The deals were essential, he said, as Thailand lacked efficient productivity and much equipment was already old. Dual-use helicopters could also be used for tasks other than military work.

The deals would be structured as exchanges, since Russia was also interested in Thai agricultural goods. “It would be bizarre if Russia is offering us in a one-sided style,” he said.

Prayut said possible purchases were not something out of the blue. They would be in line with the military’s long-term development plan for the next five to 20 years.

The procurement would take time as the equipment could come at a price.

“It’s not like we’re going to buy a hundred of them. Let’s say if there are three or four of them, how many years will we take to complete their instalments?” he said.

Prayut is in Russia from today till Friday to hold bilateral talks and attend a special summit between Russia and Asean. Other parallel developments, such as research and the construction of repair facilities, would also need to be planned and carried out in line with the hardware purchases, he said.

The premier refused to elaborate on possible deals, including tentative prices. “I don’t accept your question. Do you know what Thailand has gone through?” he replied when asked by reporters.

He also denied being mainly responsible for the deals, saying the matter would rather depend on a “responsible committee”.

The negotiations with Russia, however, were not final for Thailand. The Thai team would also be looking to talk with other countries to look for the best, most beneficial deals, he said.