forces are loath to reveal their procurements – in fear of imminent invasion from Cambodia or Myanmar, one wonders. Citizens only learn about purchase plans when blunders are leaked to the news media. We might get word when established procurement procedures are circumvented or when items are bought that clearly have no practical purpose, such as those reconnaissance dirigibles and the mystical GT200 bomb detector. 

No invasion is imminent and no enemy is in sight, so why all these purchases and why the continued secrecy?