Thai Navy considering upgrading V-150 to HMV-150 (vid/pics).

via Janes

The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) has completed initial testing of a re-engineered and upgraded Cadillac Gage V-150 Commando 4x4 light armoured vehicle. Designated HMV-150, the donor platform for the project was a damaged vehicle salvaged from southern Thailand in October 2016 by local company Panus Assembly Co Ltd.

The RTN had considered the donor vehicle to be beyond economic repair following an earlier land mine strike, agreeing to donate it to Panus for a potential rebuild at the company's expense.

The vehicle was re-engineered and rebuilt over a period of eight months, and was handed back to the RTN for testing and evaluation following a series of trials in early June 2017. Should this effort find favour with the RTN, the aim for Panus would be to similarly upgrade the remainder of the service's 24 V-150 vehicles - some of which are presently unserviceable.

Story here. 

Amazing.  I marvel at the "lack of waste" you see in other countries.  I'm complaining because the AAV has been in service for so long (although its been upgraded SEVERAL times over the years) and the Thai Navy might keep in service a vehicle that has served just as long in its basic form...and perhaps longer if the upgrade is approved.

I do wonder about their procurement practices though.  They're beginning to operate a hodge podge of vehicles that MIGHT (don't know for sure) make maintenance a bit more difficult than necessary.

Still it look like a decent rebuild.  Pics below and excuse the watermarks...all I could find.

Sidenote:  This watermark issue is going from annoying to downright aggravating.  If its personal pics then ok.  If they're not and they deal with certain subjects...like military vehicles/aircraft/ships...then by God you're not only posting them for your use but for history.  I don't understand why bloggers take open source pics and then slap their brand on them.  It's damn near a crime and a sin against our armored history worldwide.  Rant over.

Sidenote 1:  Thai has to be the craziest handwriting in the world.  I would love to see a person write those crazy ass characters and be able to read it.  Simply amazing!