The Royal Thai Air Force will press ahead with its plan to become the driving force in the development of the nation's defence industry, despite the lack of a budget to finance the project.
As military conflicts persist in parts of Asia, particularly in the South China Sea, Thailand must put its local wisdom to good use in developing its defence industry, so it can keep up with the region's evolving security situation, said the air force's commander-in-chief ACM Maanat Wongwat.
At a seminar, titled "P&D Drives Seamless Cooperation -- Education Drives Coordinated Opportunities", ACM Maanat said the Covid-19 pandemic has shown that Thailand is far from being self-reliant when it comes to medical supplies and military hardware. "In reality, many Thais have the knowledge and ability to contribute to the development of the country's industries," he said. "The air force, for instance, has the potential to be a driving force behind Thailand's defence industry."
The air force, he said, is focusing on cyber technology and aerospace engineering, in line with the air force's development strategy. Next month, the air force plans to launch the Napa 1 satellite, followed by the Napa 2 satellite shortly after. By 2037, the air force plans to launch so many satellites that ACM Maanat said the government should grant the air force a "space title deed".
These developments will create many jobs across many fields, and ACM Maanat said the push will ultimately benefit everyone. Several features now commonly found in cars were originally developed for the military, he said by way of example. "Given the escalating security situation, both in the region and the world, we have to be more self-sufficient," said the air force chief. "Technological innovations acquired through our research will be patented and legally considered as property of the state."
Last year, the air force, in cooperation with private companies, drafted a white paper on the state of the defence industry that recognised the need for further partnerships to expand the scope and production of Thailand's air and land defence capabilities.
The air force is working on locally-led, defence-oriented projects, which include improvements to its F5 and Alpha jets, said ACM Maanat, who added the air force is planning to include other branches of the military and related government agencies in its projects.
At a recent meeting, ACM Maanat was grilled by a House budget committee, which questioned the substantial budget requested by the air force. The committee argued the defence budget should be diverted to help fund the nation's post-Covid recovery efforts. According to the air force chief, the budget will go towards defence projects which will open up employment opportunities.
If the House committee decides to trim the air force's budget for technological innovation and aircraft production -- which are part of the air force's long-term defence strategy -- many people will lose their jobs. "In a way, the government is injecting money into the economic system," he said. "The government should at least partially subsidise projects which are in line with the nation's development agenda."
The air force, ACM Maanat said, has yet to receive any subsidy from the government, which meant that the air force has had to dig into its own coffers to finance its development projects. ACM Maanat said he had brought up the issue with Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha when discussing the air force's 200-billion-baht plan to support the government's flagship Eastern Economic Corridor scheme.