Thailand’s ‘Madam Tank’ talks armoured vehicles
A biennial event, the Defense and Security Equipment Exhibition 2023 (Defense & Security 2023), was held from November 6-9 at Impact Exhibition and Convention Center in Muang Thong Thani and attracted more than 500 companies from over 40 countries worldwide.
The exhibition featured a wide array of cutting-edge military equipment, advanced precision firearms systems, armoured vehicles, guided weapons, military vehicles, aircraft, unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), as well as telecommunications, electronic systems, cybersecurity solutions, space technologies, small arms, and related equipment.
One of the booths that attracted the attention of military leaders, both domestic and international, was that of Chaiseri Metal and Rubber Company, a specialist in the design, manufacture and upgrading of armoured vehicles.
Chaiseri’s founder Nopparat Kulhiran, also known as “Madam Tank”, spoke to The Nation about her journey in the defence industry. An industry veteran with 55 years of experience to her credit, she said the company has been supplying products from its factory to both domestic and international armed forces.
An exceptional product in their lineup is the 8x8 Armored Amphibious Vehicle, designed for the Royal Thai Marine Corps.
Another source of pride for Chaiseri is the “First Win” 4x4 Armored Vehicle of which 15 were produced for the UN in 2021. These vehicles are designed to withstand bullets and explosive attacks and are specifically tailored for military missions. They are equipped to accommodate and care for up to 4 injured individuals. With a height of 2.20 meters, the vehicle allows medical personnel to treat patients without the need to bend their heads, ensuring ease of movement. Additionally, the vehicle features an automatic patient transfer system for efficient transportation of the wounded.
These armoured vehicles are currently stationed in the Central African Republic and Chaiseri is in the process of securing an additional order of 10 units from the United Nations.
“We developed the armoured tyre-covered vehicle with amphibious capabilities by learning how criminals behave. In most cases, when they attempt to escape into the water, the tracking is terminated immediately. Therefore, Chaiseri designed the vehicle to be able to run on the road and, when submerged, transform into a boat. We have tested its running capabilities in the Chao Phraya River,” Madam Tank said.
To her, Thai products are a source of pride and that was certainly the case at the exhibition where international guests from over 50 countries could see firsthand that Thailand is not inferior to anyone.
Nopparat also revealed her conversation with the Minister of Defense, Suthin Klangsang, during his visit to the Chaisari booth. He emphasised that for Thailand to have good security, it must be able to produce its military equipment. The equipment must be of high quality and capable of being maintained and repaired. This is because purchasing military equipment from foreign countries poses problems in terms of maintenance and availability of spare parts. Equipment produced domestically is thus more sustainable.
“In the past, the Thai military has supported Chaiseri on a smaller scale than purchasing from foreign countries. We sell our products to other countries, including Malaysia, Indonesia, the Philippines, the United Nations, and Bhutan. This confirms that Thailand produces quality products, and there is global demand for our purchases,” Nopparat stressed.
The company’s assistant general manager Krit Kulhiran noted that in the past, the military only procured a small proportion of military equipment domestically and spent less than 1 billion baht, compared to the tens of billions going on foreign procurement. The Royal Thai Marine Corps has a clear policy of supporting the use of domestically produced military equipment although budget constraints tend to affect the size of the orders placed. For instance, the Internal Security Operations Command (ISOC) can only afford to purchase two vehicles per year. The Army, meanwhile, currently has no specific project for procuring military equipment domestically.
“I would like the government and the military to view the domestic industry as an opportunity for economic growth and national security. If we can produce our military equipment and are capable of maintaining and repairing it, the equipment will stay with us for longer. Equipment from abroad typically has a life of around 6 years, and if we cannot maintain them, we end up having to buy new ones, which undermines our security,” Krit said.
