Bhutan receives 15 First Win armored vehicles procured from Thailand

 

Some of the First Win armored vehicles handed over to Bhutan. Photo c/o Bangkok Post.

The Government of Bhutan has received 15 new First Win 4x4 armored vehicles it procured from Thailand, which would be used for United Nations peacekeeping operations in Africa.

The vehicles were made by Thai company Chaiseri Defence, and were handed over by Thai Deputy Defence Minister General Chaichan Changmongkol to Bhutan's Ambassador to Thailand Kinzang Dorji on 19 November 2021 at the Office of the Permanent Defence Secretary in Nonthaburi.

The vehicles are to be used the Royal Bhutan Army's UN peacekeeping contingent in Central African Republic starting next month.

Thai Permanent Secretary of Defence General Worakiat Rattananont said that Bhutan selected the First Win armored vehicle due to Chaiseri's capabilities, and the quality of the vehicles considering the affordable price tag.

The vehicles were said to be worth a total of THB225 million (US$6.8 million), or around THB15 million each.

Bhutan becomes the 4th country to use the Chaiseri First Win 4x4 armored vehicles, after Thailand, Malaysia (as the AV4 Lipanbara), and Indonesia.

The Chaiseri First Win is considered as a Mine-Resistant, Ambush Protected (MRAP) armored vehicle, designed with a V-shape hull with protection up to STANAG 4569 Level 3B to better protect the vehicle's passengers from mines and improvised explosive device (IED), and has a  STANAG 4569 Level 2 ballistic protection against small arms fire.

It can be equipped with a manually or remote-operated turret with machine guns or automatic grenade launchers, and has firing ports to allow passengers to use small arms from inside the vehicle.




[1] Bangkok Post
[2] Pattaya Mail
[3] AAG_Th Thai Defence page