Thailand offers ships, drones, armored tanks for AFP modernization – DND

Thailand is capable of supplying ships, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), and armored tanks to the Armed Forces of the Philippines (AFP) to support its modernization program, the Department of National Defense (DND) said.
This, as DND Secretary Gilberto Teodoro Jr. hosted outgoing Kingdom of Thailand Ambassador to the Philippines Tull Traisorat, who paid him a farewell call at the DND Building in Camp Aguinaldo, Quezon City on Monday, Feb. 3.
During their meeting, Teodoro and Traisorat highlighted the “positive progress” of the logistics and defense industry cooperation between Manila and Bangkok.
“The Thai ambassador shared Thailand’s capability to provide offshore boats, drones, and armored vehicles to the Philippines in support of the AFP modernization program, and reiterated Thailand's willingness to collaborate in this area of cooperation,” DND spokesperson Asst. Sec. Arsenio Andolong said on Tuesday, Feb. 4.
The AFP is embarking on a 10-year, P2-trillion modernization program dubbed as “Rehorizon 3”, which replaced the third “horizon” of the revised procurement plan first implemented in 2013.
The AFP intends to buy “sophisticated” assets such as multi-role fighter aircraft, ships, and radar systems, among others under the program.
Teodoro thanked Traisorat’s contributions in advancing the bilateral defense cooperation between the two countries through the promotion of high-level exchanges and people-to-people linkages.
The defense chief highlighted that such interactions are crucial for the Philippines in maintaining strong working relations with Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) member-states in light of the upcoming ASEAN Chairship of the Philippines next year.
Traisorat is ending his stint as the Thai envoy to Manila, a post he has held for nearly three years. He began his assignment in the Philippines in June 2022.