Buy 8 jets of South Korean fighters

Bangkok 12/07/2017: The Thai kingdom last night granted the purchase of a US $ 258 million (RM1.12 bilion) advanced KA T-50 Golden Eagle advanced jet fighters, said Prime Minister Prayuth Chan-ocha.

The military junta has stepped up a military army almost every year since seizing power in 2014 and most of the weapons purchased from China.

The Defense Ministry has previously insisted that the kingdom does not exclusively purchase weapons from China but still deals with other countries including the United States (US).

The Cabinet passed the purchase of the jet in the second phase of the agreement in 2015 in which Thailand bought four jets from South Korea.

KAI T-50 Golden Eagle is a family of lightest and lightest combat supersonic aircraft built by Korea Aerospace Industries with Lockheed Martin.

"We bought a plane from South Korea. You may see we are not tied to one country alone, "Prayuth said.

In the past month, the Thai army chief said the US had designed four Black Hawk helicopters after hanging arms sales to Bangkok after a spate of power.

The United States has sold US $ 960 million (RM4.12 bilion) worth of military equipment including helicopters, air-guided bullet systems, bullet-guided missiles and torpedo systems.

Prime Minister Prawit Wongsuwan said the new plane would replace the 20-year-old jet fighters.