March 2, 2011
By PIYANART SRIVALO
THE NATION
The Cabinet approved more than Bt2 billion yesterday from a secret budget to establish two new divisions, one of infantry and one of cavalry, to serve in the North and Northeast regions.
The cavalry division of tanks is to be placed in the Northeastern province of Khon Kaen and will be the unit's third such division. Its establishment was inspired by Privy Council President General Prem Tinsulanonda, who was a cavalry officer, a source said.
The new division of tanks will be a supportive unit for the Second Army Region serving along the northeastern border with Cambodia and Laos.
Defence Minister Prawit Wongsuwan told the Cabinet yesterday that the military needed an initial budget of Bt300 million for the cavalry division and later would ask the government to allocate at least Bt70 billion to equip the new unit over 10 years.
The plan to set up the new cavalry division kicked off when the previous Army commander, Anuphong Paochinda, held office, long before Thailand's border conflicts with Cambodia, the source said.
Tanks played a key role in the fresh clash between the two neighbours when heavy weapons, including tank artillery, were involved at the border area near the Preah Vihear Temple from February 4-7.
Cabinet also approved an initial budget of Bt2 billion for the 7th Infantry Division to oversee security matters in the North, notably along the border with Burma.
The infantry division would be placed in Chiang Mai or Chiang Rai province to support the Third Army Region, the source said.
The mission for the new infantry division is to tackle narcotic smuggling and human trafficking along the border areas, he said.
The Budget Bureau told the Cabinet the initial budget for the infantry division was too high, but Prawit defended the plan, saying the new division had a wide responsibility and needed a large number of troops and equipment.
The ministry would later ask Cabinet to approve some Bt8 billion to Bt9 billion over the next three years, the source quoted Prawit as saying.
Prawit told reporters that the new infantry division was badly needed for the Northern region, where only one infantry division served now.
Thailand currently has three infantry divisions for the Central region, two divisions for the Northeast and two for the Southern region.
"The Northern region from Nakhon Sawan to Chiang Rai is so large, we need to have one more division to cover the whole area effectively," he said.
"Indeed, the new infantry division is a successor to the terminated 2nd Special Force Division."
The Defence Council approved the plan to set up the two new divisions from January 25.
"The two additional military divisions are necessary for the current security situation, since we have inadequate troops for the new challenge," said Defence Ministry spokesman Thanathip Sawangsaeng.
Thailand is facing new threats from all directions, he said, including narcotics smuggling and human trafficking across the border.
6 comments:
How many enemy Thailand have right now? The world community must put their concern on this matter. If the conflict between the two countries increase, then the regional stability will arise. Now Thailand is promoting its military power, first to Cambodia, then with its other neighboring countries, as Lao. This ambition won't stay in this, but Thailand want to cover its power in the region via military forces. It is true and true. When that time arrive, it is over time to solve. PEOPLE KILL PEOPLE, 2012 the earth collapse.
Let Abhisit and his clan play game with bullets. They will be defeated by their own peole. World is changing to wash Thai ambition away. It will.
Thai have a lot of ennemies such as Khmer, Laos, Burma, and Malaisia.
US can't help Thai when war break out with all these countries.
China will use countries around thai to go against to complete it plan.
China plans to control Asia.
Abhisit is a new Hitler who wants 3rd world war.
The USA must stop immediatly to help Thailand military.
KI socheata and heng soy, you don't see Rainsy dirty trick he using past experienec to scare you, youn swalow khmer krom next khmer will have no land for your kids right, franch cut Khmer krom to youn, youn never fought with khmer but help, Thai fougth with khmer over 7 hundred years why don't you see the piont, now you clearly see Rainsy and Thai are one, isn't it right? Next Rain idoit sy use dirty trick rainsy make you believed futur youn expand land to swalow khmer, May I ask you if you are youn will you wiat in the futur to swalow why not wait 1 more years pol pot finish all, why, why, why you don't see the piont, Sam rainsy funded by Thai to destroy khmer real enermy is Thai.
Answering to Anonymous 12:39 PM, your statement did not make sense for the gullible people in Cambodian. You believe Youn/Vietnamese who have been playing to be very nice people, but you did not see what they have been doing behind your back in the secret way. You only see Youn/Vietnamese just on the cover of the book, but you did not read and find out what is inside. You need to look at what happened in the dirty and secret plan coming from Vietnamese Communist Hanoi. I don't know about you, you need some help to clear your confusion and you sound like a naive one saying such things. You will be gone to Youn/Vietnamese and you will be disappeared tomorrow by your friend Youn. You are only worried about having no food today on your table that makes you happy, but you do not think about the food for your tomorrow or long run, and you don not open your eyes even bigger and see for yourself what happened to you in your life down the road . You need to think the long term that make your life live longer not just today. Don't make the statements for your gullible friends (even gullible Cambodian/Khmer people) who do not see what dirty secret plan coming from your friends Vietnamese Hanoi/Youn who try to be very nice people to help you, but you only live just today and tomorrow you will be gone by your friends Youn/Vietnamese neighbor. Think about it. See what happen to Khmer Khrom (Southern Cambodians living in Southern Vietnam) and look at Khmer Surin (Northern Cambodian, but they are better than Khmer Khrom who are stuck with Vietnam Communist) in Thailand so what happen to them every day. Look at Hun Sen, Hang Samrin, Chea Sim, they are only thinking about money and wealth, but they don't care about the long term and how they live longer or how their children live in the future. Aldo, they don't care about Cambodian/Khmer people today, but care about money and wealth. Hun Sen, Heng Samrin and Chea Sim will be gone tomorrow or in the near future under Vietnamese Hanoi's secret plan along with their children.
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