You're reading: Thai mass media: Thailand plans to buy new batch of 200 Oplot tanks from Ukraine

The Thai army command is to buy 200 Oplot main battle tanks from Ukraine, the Thai Bangkok Post has reported.

The value of the potential deal is estimated at about $230 million. Tank procurement is part of a 10-year package of weapons purchases the government recently approved for the army, reads the newspaper.

The new tanks will replace the outdated US M41A3 tanks that have been in used by the Thai army since 1962.

According to the Bangkok Post, other choices for the main battle tank also included the South Korean-made K-1 tank, the Russian-made T-90 tank and the German-made Leopard tank, but the commanded considered the latter one too expensive.

At the same time, the newspaper reported, referring to a source in the military, that the plans of the command to buy Ukrainian rather than South Korean equipment were not supported by the Thai army.

According to the source, the reason for this is that the Ukrainian tank is equipped with an auto-loader that requires the tank to stop moving when ammunition has been used up and new loading is necessary.

"This feature could become a problem when fighting in a war. That’s why operators prefer tanks with a manual ammunition-loading system," the source said.

At the same time, the source did not rule out that Thailand chose the Oplot tank due to its already established military and technical cooperation with Ukraine: previously the Thai army bought 96 Ukrainian-made BTR-3E1 armoured personnel carriers at a cost of $130 million, the source added.

As earlier reported, Ukraine and Thailand signed a contract on the supply of BTR-3E1 armoured personnel carriers, maintenance vehicles, as well as service and repair facilities, simulators for training, and ammunition to the Royal Thai Armed Forces in 2006.

The Ukrainian side started deliveries of military equipment in September 2010.