The Thai Army - a force to be proud of

Thank goodness the corruption in the armed forces of China hasn't spread to Thailand. That IS right, isn't it? http://www.businessweek.com/articles/20 ... ited-slots

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[Manforallseasons]

Sometime ago it was believed that a Thai boy could buy his way out of the army, the going price was in the realm of 30,000 Bht , he would leave his name would stay as if he was still in the military and his commanding officer would continue to collect the boy's monthly check, am sure this certainly could never happen in LOS.

[thaiguest]

Sometime ago it was believed that a Thai boy could buy his way out of the army, the going price was in the realm of 30,000 Bht , he would leave his name would stay as if he was still in the military and his commanding officer would continue to collect the boy's monthly check, am sure this certainly could never happen in LOS.

I know of a young Isarn guy whose chest measurement and general stats were too small but whose brain was big enough for him to find a falang to buy him out from an army he couldn'd have joined in the first place. No joke.

[fountainhall]

That IS right, isn't it?

I suspect it is. As China started to modernise, it's been well-known that the Chinese Army developed vast and very lucrative business interests. This is from Party Vs. State in Post-1949 China: The Institutional Dilemma by Shiping Zheng

The Xinhua Agency reported that the electronics enterprises in China's military industries have formed more than 50 enterprise groups consisting of 18,000 companies. By early 1995, they accounted for 30% of China's total output of color TV sets, and one half of China's total exports of refrigerators. China North Industries Group, the country's leading weapons manufacturer, planned to produce about 2.33 million motorcycles, 60,000 minivans and 44,700 minicars in 1995. Army factories produce more than half of China's cameras, 65% of its bicycles, and 75 percent of its minicabs.

Moreover, there are more than 20,000 military-run businesses in almost every field. The largest of them are directly affiliated with the PLA General Headquarters under the Party CMC. China Poly Corp. under the PLA General Staff conducts business in arms sales, infrastructure property, electronics, shipping and trading [surprisingly it also runs a theatre group]; China Xinxing Corp. under the PLA General Logistics Department conducts business in clothing, food, construction, materials, fuel, and vehicles; and Kaili Corp. under the PLA General Political Department conducts business in communication equipment.

In 1977 when that book was published, the PLA made vast profits from its business enterprises. No doubt these interests continued to expand and flourish. And this dilemma has taxed both the present leadership and its immediate predecessors in their attempts to root out the rampant corruption and establish a more professional military machine. Part of that is no doubt to find better qualified and educated recruits and offer them more secure and financially rewarding careers. For many poorer families with just one child, that's an enviable career. Hence the recruiters and the bribes.