A MOVE FORWARD MP who heads the House military committee immediately summoned the navy to explain a new deal to swap an already-purchased, Chinese-built submarine for which a German engine is unavailable for a frigate as mentioned by Defence Minister Suthin Klangsaeng upon his return from China yesterday (Oct. 20), Matichon newspaper said.

 

The military committee chairman Mr. Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn shared a post on X, formerly Twitter, that had appeared on the well-known website ThaiArmedForce.com entitled “Government comes up with an idea, cancel the submarine and top up with additional money to buy a Chinese frigate.”

 

This came after Suthin had admitted that talks between Thai and Chinese governments had been held on exchanging the Yuan-class S26T submarine,  for which 7 billion baht down payment had been made to China Shipbuilding & Offshore International Co. but the German-made MTU396 engine specified in the purchase contract is unavailable, for a frigate.

 

by TNR staff

House military committee chairman MP Wiroj Lakkhanaadisorn, left, and a Chinese Yuan-class S26T submarine, right. Photo: Matichon

 

Full story: THAI NEWSROOM 2023-10-23

 

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And should this swap proceed, Thailand will have acquired a $466,000,000 USD frigate (17 billion THB converted to USD = $466 million). That's a pretty high priced "boat". Where's the common sense in that?

Surely a bigger question is why the necessity for any escalation of Naval power?

What country/s does Thailand need to attack or defend?

Stinks of non-neutrality.

 

Edited October 22, 20232 yr by Jing Joe
correction

I'd like to know who this "enemy" is, that the Thailand military is preparing to "fight" with such expensive toys!

1 hour ago, neeray said:

And should this swap proceed, Thailand will have acquired a $466,000,000 USD frigate (17 billion THB converted to USD = $466 million). That's a pretty high priced "boat". Where's the common sense in that?

Perhaps it includes an engine so they won't have to use oars to move it.

4 hours ago, webfact said:

top up with additional money to buy a Chinese frigate.”

This country never stops giving! 

The Enemy is within

Its called Paranoia

24 minutes ago, rwill said:

Perhaps it includes an engine so they won't have to use oars to move it.

I think it would be a wise idea to incorporate some kind of a self-raise device so that after it sinks, they can refloat it and try again. That's after it undergoes a 5 billion dollar renovation and refurbishment process. TIT.

Simple logically A submarine is just a TOY , a Frigate is far more practical, only a Naval person would understand that though most government ministers will not have a clue !!

2 hours ago, neeray said:

And should this swap proceed, Thailand will have acquired a $466,000,000 USD frigate (17 billion THB converted to USD = $466 million). That's a pretty high priced "boat". Where's the common sense in that?

Sense doesn't even factor.

26 minutes ago, Nicholas Paul KNIGHT said:

Simple logically A submarine is just a TOY , a Frigate is far more practical, only a Naval person would understand that though most government ministers will not have a clue !!

Agree with that statement.  But, add something I had already posted before:

CCP wants a foothold in Thai waters with advisors, maintainers (& spies) onsite in Thailand.  Thai PM probably felt pressure by CCP to buy a CCP product (bad strategic move for Thailand) or risk losing the downpayment as well as CCP cordiality.  A better bet would have been for Thailand to pursue surplus US Navy Coastal patrol vessels, like the following:

 

U.S. Navy’s Mark VI and 40-foot Patrol Boat Updates - Naval News

Navy Decommissions 3 Cyclone Patrol Craft; Looking to Shelve Mark VI Patrol Boat - USNI News

US transfers trio of Navy coastal patrol boats to Egypt following joint training | Stars and Stripes

PH Navy gets 2 ex-Cyclone patrol ships from US Navy | Philippine News Agency (pna.gov.ph)

Has there ever been a final report on the sinking of the HTMS Sukhothai?

 

 

 

 

 

26 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

Has there ever been a final report on the sinking of the HTMS Sukhothai?

