The Royal Thai Army has signed a follow-on contract with China North Industries Group Corporation (NORINCO) for additional VN1 8×8 wheeled armored vehicles during a delegation visit to Beijing on January 11, according to official information released by the Royal Thai Embassy.
The signing took place at NORINCO headquarters in Beijing and was attended by the Director-General of the Army Ordnance Department, who led the Thai delegation, and Zhang Xin, NORINCO’s chief representative in Thailand. The Embassy reported that the agreement was concluded during a formal meeting between the Royal Thai Army and senior NORINCO executives, including Vice President Liu Jinkui.
The follow-on contract expands Thailand’s existing VN1 fleet, which has been procured across three acquisition phases. Publicly available reporting indicates the Royal Thai Army previously allocated funding in Fiscal Year 2025 for a new batch of VN1-series armored vehicles valued at approximately 987 million Thai baht, or about $31 million.
The VN1 is an 8×8 wheeled armored personnel carrier developed by NORINCO and operated by several international customers. It features modular architecture and supports a wide range of configurations including troop transport, fire support, command, logistics, and specialized mission variants.
The Royal Thai Army has taken delivery of 111 VN1-family vehicles to date. These deliveries include the VN1 armored personnel carrier, the SM4A 120 mm self-propelled mortar, the VS27 armored recovery vehicle, the VE36 command variant, and a dedicated ambulance version. All platforms are fielded as part of Thailand’s ongoing effort to broaden its wheeled armored vehicle inventory and modernize legacy systems.
The Embassy statement emphasized that the contract signed in Beijing was executed under a government-to-government framework, with the Army Ordnance Department representing the Thai side and NORINCO represented by its resident leadership in Thailand. NORINCO is a state-owned defense conglomerate under the control of the Government of the People’s Republic of China.
Background documents indicate that the Royal Thai Army submitted a separate request in early 2024 for a fourth procurement phase involving additional NORINCO-produced 8×8 vehicles. This upcoming phase, if approved, is expected to include new mission variants, including the ST1 105 mm wheeled tank destroyer built on the VN1 chassis. The ST1 is intended to replace aging U.S.-supplied V-150 4×4 armored vehicles equipped with 90 mm guns, which have served in Thai Army cavalry units for decades.
The VN1 platform is part of a broader trend in Thailand’s defense acquisition strategy. In recent years, the Royal Thai Army has diversified its procurement sources, increasing purchases from China for armored vehicles, rocket systems, and related support equipment. The Embassy’s official disclosure on the latest VN1 contract marks another stage in that relationship, following training programs, maintenance arrangements, and prior government-level agreements.
NORINCO’s wheeled armored vehicle family is marketed with a range of integrated systems including automatic fire control, amphibious capabilities, and compatibility with heavy weapon stations. While the Embassy did not disclose the exact number of vehicles in the newly signed contract, Thailand’s previous funding allocation offers an approximate scale of the intended purchase.
The agreement in Beijing underscores Thailand’s continued investment in platforms suitable for regional mobility, border security, and mechanized infantry modernization. It also demonstrates ongoing defense cooperation between Bangkok and Beijing, which has expanded steadily over the past decade across land, naval, and aerospace sectors.
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