"During a critical briefing on June 13th, Wiroj expressed concerns that the army's drone capability is falling behind in confronting modern-day threats in Thailand’s western border areas. Highlighting the urgency, he noted that while the army plans to procure an additional fleet of 10 drones for fiscal 2025, this number is insufficient to counteract current security threats. Wiroj pointed out that both Myanmar’s Tatmadaw troops and various armed ethnic groups operating in the region already employ advanced drone technology. These include attack drones armed with missiles and surveillance drones, posing significant challenges to Thai security forces, who currently rely solely on surveillance drones. Expressing frustration, Wiroj stated, "The Thai army does not possess any attack drones and faces immense difficulties due to the variety of drones it uses from different countries, such as Israel, Turkey, and China, which complicates tactical coordination during field missions." Moreover, Wiroj revealed that drug and human traffickers in the border areas are increasingly using drones to locate authorities, further complicating the security situation. Equally troubling is the lack of anti-drone weapons within the army’s current arsenal. This shortage leaves gaps in the army's capability to neutralize hostile drones, hence increasing their vulnerability. In addition, Wiroj mentioned funding concerns, noting that the 40 million baht allocated for repairing the army's wheeled personnel carriers in fiscal 2025 is grossly inadequate. These rough-terrain combat vehicles are crucial for maintaining security along the expansive 2,400-kilometre Thai-Myanmar border. Wiroj's revelations paint a troubling picture of the Thai army’s preparedness and highlight the growing need for technological enhancement and funding to address evolving security challenges in the region..."