Thailand’s submarine plan torpedoed again as govt takes flak for COVID battle

[webfact]

Royal Thai Navy soldiers guides a landing craft during a training exercise at Chulaporn camp in Thailand’s southern Narathiwat province on March 31, 2021. (Photo by Madaree TOHLALA / AFP)

 

By Thai PBS World’s Political Desk

 

Thailand’s Navy has once again shelved plans to buy Chinese submarines, following growing pressure on the government to divert the budget for their purchase to tackle the worsening COVID-19 crisis.

 

Once more, the timing was bad for the Royal Thai Navy (RTN), with the country surpassing more than 10,000 new cases per day and the death toll soaring. July 17 brought a new 24-hour fatality record as 141 people succumbed to the virus.

 

On Monday, Navy chief Admiral Chatchai Sriworakan withdrew the force’s request for Bt900 million as part payment for the purchase of two Yuan-Class S26T submarines from China. The admiral announced the withdrawal during an online meeting with the special parliamentary committee scrutinizing the Budget Bill for fiscal 2022.

 

Full story: https://www.thaipbsworld.com/thailands-submarine-plan-torpedoed-again-as-govt-takes-flak-for-covid-battle/

 

-- © Copyright Thai PBS 2021-07-21

 

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[RubbaJohnny]

Are they scunnered or Scuppered, as long as they rise to the occasion ?

Edited July 21, 2021 by RubbaJohnny

[LazySlipper]

Good!

[pegman]

Tone deaf! 

[RotBenz8888]

41 minutes ago, webfact said:

Yuan-Class

Get a Baht-Class sub for each general to command. 

[Jimbo2014]

Everyone has to make sacrifices at this time, even government officials postponing massive kickbacks.

[djayz]

5 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

Get a Baht-Class sub for each general to command. 

Is that a Baht Class or Bath Class sub? 

[club]

It just goes to show you how much they will do ANYTHING for the China. Why would a small  country like Thailand want to buy 2 submarines in the middle of a pandemic? When there is no military threat. When Thailand needs to use their money on vaccines . It makes no sense

[xylophone]

9 minutes ago, club said:

It just goes to show you how much they will do ANYTHING for the China. Why would a small  country like Thailand want to buy 2 submarines in the middle of a pandemic? When there is no military threat. When Thailand needs to use their money on vaccines . It makes no sense

But the generals and friends need to top up their coffers; that is what is behind it!

[kimamey]

7 hours ago, RotBenz8888 said:

Get a Baht-Class sub for each general to command. 

Do you do that in a unifying yellow and red colour scheme by any chance?

[MrJ2U]

The government did purchase two new jet fighters though:

From Janes 20 July, 2021

 

20 JULY 2021

Thailand confirms plan to buy additional T-50TH aircraft

by Jon Grevatt

 

The Royal Thai Air Force's (RTAF's) Directorate of Operations has announced that it will procure an additional two T-50TH Golden Eagle lead-in fighter trainer aircraft from Korea Aerospace Industries (KAI).

The Royal Thai Air Force has outlined a plan to purchase two additional T-50TH aircraft – a version of the T-50 Golden Eagle (pictured) – for around USD72 million. (KAI)

The planned procurement, which will increase the size of the RTAF's T-50TH fleet to 14, is budgeted at THB2.36 billion (USD72 million) and will include spare parts, and related equipment and tools. Janes understands that a contract to acquire the aircraft is expected to be signed later this year.

 

[Foexie]

Why the He** thailand needs subs??????????

 

They better starts to buy vaccines for their peoples

[Chelseafan]

6 hours ago, club said:

It just goes to show you how much they will do ANYTHING for the China. Why would a small  country like Thailand want to buy 2 submarines in the middle of a pandemic? When there is no military threat. When Thailand needs to use their money on vaccines . It makes no sense

 

You dont build your armed forces DURING conflict, you plan ahead.

Why does an even smaller country like the UK need subs ?

But I get your gist.

 

[daveAustin]

^^ Indeed, though last time I checked Thailand wasn’t a rich, nuke island with jealous enemies and innumerable overseas obligations. Thailand also didn’t <deleted> anyone off bar Burma and then there’s the small matter of kickbacks, posturing and all-important face. 

[Knocker33]

10,000 case's a day ?

[Tarteso]

Thailand has a plan to torpedo Covid with submarines? Wait… must reread again OP

[Mr Meeseeks]

20 hours ago, Chelseafan said:

 

You dont build your armed forces DURING conflict, you plan ahead.

Why does an even smaller country like the UK need subs ?

But I get your gist.

 

Easy answer, the UK is an island. 

 

History tells us, from WWII in particular, that having naval superiority for the UK as an island nation was one of the most important and decisive factors.

 

In addition, the UK has, and arguably requires a nuclear deterrent, which is submarine delivered.

[Chelseafan]

7 hours ago, Mr Meeseeks said:

Easy answer, the UK is an island. 

 

History tells us, from WWII in particular, that having naval superiority for the UK as an island nation was one of the most important and decisive factors.

 

In addition, the UK has, and arguably requires a nuclear deterrent, which is submarine delivered.

Just to play devils advocate, why does Thailand NOT require a deterrent after all they were heavily involved in WWII and the last time I looked, they had a fairly large coastline? The UK has submarines to protect our interests so on that basis why wouldn't Thailand want the same ? There seems to be a misconception that submarines are used for warfare, that's true to a degree but most of the time they are used for intelligence gathering.

 

Personally, I don't think they should have subs, its a waste of money and bad timing what with everything that's going on but their is part of me that wants to scream out how hypocritical we all are when our own countries have submarines, nuclear or otherwise

 

 

[Salerno]

11 minutes ago, Chelseafan said:

they were heavily involved in WWII

Not by any stretch of the imagination; being occupied is not "being involved" in a sense that requires military hardware.

[Chelseafan]

25 minutes ago, Salerno said:

Not by any stretch of the imagination; being occupied is not "being involved" in a sense that requires military hardware.

 

Whilst the offical military deaths amounted to around 5000+, you don't think the Thai people weren't starved, raped and murdered by the Japanese ?

 

Anyhow we're moving off topic somewhat.

 

 

[Salerno]

6 minutes ago, Chelseafan said:

Whilst the offical military deaths amounted to around 5000+, you don't think the Thai people weren't starved, raped and murdered by the Japanese ?

My post in no way downplayed the price paid by the population, it was purely in regard to using WWII as some sort of justification for "needing" submarines which I thought was quite clear.

[Chelseafan]

7 minutes ago, Salerno said:

My post in no way downplayed the price paid by the population, it was purely in regard to using WWII as some sort of justification for "needing" submarines which I thought was quite clear.

I never mentioned WWII and submarines until another poster bought it into the equation.

As I said, I was playing Devils advoate and just feel there is a whiff of hypocrisy when most of the "first world" countries have large submarine fleets but hey ho. ????