I read they were still contemplating salvaging the boat, that could be interesting!

38 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

Has there ever been a final report on the sinking of the HTMS Sukhothai?

 

 

 

 

 

After a budget was created to investigate and possibly raise...

Edited October 23, 20232 yr by herfiehandbag

1 hour ago, Cake Monster said:

The Enemy is within

Its called Paranoia

No its not. It's corruption.😉

3 minutes ago, herfiehandbag said:

After a budget was created to investigate and possibly raise...

 

42 minutes ago, bamnutsak said:

Has there ever been a final report on the sinking of the HTMS Sukhothai?

 

 

 

 

 

It's a military secret. A save face shutdown.😉

Anything that will float !!!!    

3 hours ago, CanadaSam said:

I'd like to know who this "enemy" is, that the Thailand military is preparing to "fight" with such expensive toys!

Laos  

'House Military Panel Calls Navy To Explain Swapping Sub For Frigate'

 

Allow me to explain; all 'commissions' for the sub have been paid and spent.  This is the next round of rewards for totally useless, self-important military men who are 'guarding' this hugely insignificant country from imagined enemies like Laos which does not need a navy.

Oh frigate!

It was on the good ship Venus
By Christ, ya should've seen us
The figurehead was a whore in bed
And the mast, a mammoth p

And what exactly are the Chinese going to do with a Sub that is almost completed

I would assume Thailand will still need to pay for the work undertaken before they cancelled the order

As for the Frigate, I think China will politely tell them to F off

Edited October 23, 20232 yr by Cake Monster

5 hours ago, CanadaSam said:

I'd like to know who this "enemy" is, that the Thailand military is preparing to "fight" with such expensive toys!

Thailand fight you are joking !!!!!  it only took 5 hrs to subjugate thailand by the japanese

18 minutes ago, Cake Monster said:

And what exactly are the Chinese going to do with a Sub that is almost completed

Add it to the WWIII war machine!

43 minutes ago, MikeandDow said:

Thailand fight you are joking !!!!!  it only took 5 hrs to subjugate thailand by the japanese

Cut Thailand some slack! It was during high season. They were busy....

6 hours ago, CanadaSam said:

I'd like to know who this "enemy" is, that the Thailand military is preparing to "fight" with such expensive toys!

Rohingya vikings.

 

4 hours ago, neeray said:

I think it would be a wise idea to incorporate some kind of a self-raise device so that after it sinks, they can refloat it and try again. That's after it undergoes a 5 billion dollar renovation and refurbishment process. TIT.

Can save energy and beach it. Of course, this would mean no potential kickbacks from the renovation budgets, so probably a non-starter.

1 hour ago, Cake Monster said:

And what exactly are the Chinese going to do with a Sub that is almost completed

I would assume Thailand will still need to pay for the work undertaken before they cancelled the order

As for the Frigate, I think China will politely tell them to F off

It will be sold to Thailand down the line.

The original article included a comment that the submarine deal is not scrapped 'per se'.

 

Alternatively it will be flogged to another country, or even be used by the Chinese themselves. Didn't they just lose one?

5 hours ago, Cake Monster said:

The Enemy is within

Its called Paranoia

Nooo, it's called backhanders...

5 hours ago, Cake Monster said:

The Enemy is within

Its called Paranoia

No, it's called back-handers.

9 hours ago, webfact said:

“Government comes up with an idea, cancel the submarine and top up with additional money to buy a Chinese frigate.”

From the perspective of budget assigned by the previous pro-military government, portions of the overall budget can't legally be reassigned to a frigate without Parliament approval. Defense budgets are typically for very specific programs and procurements that are usually approved through legislative negotiations. The subject proposed switch bypasses the legislative process, thus illegal.

I think that's why Move Forward is taking issue. Nothing related to justification for a frigate substitution. Unspent budget for the submarine goes back to Parliament and discussions can the begin with how those funds should be reassigned, if at all.