Defence Minister Sukumpol Suwanatat has stressed the need to streamline the armed forces, with a plan to slash the number of generals which has reached a staggering 1,600.
ACM Sukumpol yesterday chaired a Defence Ministry meeting attended by the armed forces top brass. The meeting was relayed via videoconference to all army regions across the country.
Defence Ministry spokesman Thanathip Sawangsaeng said after the meeting that the minister had layed down strategies and an action plan and provided the direction the ministry and armed forces will take next year.
ACM Sukumpol told the meeting there are seven areas where the armed forces needed to make improvements.
The top priority will be to revamp the structure of the armed forces so they will become compact and flexible to deal with new threats and to prepare for the upcoming launch of the Asean Economic Community in 2015.
A Defence Ministry source said that at present there are more than 1,600 generals in the armed forces _ one of the highest numbers in the world, although Cambodia has more than 2,000. Armed forces in Western countries have only 10-20 generals.
The source said ACM Sukumpol told the armed forces to suggest ideas to solve the problem of too many generals.
One solution would be to delay the promotion of junior officers to the ranks of major, lieutenant colonel and colonel in the army as well as in the navy and air force. Such promotions usually take about 12 years and they should be delayed so there are not too many soldiers holding the rank of major, which could affect the numbers of generals.
Another way to boost the armed forces is to develop alternative energy sources at military units.
The Defence Energy Department must act as a model for the use of alternative energy and each military unit must install a solar cell panel to save on energy.
Another plan is to promote non-commissioned soldiers to be commissioned officers to recognise their contributions to the military.
Other measures are encouraging research and development projects to brainstorm ideas to develop weapons without buying them from other countries; developing the military reserve system and amending the outdated 1954 Military Conscription Act; finding new military training areas for common use by the armed forces. Each unit should also have their own training ground; providing help to military veterans as the Veterans General Hospital still lacks sufficient medical equipment, the purchase of which will cost at least 200 million baht. Each military unit has been instructed to mobilise their resources and manpower to support the project.