Democrats make U-turn on submarines, call for Covid-19 relief instead

By The Nation

 

 

The Democrat Party says it will not support the government’s Bt22.5 billion move to buy two submarines from China, despite one of its MPs casting a crucial vote in favour of the deal last Friday.

 

Party members reached a consensus at their meeting on Tuesday to prioritise Covid-19 relief measures such as job creation schemes over the submarines, said Prinn Panitchpakdi, the Democrat's deputy leader and economic team chief.

 

The party’s move came after its MP on the House subcommittee vetting the national budget voted with four other coalition MPs on Friday to approve the Navy’s request for two more submarines worth Bt22.5 billion each. The narrow 5:4 vote sparked public outrage over large military spending at a time when people were suffering deep hardships from the pandemic. 

 

On Monday the Navy spoke out to defend the deal, which comes after the 2017 purchase of a sub from China for Bt13.5 billion, to be delivered in 2023 after the last of seven instalment payments is made. 

 

The House ad-hoc committee vetting the budget bill for 2021 is scheduled to debate the issue on Wednesday (August 26). The coalition government enjoys a large majority on the panel of 47 votes against the opposition’s 24. However, Prinn said the government may choose to delay a decision on whether to go ahead and purchase the subs.

 

"It’s not necessary to put the deal to a vote, since the government could pull the deal from the agenda of Wednesday’s meeting,” he said.

 

Akradech Wongpitakroj, Democrat deputy spokesman, said the party unanimously agreed that its seven members on the ad-hoc committee will not support the deal if the Royal Navy insists on going ahead with its proposal.

 

Meanwhile Yuttapong Jarussatien, the Pheu Thai MP who voted against the deal with three other opposition MPs on Friday, said he raised questions about the Navy’s claim that the deal is government-to-government. The Navy had not shown any document that authorised the subs’ constructor, China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co, to represent the Chinese government, said Yuttapong.

 

He added that delaying the deal would not affect diplomatic relations as “Thailand could explain to the Chinese government that Thais have been hard hit by the Covid-19 crisis and public debt is also rising to a high level”.

 

Netizens have launched a social media campaign against the three coalition parties who voted on Friday to purchase the the subs – the Democrats, Palang Pracharath and Bhumjaithai. 

 

Source: https://www.nationthailand.com/news/30393515

 

-- © Copyright The Nation Thailand 2020-08-26

 

- Whatever you're going through, the Samaritans are here for you

- Follow Thaivisa on LINE for breaking COVID-19 updates

Looks like someone's getting a lump of coal for Christmas instead of a shiny new sub. Expect a tantrum.

8 minutes ago, SteveK said:

Looks like someone's getting a lump of coal for Christmas instead of a shiny new sub. Expect a tantrum.

Those shoddy subs are about as much use as a lump of coal. 

The whole thing just smacks of total disregard for the populace. Complete joke and at this time where people are really struggling. As for any affect on relations with China in not buying, pffft! Surely China should offer them for free since they totally screwed the tourism industry. 

Just sad that the people sitting in a supposedly elected government, needs to hear it from the public to make a uturn after a blunder. That when real a government should know their citizens and work for them to be happy and satisfied instead of making them disappointed and angry.

Edited August 25, 20205 yr by Matzzon

58 minutes ago, Matzzon said:

Just sad that the people sitting in a supposedly elected government

"Supposedly elected government"??????

250 Senators not voted in by the population but appointed by someone (guess who)

PM appointed not voted in by the population

Three months to fix the counting of the ballots so that the desired outcome would prevail.

 

The election was a sham.

The yellows fear the ballot box.   This bad decision will haunt the army party and all other parties involved.

What one sub can not do that 3 subs can? 
Anyway locals  have no foods and how does 3 subs fits into that.

26 minutes ago, lujanit said:

"Supposedly elected government"??????

Ooh! Sorry, that part was supposed to be read with the feeling of great irony. ????

