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Thai junta rejects proposal to cut defence budget, end conscription

Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha on February 18 raised his voice to defend the junta’s 7 billion USD defence budget and annual call-up after political opponents proposed slashing military spending by 10 percent and ending conscription after the next election.
Thai junta rejects proposal to cut defence budget, end conscription ảnh 1Illusrative images (Source: thejakartapost.com)

Hanoi (VNA) – Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha onFebruary 18 raised his voice to defend the junta’s 7 billion USD defence budgetand annual call-up after political opponents proposed slashing militaryspending by 10 percent and ending conscription after the next election.

Last year, the National Legislative Assembly proposed a 7 billion USD defencebudget for 2019, a 1 billion USD increase since the latest 2014 coup.

But Pheu Thai, which supports ex-premier Thaksin Shinawatra and thecountry's most popular political party, has vowed to end conscription and cutspending by 10 percent if it beats the odds and returns to power after theMarch 24 poll.

PM Prayut told reporters that the increase in the defence budget is necessaryto upgrade obsolete gear.

The military conscription, he added, is "a duty of all Thaimen". The army runs an annual draft for 100,000 men each year - all male citizensmust participate at least once after they turn 21, but are exempted if they arestudents.

The general election is scheduled to take place on March 24, marking itfirst since the coup in 2014.

Incumbent PM Prayut Chan-o-cha has been the most popular choice for the premiershipin the next general election, according to a recent poll conducted by theNational Institute of Development Administration (NIDA).-VNA
VNA
#Thailand #Thai Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha #defence budget #political opponents #military spending #National Legislative Assembly Thailand
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