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Thailand buys Mil Mi-17 transport helicopters from Russia

Xinhua, May 17, 2016 Adjust font size:

Thailand is shopping for Russian transport helicopters for uses in fire-fighting and disaster relief missions, said Deputy Premier Prawit Wongsuwan on Tuesday.

He confirmed that Thai leader Prayut Chan-o-cha is placing a purchase order for 10 Mil Mi-17 helicopters during his official visit to Moscow scheduled from Tuesday until Friday.

The Russian transport helicopters, reported to incur a combined cost of about 86 million U.S. dollars, will be primarily used in the Thai army's missions to support fire-fighting in the forests and other disaster reliefs, Gen Prawit said.

The 10 Mil Mi-17 helicopters will add to a fleet of the United States-made CH-47 Chinook helicopters primarily deployed in the army's transport and utility missions.

However, Thailand is not going to buy Russian T-90A main battle tanks as earlier planned but already decided to buy Chinese MBT 3000 tanks instead, Gen Prawit said.

Delivery of the first batch of the Chinese MBT 3000 tanks is scheduled for next year. The number or price of the Chinese tanks is not available to disclose as yet but the deputy premier added that the Thai army has planned to buy as many as 100 new tanks. Endit