Thailand receives delivery of Chinese VT4 tanks, VN1 armored vehicles

Norinco VN4 tanks of the RTA. 

The Royal Thai Army (RTA) reportedly took delivery this month of a batch of tanks and armored vehicles ordered from China.

The vehicles, composed of ten (10) Norinco VT4 main battle tanks plus one (1) support vehicle, and thirty eight (38) Norinco VN1 8x8 wheeled armored vehicles, were delivered from China and arrived in a port in Chonburi province.

All vehicles were sent to the RTA’s Adisom Cavalry Center in Saraburi province for pre-acceptance inspections.

The VT4 main battle tanks ordered by the Thai government in 2017 worth THB2 billion (US$66 million) consisting of 10 standard main battle tanks and a maintenance vehicle, while the 38 VN1 armored vehicles comprises the entire order worth THB2.3 billion (US$76 million) made by the Thai government in 2017 comprising 34 standard armored vehicles, 2 recovery vehicles and 2 maintenance vehicles.

The VT4 tank was intended to replace the RTA’s fleet of M41 Walker Bulldog light tanks, which are now entering 50 years of service.

This delivery came a few months after deliveries of Stryker wheeled armored vehicles from the US were made.


[1] Jane’s Defence Weekly
[2] BenarNews