Defence Council okays cutsThe Defence Council has approved proposals to support the continued restructuring of the military with aim of trimming the country's armed forces by 5% over four years, according to the Defence Ministry. He said the number of armed forces personnel must be trimmed by 5% by the 2027 fiscal year, and when units are merged or dissolved as part of restructuring, the number of armed forces and expenditures must not increase. Col Wanchana said the Defence Ministry has already begun downsizing the military. The programme includes cuts on enrolment at all military schools including armed forces-related academies and technical schools, the hiring of civilians in the Defence Ministry and the early retirement programme. He said the trimming of the armed forces is in accordance with restructuring plans by the Defence Ministry for 2017-2026, which will allow the ministry to better respond to emerging threats.

Source: Bangkok Post January 24, 2022 07:35 UTC