Thailand will slash the number of army generals by 50% over the next four years, according to the nation’s defense ministry, amid a pledge by a coalition of pro-democracy parties that won the May election to end conscription and reduce military spending.
By 2027, the ministry will halve the number of army generals from about 1,200 now, and reduce the number of soldiers by 12,000, said Jittanat Punnotok, the ministry’s deputy spokesman. The moves can save nearly 3 billion baht ($86 million) in annual budget.
Prime Minister Prayut Chan-o-cha told members of parliament, on the final scheduled day of the censure debate, that the Defence Ministry is determined to reform the military by downsizing the three armed forces to become more efficient and modern, with the aim of cutting the number of generals in half by the year 2028.
