BANGKOK, 14 June 2013 The Royal Thai Air Force is set to request a budget from the Defense Ministry to build a new Air Force hospital as well as to develop its unmanned aerial vehicle system (UAV) on an industrial basis.
Speaking at the ‘RTAF Academic Expo 2013’, held in conjunction with the 60th anniversary of the Royal Thai Air Force Academy, RTAF Commander-in-Chief Air Chief Marshal Prajin Juntong said he hopes to make the RTAF the best air force in the ASEAN region. In a special talk on “RTAF Vision towards ASEAN”, ACM Prajin indicated that he will be seeking a fund from the Defense Ministry to build a 200-bed hospital in Don Muang District, while planning to add 800 medical staff members to Air Force hospitals nationwide.
Furthermore, he said he would press on with research and development of the unmanned aerial vehicle system, which started in 2010 under code-name “Tiger Shark”. The project is a joint effort between the Royal Thai Air Force Academy and the ATAF Research and Development Center. Air Chief Marshal Prajin added he had an idea to produce unmanned aerial vehicles for export to promote Thailand as ASEAN’s hub of the UAVs.
