Thailand Must Strengthen Military, Top Commander Warns
Thailand's military commander unveiled a new defense strategy for 2036 designed to strengthen armed forces against modern threats including cyber attacks, hybrid warfare, and AI-powered operations. The framework emphasizes efficiency and in
On July 2, 2026, at the Defense Studies Institute's multipurpose building, General Ukhrit Bunthanont, Commander in Chief of the Armed Forces, presided over a military strategy presentation for students from the Armed Forces War College and College of Military Science to chart Thailand's defense direction for the next decade under the 'Minimum Viable Defense 2036' framework—envisioning a military with sufficient capabilities, agility, and readiness to counter modern threats, accompanied by an exhibition of military equipment development.
The 'Minimum Viable Defense 2036' strategy presents a new framework for developing defense capabilities, emphasizing an appropriately sized, efficient military that maximizes resources while responding to rapidly evolving 21st-century threats. These include traditional military threats, hybrid warfare, grey zone operations, cyber threats, unmanned aircraft, artificial intelligence, and critical infrastructure attacks.
The strategy is built on four key pillars: developing an agile and ready force, integrating joint operations under Multi-Domain Operations (MDO) and Joint All-Domain Operations (JADO) concepts, deploying unmanned and autonomous systems, and developing Thailand's defense industry and innovation toward self-reliance.
General Ukhrit expressed pride in the students' work and noted receiving insights on technology, economics, international relations, and military technology. He emphasized that while the post-World War II world was orderly and cooperative, today's world operates under the law of the jungle. He compared Thailand to a fighting cock among tigers, stating that while Thailand cannot escape this reality, it must become a fighting cock that produces value, maintains friendships, and earns trust. Though Thailand is merely a chicken, it must become a skilled fighter cock with sharp, effective spurs; an untrained cock with dull spurs cannot survive when threatened.
