07 Agustus 2023
Prototype of Chaiseri 8x8 amphibious personnel carrier not yet released, the picture above is DTI's AAPC 8x8 with ST Kinetics Adder turret (photo : RTN)
Website, Thai Government Procurement System, Comptroller General's Department (CGD), Ministry of Finance, Thailand has published a document declaring of the Royal Thai Navy (RTN) on August 3, 2023, that the winner of the project to purchase 7 wheeled armored vehicles (8x8), type of personnel transport, by selection method, amount 448,000,000 baht ($ 12,918,115), price per unit 64 million baht ($1,845,445) is Chaiseri Metal and Rubber Co., Ltd, Thailand.
It is understood that Chaiseri Thai Company is the winner of the new 8x8 Amphibious Armored Vehicle Project, 7 vehicles over Panus Assembly Co., Ltd., Thailand for wheeled armored vehicles. Their Panus R600 8x8 amphibious transport tires, previously, it was the winner of the purchase of 2 wheeled armored vehicles (8x8) type transport troops, which have been tested and delivered to the Thai Marine Corps (RTMC: Royal Thai Marine Corps), and the rubber-wheeled vehicle 8X8 Sea Tiger (Sea Tiger) under the joint research and development project, the prototype 8x8 Amphibious Armored Personnel Carrier (AAPC) between the National Defense Technology Institute DTI (Defence Technology Institute) and the Office of Military Research and Development, Navy Royal Thai Navy (NRDO: Naval Research and Development Office) produced by Cho Thavee Public Company Limited, Thailand, which has been delivered to the Thai Marine Corps as well.
The Royal Thai Navy's central price and procurement information center website has announced the project to purchase 7 new 8x8 armored personnel carriers by the Naval Acquisition Management Office (NAMO: Naval Acquisition Management Office) on the 24th. January 2023. However, there is no accessible publication of the TOR: Terms of Reference, but it is understood to be similar to the 2021 two-car purchase program of the Panus R600 armored vehicle. 8x8 is the winner.
While the 2 R600 8x8 amphibious armored vehicles were delivered to the amphibious vehicle battalion Colonel Royal Thai Navy (Marine Assault Amphibian Vehicle Battalion), Marine Corps Marine Division in May 2023 and then it can have a hovering speed of 13.7km/h in the water and can carry up to 20 troops. to dissatisfaction with the car Including news about some problems with the manufacturing company.
As for the AAPC 8x8 amphibious wheeled armored vehicle, it has a hovering speed of only 10.1km/h and can carry 14 troops, but has a higher firepower by installing a Remote Weapons Station (RWS) turret ADDER M30 30mm of ST Kinetics Singapore.
Chaiseri Thai's new 8x8 amphibious armored personnel carrier that won the latest purchase of 7 units, which prototypes have not yet been disclosed at the time of writing this article. Representatives of the Thai Chaiseri company have said at the Defense & Security 2022 defense exhibition between 29 August - 1 September 2022 that they are looking to develop their own 8x8 wheeled armored vehicles for needs. of the army but did not provide further details at that time.
(AAG)