4 hours ago, webfact said:

The Democrat Party says it will not support the government’s Bt22.5 billion move to buy two submarines from China,

Oh! Have they realized the shear stupidity of their decision to support such a hair brained purchase!

More scrap metal.

Looking at the picture at least they come complete with the government flag ..................LOL

23 minutes ago, PatOngo said:

Oh! Have they realized the shear stupidity of their decision to support such a hair brained purchase!

Did you not manage to read that they are 22.5bn each so it would be a Bt45bn move ?..

15 minutes ago, Geoffggi said:

Looking at the picture at least they come complete with the government flag ..................LOL

A white flag might be more useful!

 

Given that the Thai military has seen much more action against Thai citizens than foreign enemies, Thai fishermen should start feeling nervous.  ????

1 hour ago, lujanit said:

"Supposedly elected government"??????

250 Senators not voted in by the population but appointed by someone (guess who)

PM appointed not voted in by the population

Three months to fix the counting of the ballots so that the desired outcome would prevail.

 

The election was a sham.

That would be Prawit. If i remember correctly, he headed the selection committee, no doubt getting paid a fair sum to sit in a room with his mates asking "So, what's your brother's name again?". 

5 hours ago, webfact said:

The Democrat Party says it will not support the government’s Bt22.5 billion move to buy two submarines from China, despite one of its MPs casting a crucial vote in favour of the deal last Friday.

Here we have 2 subs for a total of 22.5 billion, that's 11.25 billion each

 

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The party’s move came after its MP on the House subcommittee vetting the national budget voted with four other coalition MPs on Friday to approve the Navy’s request for two more submarines worth Bt22.5 billion each.

Now the price has doubled to 22.5 billion each, 45 billion.

 

Shocking reporting by the Nation, what a cr@p paper. Have they heard of proof reading?

6 hours ago, webfact said:

The Democrat Party says it will not support the government’s Bt22.5 billion move to buy two submarines from China, despite one of its MPs casting a crucial vote in favour of the deal last Friday.

Seems to be the Thai way, make a poor decision, wait for the response then act again !

Bit like the Red Bulls**t saga.

3 hours ago, Geoffggi said:

Looking at the picture at least they come complete with the government flag ..................LOL

I also hear that the Chinese are going to throw in for free a set of coffee mugs for the galley... of course all emblazoned with the CCP emblem and the wording, "From China With Love". Got to keep your customers happy and make them feel that they received a fantastic deal, ya know.

10 hours ago, webfact said:

subs’ constructor, China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co,

I wonder if this company builds Junk....s?????

 

10 hours ago, webfact said:

make U-turn on submarines

Possibly U- BOATS??????

10 hours ago, daveAustin said:

disregard for the populace

That's Thailand's crucial history ????

Show your citizens you care , Submarines ain’t gonna do It...

I am looking forward to my tour of a submarine while it is stuck at Sattahip when the tide is out.

14 hours ago, lujanit said:

"Supposedly elected government"??????

250 Senators not voted in by the population but appointed by someone (guess who)

PM appointed not voted in by the population

Three months to fix the counting of the ballots so that the desired outcome would prevail.

 

The election was a sham.

Sham is too polite.... 

Dems are smelling the blood in the water. Better distance before the feeding frenzy starts.

They will be needed later again, after the bloodshed, to give the dinosours a more civilzied appearance in the next government

Edited August 26, 20205 yr by Flying Saucage

13 hours ago, Purdey said:

I am looking forward to my tour of a submarine while it is stuck at Sattahip when the tide is out.

I have been trying to find out how high they are, not listed in the specs that i could find, i'm guestimating at least 20 mts, with the gulf having a mean depth of 58 mts it speaks for itself. 

23 hours ago, sungod said:

Here we have 2 subs for a total of 22.5 billion, that's 11.25 billion each

 

Now the price has doubled to 22.5 billion each, 45 billion.

 

Shocking reporting by the Nation, what a cr@p paper. Have they heard of proof reading?

The only PROOF reading is on the Lao Kah bottle they just consumed !    PML 555