Thai army eyes new fleet of aircraft

The Royal Thai Army plans to acquire a new fleet of 30 aircraft and will seek an official approval of the plan from the incoming Thai government, Thai News Agency (TNA) reported. Thai Army Commander-in-Chief General Prayuth Chan-ocha told reporters on Wednesday that the proposed acquirement of the new 30 military planes is part of the Royal Thai Armed Forces' long-term development plan. The announcement dismissed criticism that the Royal Thai Army is "closing the stable door after the horse has bolted out", a satire for its delayed action until recent crashes of three army helicopters at the Kaeng Krajan National Park in Thailand's upper southern Petchaburi Province and its vicinity in eight days, killing a total of 17 victims, 16 army officers and a TV cameraman, and injuring another army mechanic. Meanwhile, Thailand's would-be first female prime minister Yingluck Shinawatra said that her incoming Pheu Thai Parly-led administration is ready to support national security. The 44-year-old leading Thai businesswoman-turned prime minister-to be acknowledged, however, that her government is to look into the new army procurement plan in details to ensure efficient allocations of state budget to all government agencies.