China competes with US for weapons sales to ThailandModels of Chinese submarines are seen at a defence exhibition held in Nonthaburi on Nov 18, 2019. While neither statement committed Thailand to anything concrete, Gen Prayut’s balancing act showed the extent to which China has made inroads in a nation with deep US military connections going back decades. Competition between the US and China also has extended to military exercises in recent years. At the same time, Thailand has participated in more combined military exercises with China than any other Southeast Asian country, according to Ian Storey, a senior fellow at the ISEAS–Yusof Ishak Institute. For Thailand, where annual defence spending is budgeted at about $7.7 billion, China may provide a cheaper alternative than the US for certain weapons.

Source: Bangkok Post December 03, 2019 04:41 UTC