Thailand’s budget sub-committee rejects 7.4 billion baht F-35A jet purchase

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Pheu Thai MP Yuttapong said the sub-committee resolved to exclude the fighter jet procurement project from the 2023 Budget Bill because the air force did not confirm if the United States Congress would sell the jets to Thailand.

A budgetary sub-committee of the House rejected the government’s project to buy two F-35A fighter jets worth 7.4 billion baht.

Pheu Thai MP for Maha Sarakham Yuttapong Charasathien who is a deputy head of the sub-committee under the House committee scrutinizing the Budget Bill, said the sub-committee resolved to exclude the fighter jet procurement project from the 2023 Budget Bill because the air force did not confirm if the United States Congress would sell the jets to Thailand.



Besides, the process to discuss and execute the purchase would take as long as 20 months, he said.

Therefore, the 2023 budget should not be spent on the matter but should be used to help people affected by COVID-19 outbreaks first. The purchase of fighter jets was not an urgent matter, Mr Yutthapong said. (TNA)