The cabinet on Tuesday approved the 8.8 billion baht purchase of another eight T-50TH advanced jets from South Korea, Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha said, the latest defence acquisition by the military government.
The purchase of eight of the advanced two-seat trainer fighters is the second phase of a 2015 deal under which Thailand bought four of the jets from South Korea. First deliveries are due next year. They will replace the fleet of 20-year-old L-39 trainers.
"We got the South Korean ones," Gen Prayuth said after the cabinet meeting. "You can see that we are not tied to one particular country."
On Monday, the military said the deal was worth 8.8 billion baht (US$258 million).
The government has increased the defence budget every year since taking power in 2014. The most recent defence purchases have been Chinese, including a controversial deal for three submarines that provoked questions over its transparency and whether Thailand even needs submarines.
The Defence Ministry has stressed that it was not buying exclusively from China and is still making purchases from other countries, including the United States - an old ally, although relations have been strained since the military took power.
Last month, Thailand's army chief said the United States would sell four Black Hawk helicopters to Thailand after initially suspending their sale following the 2014 coup.
The United States has sold Thailand military equipment worth more than $960 million, including Black Hawk helicopters, air-to-air missile systems and multiple naval missile and torpedo systems, over the past decade.