Royal Thai Navy to switch from a Chinese submarine to a frigate : Defence Minister

[webfact]

 

The Royal Thai Navy (RTN) has decided to switch from procuring a submarine from China to a frigate, estimated to cost 17 billion baht compared to the S26T Yuan-class submarine’s price tag of 13.5 billion, Defence Minister Sutin Klungsang said yesterday (Friday).

 

Thailand had agreed to procure two S26T Yuan-class submarines, to be equipped with German-made engines, from China Shipbuilding and Offshore International Company (CSOC).

 

An unresolved issue over the submarine’s engine, with Germany refusing to supply China with the technology, has, however, delayed the procurement. Sutin said that the RTN and the Defence Ministry have agreed that the submarine procurement must be reviewed, based on the worthiness of the project vis-à-vis its price tag.

 

The defence minister said that Prime Minister Srettha Thavisin raised the issue with his Chinese counterpart during his visit to China earlier this week and China has agreed to consider the RTN’s plan to switch from submarine to frigate, said Sutin, adding that the submarine procurement project has not been scrapped per se.

 

The defence minister said he believes the procurement deal could be concluded next month.

 

Full story: Thai PBS 2023-10-21

 

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[nglodnig]

Remember, frigates aren't supposed to go UNDER the water.

[2baht]

1 hour ago, webfact said:

estimated to cost 17 billion baht compared to the S26T Yuan-class submarine’s price tag of 13.5 billion

Yes! Kaching, kaching! 💰

[Elkski]

So stupid

[drgoon]

Another waste of money and ego pampering. What I see is China consolidating a relationship with Thailand's military for the coming dramas with China's advance through the South China Sea and emerging tensions again with the Philippines. Added to this is the US strengthening it's military relationship with the Philippines creating 'provocative tensions' as said by China.

 

And good on Germany not giving access to engines.  

[Ben Zioner]

1 hour ago, Elkski said:

So stupid

Nope,  greed, IMHO someone got paid some massive commission, things dragged on, and then came a new government.

[RanongCat]

Nice  "face" save all round  and more practical at least.

[mfd101]

But our strategic circumstances have changed. The threats are all superficial now.

[bamnutsak]

So now it becomes clear that a submarine is not essential to the mission. And the MoD/RTN says surface ships can fulfill the mission.

 

from the linked article...

 

Sutin said that the RTN and the Defence Ministry have agreed that the submarine procurement must be reviewed, based on the worthiness of the project vis-à-vis its price tag.

 

This one will go down - not literally - in history as the biggest folly for the Thai military-idiocy complex.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[Foxx]

2 hours ago, nglodnig said:

Remember, frigates aren't supposed to go UNDER the water.

Chinese ones do.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinese_frigate_Yuyuen

[Gsxrnz]

They be like "Ah frig-it, we'll get a frigate instead".

[Morch]

32 minutes ago, RanongCat said:

Nice  "face" save all round  and more practical at least.

Comes with a way higher price tag.

Purchasing a bunch of smaller vessels, and aerial assets at a lower cost would make a better return on investment.

 

 

[Morch]

Some of the Thai public and posters on this forum were long complaining about the submarine deal and associated costs.

Turns out that the old saying 'careful what you wish for' got something to it.

[Celsius]

Farang tax pay for it 

[mikebell]

1 hour ago, Celsius said:

Farang tax pay for it 

I'm already looking to Laos if this happens.

 

[BKKBike09]

1 hour ago, Morch said:

Comes with a way higher price tag.

Purchasing a bunch of smaller vessels, and aerial assets at a lower cost would make a better return on investment.

Yep. They could allocate the budget for local-build (Bangkok Dock) of a couple more OPV, which ran around THB 5-6 billion each. They're so desperate to support the local economy it seems stupid to give the money to an overseas builder, full stop.

 

Without knowing the mission requirements it's difficult to say why they want a frigate: a war-fighting vessel as opposed to something optimised for maritime patrol / interdiction. If they do buy a frigate I suspect it will probably end up running the same mission profiles as the OPV anyway.

 

[DaddyWarbucks]

What happened, did they get spooked by the recent Chinese submarine disaster that claimed fifty-five lives?

[BKKBike09]

26 minutes ago, BKKBike09 said:

Without knowing the mission requirements it's difficult to say why they want a frigate: a war-fighting vessel as opposed to something optimised for maritime patrol / interdiction. If they do buy a frigate I suspect it will probably end up running the same mission profiles as the OPV anyway.

According to the news source that cannot be named:

 

The navy came up with two proposals. One is to buy a frigate that can fight against submarines, and the other is to purchase an offshore patrol vessel. 

[khunjeff]

So this isn't about an actual military need, but just a desire to buy something...anything...?

[topt]

6 minutes ago, khunjeff said:

So this isn't about an actual military need, but just a desire to buy something...anything...?

Certainly comes across like that.

[brianthainess]

Meh what's another mere 3.5 billion baht between friends. is it to replace the overloaded one they sank? 

[sambum]

Can you do U Turns in a frigate?

[brianthainess]

5 hours ago, RanongCat said:

Nice  "face" save all round  and more practical at least.

And more Baht.

[retarius]

Is this to replace the frigate that sank in the tragedy off Sattahip? Did we ever get a reason why it sank? I imagine it's easier to steer a frigate (in daylight anyway) because you can see all around you, whereas in a submarine there are no windows to look out of, so it might be a bit risky.

[brianthainess]

4 hours ago, bamnutsak said:

based on the worthiness of the project

Should read the worthlessness of the project init.

[digbeth]

with the submarine tender already delivered and submarine dock already built and deep channels dredged for sub operation at the base, they'd probably put in a requisition to buy the subs later, with the updated spec to chinese engine 

[LALes]

I hear there are a few old, Roman, slave galleys available at a good price.

[Morch]

2 minutes ago, digbeth said:

with the submarine tender already delivered and submarine dock already built and deep channels dredged for sub operation at the base, they'd probably put in a requisition to buy the subs later, with the updated spec to chinese engine 

From the original article:

 

Quote

adding that the submarine procurement project has not been scrapped per se.

 

 

[phil2407]

I would have thought a frigate makes more sense but also thought would be cheaper than a sub depending on size comparison (no naval expert, so don't know!) Wonder if they'll try German engines for that as well 555! 

[Morch]

The article mentions that

 

Quote

The defence minister said he believes the procurement deal could be concluded next month

That's the money end. Any indication when delivery will take place? I doubt it's an off-the-shelf thing, so the schedule is probably delayed once more.