The Defense Council has acknowledged progress of a reform plan for the armed forces to reduce the budget and the personnel, said Col Jittanat Punnotok a deputy spokesman for the Defense Ministry.
The reform plan is aimed to enhance efficiency through streamlining and modernizing. For example, under the plan, reinforcements of the 7th Infantry Division and the 3rd Cavalry Division will be scrapped and the number of paramilitary personnel in the three southern border provinces will be cut by 1,656, which can save the budget of 600 million baht.
The number of generals would be cut by half in 2027, the deputy spokesman said.
The armed forces had already reduced the number of military personnel by 8,000 from 2017- 2021, with the savings of 1.5 billion baht. By 2027, more 12,000 personnel will be reduced, which will help save 2.9 billion baht.
Regarding the military conscription, the number of the recruits will align with the armed forces’s structure and missions and it has gradually decline. Currently, about 90,000 personnel are needed each year. Out of this number, about 35,000 voluntarily enlist. It is a good sign for the future change to the voluntary enlistment system, he said. (TNA)
