BANGKOK, Thailand — Thailand’s junta defended its $7 billion defense budget and annual draft on Monday after political opponents proposed slashing military spending by 10 percent and ending conscription after elections. ADVERTISEMENTIts generals have grabbed power a dozen times since 1932 with defense spending spiking in lockstep with each coup. Last year the junta-picked National Legislative Assembly proposed a defense budget for 2019 of $7 billion, a $1 billion increase since the latest 2014 coup. Army chief Apirat Kongsompong gave a coded slapdown to Pheu Thai’s leadership over the proposal to cut military spending, insisting they should listen to a nationalist Cold War-era propaganda song, Nhak Paen Din. The #NhakPaenDin was top trending on Thai Twitter on Monday, a sign of the bitter memories it evokes, particularly among Thailand’s pro-democracy movement.

Source: Philippine Daily Inquirer February 18, 2019 11:37 UTC