Thailand To Acquire Chinese, Russian Weaponry In Barter Deals

Thailand will soon acquire Chinese armored vehicles and Russian helicopters through barter agreements for its agriculture products, according to the Bangkok Post.

China is providing 132 armored vehicles, worth about 1.6 billion baht (US$38.6 million or euro$32.3 million) in the barter deal for longan fruit. Moscow is sending four MI-17 helicopters in exchange for Thai rice.

The Thai-Chinese transaction was concluded during Prime Minister Thaksin Shinawatra’s visit to Beijing last week. Thaksin has stressed that the country’s weapons procurement be conducted under barter trade agreements for farm products.

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