Thailand has joined the ranks of global arms suppliers by producing its first military rifle. The weapon has been slimmed down to make it easier to use. Martin Lowe has more from Thailand. 

Today's armies rely on mobility and previous weapons had proved cumbersome for Thai soldiers. The new rifle is lightweight and has a shorter barrel making it easier to deploy, say the manufacturers. They cite an incident in southern Thailand when a soldier was killed without being able to raise his weapon after his vehicle was ambushed by insurgents.

KORNNARONG TUNGFUNG KHT Firearms "The original weapon was too long, our weapon was made to be shorter and more compact so it would be easier for the soldier to move out of the vehicle into combat readiness."

Manufacturers hope the Thai military will adopt the weapon and they can sell it to allies, particularly Asian neighbors.

APIMUK THIRATHUMNUPAP KHT Firearms "Asian people have relatively small bodies, therefore the gun design needs to be compact. There are fewer battles over long-distance and the method of combat has completely changed, so we need to design the gun to be more suitable for city battles."

Asia has severe monsoons so the weapon has been designed to operate in all-weather conditions.

MARTIN LOWE Ayutthaya, Thailand "The Thai government says producing its own assault rifle will provide security for the country and promote the defense industry. It says this weapon will meet all international standards."

KORNNARONG TUNGFUNG KHT Firearms "If we can put this product into full manufacturing with the support of the government there's no limit."

It's hoped the gun can lay the foundations for growth in Thai defense products. Martin Lowe, CGTN, Ayutthaya, Thailand.