The Royal Thai Army has placed an order for thirty seven 1126 Stryker armored cars from the United States, valued at an estimated US$80 million, under the Foreign Military Sales program.
An informed army source said that the US-made armored cars are expected to be delivered this year and deployed at the 11th Light Infantry Division based in Thailand’s eastern province of Chachoengsao.
The arms deal signifies a warming of relations between the Thai army and US armament sector after the Thai army had switched to other sources, such as China and Ukraine, during the five years following the coup which toppled the government of Prime Minister Yingluck Shinawatra in 2014.
The army bought 96 BTR3E1 armored cars from Ukraine, which were deployed at the 2nd Infantry Regiment in Prachin Buri province and the 21st Infantry Regiment based in Chon Buri province. The army also bought Chinese-made VN1 armored cars which were deployed at the 1st and 2nd Infantry Regiments based in the northern province of Uttradit.
